I don't think he is affected, but as I stated before the season started and a few times since, I think the team is affected.

The team play much better with Sinfield at loose, simple as that. He is the best defender in the side when in that position and he holds the defence together. Out of it the structure falls apart.

I know he is the best option (and in reality only credible option) to play at stand off, but the club should have used preseason to try and come up with another formula. Another failing from the club.

IMO Webb should have been there with Sinfield at loose, just to make sure the team worked better.

A policy which would have been scrapped anyway following the injuries to Jones-Bishop and Smith making Webb the only viable option to play full-back.

That's before you get into whether Webb's passing is of the required standard to play in the halves.

Which still brings us back to where Sinfield is best. And I maintain what I put. The team is a far better side with Sinfield at 13, certainly from a defensive point of view.

Injuries to Jones-Bishop and Smith could have been covered from the academy if needbe.

Of course all hindsight. But I am 100% convinced that this side will defend much better when DM is back at Stand off, and we can hardly call him a definsive lynchpin.

Can't disagree with that about Kev. Think Webb would be out of his depth though. Full-back is hard enough for him. On Friday, nearly every single kick that went up, wherever it landed on the field Webb was nowhere near - too far forward on the 5th, over on the wing stood next to Hall or Watkins. The wingers were coming into the middle to take the high kicks. At one point Delany was covering for where Webb should have been!

IMO he's Leeds' most potent threat on distribution in the danger zone. His understanding and timing of the balls he swings out to un-pick the defence is high quality.

Not disagreeing with you at all regarding defensive structure. Having one of your better defenders standing outside the right centre is a waste - he'd be better defending in the middle then everyone on the right hand side sliding out one.

Wherever Sinfield defends though, his role in attack hasn't changed fundamentally this season. He's just having to do much more of it in the absence of McGuire and Burrow's continued attempts to try and run up his own backside.

Kevin Sinfield Games Tackles T/Game Marker Tackles MT/Game

2009 24 758 31.6 109 4.5

2010 21 587 28 92 4.4

2011 10 187 18.7 26 2.6

Still gets beaten to the outside too much.

The 2011 drop off in tackles per game would fit in with defending two spots further out.

So he's making much fewer tackles and missing a much larger proportion of them?

Sorry, MT/Game meant marker tackles per game, an area where Leeds are being exposed.

Ahhh, got you.

Seems strange that his workload has reduced so dramatically, surely can't be being used properly in defence.

He is defending much wider and therefore a lot less involved in terms of tackles / game, however they tend to be against faster players hence the misses / game.

So, it's seems Buderus is very successful at international level but a bit of a loser at club level. If only I were Australian I would gain some solace from that.

Should we laud his international success too much? I have a feeling I could've played 9 in those Aussie squads and their results would've been the same.

Mate, you might have made a fair hooker, but not on the rugby pitch...

Depends if you call winning a GF and the Dally M as a loser at club level?

And whilst the Aussies were a dominant force you still have to be a pretty special player to get selected at 9 for Australia that many times - sadly that accolade doesn't have quite the same status for GB/England - especially when you look who has worn the 9 jersey in recent years

.

Not sure wether you class SOO as club level - but if you do then 25 appearances many as captain - including being a captain in a winning series - again not sure that counts as a loser either?

I suppose if you consider SL to be a superior competition to the NRL & SOO?

However you review his career, its achievements compare favourably with anything that emerges from Headingley.

Unlike some of our starlets he has tested himself in the NRL?

Yes we could.

Also, on the Webb at Stand-off debate. I think when I have seen him chime in this season, he has struggled to pass backwards.

Doubt it, overweight hookers the wrong side of 40 wouldnt last 2 minutes in international rugby league.

Just sayin

Same here if we lose on Thursday to your shower of ****.

It would be the ultimate embarrassment for the Bulls.

could do without 2 embarrasments in a week

Seems to me like the main reason Buderus came over here was because he knew he wasn't going to keep his number 9 shirt for the Aussies with Cameron Smith on the scene so came over a legend rather than fizzle out and be dropped from the squad.

His performance so far have failled to prove me wrong.

I think that's slightly unfair. This season he has had more good games than bad. He tore Wigan to pieces. He just doesn't apply himself the same to every match. I can't decide if it's his age or his ego.

He wouldn't have been anywhere near the Aussie team on the last few seasons performance. 3 or 4 decent games this year can't make up for it i'm affraid.

Agree he wouldnt have made the aussie team, but I dont agree that just because he lost 9 shirt to SMITH that he still wouldnt be classed as a legend in the NRL.

He will still be viewed as a great player (legend i'm not sure) for me he'd struggle against Johns and Lockyer to be a legend from this generation. But I think him coming over here and fizzling out leaves a better impression in the australian pshyce once he's retired than if he stayed in the NRL and fizzled out infront of the Aussie public. His public perception will be greater for coming over here and effectively retiring himself from international duty.

Yes i agree that in the eyes of the NRL fans he will be better thought of for coming over here. But for me his time in the NRL NSW AUSSIE team I think he will be up there with the names mentioned.