How is he meant to get that experience if his route into the first team is blocked by a past it Kiwi?!

He's played more games there than Tomkins.

What should we do then, forget BJB and move on to the next in line?

Good decision imo. Webb is a solid full back. Consistent under the high ball. Hardly makes massive blunders that can happen to full backs. His attack has faded but in a dominant team he can be a shining light. Full back has never been an issue for Leeds. The main contract decisions imo are Ali, Kylie and Senior. I also don't have much confidence in Burrow but he is under contract so looks like he'll be around next season.

My initial thought however if you watch our home game v Hull KR, every try came from a move instigated by Webb!

Having had more time to think about it ,IF Senior is to move on that leaves a pretty young looking outside back line so maybe that's the clubs thoughts of leaving a bit more experience out there especially if Delaney is BR bound and we haven't signed a new centre.
Btw i still think we should be moving on and letting Hardaker ,Smith and Bjb fight it out for the no1 shirt.

Not the best Thing to find out when you get up. Seriously, wth were they thinking? A few reasons why I think Webb should have been shifted along are...

1. he's past his beat and declining rapidly. When was the last time he run the ball back at the line without trotting or looking for his winger to help him?

2. We have other players in the squad who are more than capable to make the fb position theirs. Smith, BJB and Hardaker are all very good players and Smith has looked better in his performances at fb this year than Webb has for the last 2 years.

And,

3. Cap space. There are other areas of the squad that could use strengthening and Webbs salary won't be that small. It could have been used to bring in a good young centre or someone like that.

If we resign Senior aswel I think that may send a few people over the edge. Hopefully the Heiengton rumour comes to fruition though because with him and Griffin we have deffinately strengthened the pack. We just need a very good outside back now (and a scrum half

)

Why the name change and no mod satus J??

Had we not re-signed him then I'd have been content given BJB and Hardaker's availability for the position (note, not Smith who is now completely devoid of any pace and not suitable for full back).

However, he is still a real livewire and one of our best attacking players so a 1 year deal is probably the correct thing.

Had it been any longer I'd have been disappointed as it would hinder the development of the young lads coming through. 12 months is probably about right.

Agreed, he has been one of our better players. Unfortunately some people can't see past his age. On the other hand I would have been keen to see us give BJB his time though.

Not been a mod for a month or so now. Never had the time with work to do it well enough so I asked to be removed. And I just fancied a name change. Harrigan was getting stale

There is enough young talent to fill the Full Back slot already at BMD's disposal. Webb has been great, but he has lost the edge that really set him apart when he first signed. At what point do we really look to the future? As it is obvious the current set up is clinging onto fast fading glories. Surely we need to be looking forward and not squandering resources.
As for Webb's passing, often he has been more quarterback than full back.

Fwiw i'm looking more at who's in line to replace him and whilst i agree with you and G1 about him being one of our better players this year the injuries have/are taking their toll and it's time to move on imo.
Of course he's here now and i'll support him and hope he can recapture his best form and consistency i just ghope we don't re-sign Senior and Ali and also IF there's a reasonable offer on the table for Buderus i'd let him go aswell.

Keith Senior was signed up by distinctagency yesterday, a few Crusaders players are signed up with that Agency e.g Gareth Thomas. Wouldn't suprise me if Senior was to leave it would be Crusaders who he would sign for.

The CarnegieTykes I think he's hinting at.

Just when most were thinking the future was all doom and gloom, it's refreshing to see the first piece of ambitious jigsaw for 2012 being firmly put into it's correct place.

Magnificent news.

Do you just pluck this stuff out of thin air and then state it as fact?

BJB hasn't played more games at full back than Tomkins. Tomkins has played 24 SL games for Wigan at full back, BJB has played 14 for Quins & 2 for Leeds. Playing for Leeds or Wigan at full back with the exposure, attention & pressure that comes from playing in big games in front of big crowds is a lot different to playing for Quins at full back.

I also didn't say we should forget BJB, I said we should ease him in.

So on reflection your post couldn't have been more wrong had you been talking to Phil Daly while driving the wrong way up a 1 way street.

A reference to the Dykes / Cuckoos / whatever they're called ?

Whoops! My apologies.

I thought they'd signed Trent.

But they've re-signed Brent.

Widnes must be gutted.

Or Leeds & district!

Doesn't take long for the old Danny to press the self destruct button does it?

But trying to be funny, check your facts first. BJB has started 4 times at fullback for Leeds and moved into the postion on another 3 occassions. Which when added to the 14 you talk of for Quins, which it should be added he also switched to fullback in on another 3 occassions (but I'll let you off), that makes 21 times (or 24 if you add the quins switch). Hardly a difference with him and Tomkins

.

As seem as number of games rather than ability seems to matter most to you, which would you rather have at fullback, Tomkins or Mathers?

A little disappointing, but 12 months isn't terrible for Webb or Leeds (Senior is another matter though, and should NOT be retained in a playing capacity).

I think much depends on the scale of the deal. It was suggested on here that Leeds broke their pay structure to keep Webb when his last contract was negotiated, due to a large bid from Warrington. If this is true, I suspect that the renegotiated deal is on reduced terms given Webb's blunted impact since his serious back injury. Webb on a reduced deal could be a very good bit of business for Leeds, but I have no way of knowing whether or not this is the case. Hopefully this will still free up a bit more space for further additions to the backline - a skillful & athletic centre being top priority.

I doubt he'll ever be the same player again but still has the skill if not the pace or physicality. Perhaps Leeds wouldn't have needed to do this if BJB and Watkins weren't so injury prone and had longer runs to establish themselves.

Hopefully this is not a sign that we'll see a re-run of last year's 'Magnificent Seven' announcement... I have a bad feeling that we'll be keeping more players that should be let go though.

I'm as keen as anyone to refresh the side with youth, and like I said, I would like to see BJB given his chance soon. But there is a tendency to start writing players off when they pass 30 and have picked up a couple of injuries. It's good to have youth in the side but there has to be a balance of youth and experience, and there still aren't many better than Webb in SL. In saying that, It is time to let Senior and Ali go with our best wishes, otherwise we really do become 'Dad's army'.

Is a pattern emerging? It seems that an increasing number of our players are being retained on 1 or 2 year deals, many of which are presumably on reduced terms. At the same time players are being allowed to terminate contracts without the previous demands for compensation etc. Is this merely a lowering of ambition, or could Caddick be hoping to sell? I'm assuming a prospective buyer would be more attracted if they were able to release unwanted staff without incurring exhorbitant costs associated with terminating lengthy and lucrative contracts.

Much ado about nothing I reckon.

I think a years extension for a player of Webb's calibre is good business on the part of GH, and provides quality cover should any of BJB/Watkins/Hardaker actually fulfill their potential next season, and claim the full back position on merit.

Just out of interest, what the f[iu[/ick are you on about?

I'm not Danny.
According to SL stats he's started 16 times at full back compared to 24 for Tomkins (yes he might have swapped into the role a few times but I'm sure Tomkins has too).
You comprehensively stated BJB had played more times at fullback than Tomkins yet you obviously can't prove he has.
I never said anything about number of games vs quality, you brought up the number of games, I merely suggested that BJB is relatively inexperienced at full back especially when you consider the vast majority of his game time at full back has been at Quins and not in the significantly harder role at a top club like Leeds or Wigan.
Quite where the Mathers v Tomkins thing has come from I have no idea.

Just admit it, you jumped in with both feet without thinking first.