He was offered a 1st team deal though before he decided to leave and again like i said if players leave for better deals that's not a problem it's how he responded and came across that he thought he was more important and better than he actually was.
If you look at how Mckenna reacted when he was asked to take a pay cut it was totally different.

Do i know the exact £££ of course not but there is a clear structure in place that the majority of 3 championship winning squads have been happy with.
Do you think ALL the squad are "top earners"?
So there are clearly those who are happy lower down the pecking order and it didn't deter Scott Donald signing as his replacement.

Well you should know how that feels.



What I'd be interested to know is whether his alleged replacement (although he was regarded as a left winger in his native Australia and playing in reserve grade) was on a better deal than the one '106 try Calderwood' had to walk away from at Headingley.

What do you think?

No need for that tvoc






What i think is that the club offered the deal they thought Calderwood was worth mate he chose not only to reject it but go public and rant about it which i think showed a lack of class and left a very bitter taste.
Whatever Donald was offered he chose to up sticks and join us and i don't think GH would pay a penny more than he thought someone was worth as showed with the Ellis deal.

Hetherington doesn't get to decide, it's the structure that decides. Please Gary can I have some more money........ pause......... computer says no.



I'm not wondering if you know the exact contract situation with regards to Leeds players I'm wondering if you have any idea at all?

What do you know? That Leeds have a pay structure that they won't break for anyone. Did they not break it to keep hold of Brent Webb, did they not break it to lure Danny Buderus to SL? Did they have to create a new super pay scale to accomodate a SOO and Australian captain?

Without some detail how can anyone outside of the club 'know' that it is a fair system?

If what you are saying about Calderwood's reaction in the press is true then there is one person who didn't think it was fair.

The whole squad seem happy enough with it so i'd say that shows it's fair.
If they "broke" their structure for Webb or Buderus then i think the others would seriously be peeved and i don't think we'd be able to afford so many quality players within the squad.
Yes obviously calderwood disagreed but that's his perogative and other than the money he's earned the club have gone on to bigger and better things.

The squad still here, or Mathers, Calderwood, Ellis, Scruton, Dowes, Raynor etc?

Iirc Ellis and Mathers actually took pay cuts to try the NRL.
Raynor and Dowes were far from 1st choices in their respective positions and with Scruton he was offered a better deal at Bradford but didn't do a big song and dance about it.
Like i said there will be departures because of the cap but i also believe that the club offer the players what they think they are worth.

How do you know any of this?

The results and performances this season indicate anything but a happy camp and who knows what is the root cause of that.

The last 20 minutes against the bulls and Wigan away show the spirits still firmly intact imo.
Don't start the player A hates/punched Player B because he got more pic 'n' mix in his contract etc

Bloody hell TVOC, I know you have watched a lot of terrible Leeds teams over the years and I know you have seem some truly awful management at Leeds. I really can't believe the glass half empty crap you spout about virtually every decision Hetherington makes.

This is Nirvana. Enjoy it FFS. Who knows how long it will last.

Agree on the point, but ever thought that Tvoc is spouting it in order that it does last? We are still in a strong position as a club, and the points tvoc makes could ensure the spell continues rather than stop.

If the club just sits back the way some suggest, you are right, it will definately come to an end this successfull spell.

Calderwood was offered a new deal of 25000 per annum. Almost half of what was being offered to others at the time. It was a poor offer by the club for someone who scored a lot of tries and he did right to look elsewhere.

If that's bang on i've no problem with him "looking elsewhere" then but if that's what the club thought he was worth then i'm surprised.
The reaction in the press etc and bigging himself up was a major mistake imo no player is bigger than the club and i certainly don't think he should of been getting what Mcguire,Sinfield and Burrow etc were getting.
Do you think the TS rumours were true then?

I somehow doubt his replacement will have travelled half way around the world, leaving his extended family and friends behind in order to pick up the contract that was on offer to Mark Calderwood.

Here's the thing that puzzles me, apart from the accent what did Scott Donald bring to the club that Leeds didn't already possess in the locally produced '106 try' Calderwood.

=#FF0000How did Leeds' reputedly 'fair' pay structure grade the incoming and outgoing players?

Both were experienced 1st grade players, Calderwood had England U21 and England 'A' selections (did Donald have anything equivalent from his NRL career?), Calderwood was a season top try scorer and a SL winner (did Donald have anything equivalent from his NRL career?)

The offer to Calderwood (if true) left him with little option but to leave and if he served up a volley in the press he was provoked into doing so by the actions towards him of an indifferent club, all imo of course.

Wasn't Donald signed as a replacement for Marcus Bai before Calderwood turned down his offer? I remember thread after thread on that point at the time.

Re: the timing, it depends if you can decipher the spin coming out of Headingley.

Rhinos land Aussie ace - YEP - 20th June 2005

Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington said, “he is a well-known, experienced NRL player. He is someone we have monitored and followed in the past and we spoke with him last year.” At this stage Donald is the only player on the Rhinos’ overseas quota for next year. Hetherington said: " =#FF0000Marcus Bai doesn’t count because he’s from Papua New Guinea and Ali Lauitiiti doesn’t count on the quota either. Chris McKenna has an Irish passport and Willie Poching has come off the quota. Our only quota player this year is Andrew Dunemann and he is leaving at the end of the season.” Donald’s signing effectively ends any prospect of a change of heart over Calderwood’s future, by either player or club. Hetherington said: “=#FF0000Scott is a straight replacement for Mark. With Mark, it needed to be brought to a head, for both the club and player. That is the conclusion we came to last week. We accepted that Mark is leaving and he accepted that we would be going out to find a replacement.”

Rhinos exit for try star Calders - YEP - 15th June 2005

Calderwood explained: “Being a Leeds lad, I have been very proud of playing for my hometown club, especially experiencing Grand Final and World Club Championship success. But I believe in my ability and value as a player. It has been a major decision to turn down the offer, especially when I have enjoyed being part of a new era of success for the club and, particularly, the fans. Whatever the future holds from 2006 onwards, I can promise the Rhinos supporters that I will continue to give 110 per cent on and off the field for the rest of this season as we chase Challenge Cup and Grand Final honours.”

Me too.

What's the obsession with Calderwood?

Correct. Left winger for a left winger.

Bai was only offered another contract after Calderwood and Donald were resolved. Discussions with Donald long pre-dated Calderwood's decison to leave but were tied up in time to claim the club were moving quickly to replace - opportunistic but understandable spin.

When looking at the Calderwood situation, I think it is worth while pointing out that the value of the contract offered to him may well have been influenced by other things away from simply his scoring/playing record.
He had a number of warnings while at the club, regarding his conduct/sporting activities away from the club that could jeopordise his performces/fitness.

I have no idea about the figures, but on the back of the last 7 or 8 years, we cant really complain about how they have managed the cap. We have been treat to some awesome rugby at times, and 4 championships, and it was one hell of a wait for this to come.

Regardless of the ins/outs of players, we've remained within the salary cap at all times and have been more sucessful than ever! Hats off to Mr Hetherington, and long may it continue.

All I can add to this excellent post is "FACT" and "END OF".

Which is precisely why supporters should never assume they =#FF0000know anything with regards to pay scales and their fairness or why players come and go.

At best they're guessing with about 5% of the information.

What gave you that impression/ i was merely voicing an opinion and supporting GH's succesfull recruitment/retaining policy

heard that luke may be on the move but not bradford