In the NRL there are only a hand full of 'non tackling machine' backrowers with the talents Eastwood possess

Greg Bird
Anthony Whatmough
Sam Thaiday
Bronson Harrison
Adam Blair


Can't see any of them coming any time soon - he will be a very tough act to follow, seldom do we get world class overseas players in their prime.

I wouldn't swap TP for Eastwood, but then I haven't seen as much of Eastwood as you lot.

He's only young though and if he can avoid injury and gain a bit of consistency, he's be amongst the very best back rowers in the world.

This calls for some stats



Apperances TP : 24 GE: 15
Tackle Busts TP: 45 GE: 38

Offloads TP: 29 GE: 27

Clean Breaks : TP: 3 GE: 7

With Eastwood making 9 less apperances he has made more clean breaks than TP. Just 2 less Offloads and just 7 less tackle busts. In these departments GE is superior.

However:

Errors : TP 13 GE 15

Missed Tackles : TP 21 GE 30

Penalties TP: 12 GE: 2

Unfortunately due to the injuries to our pack for most of the year we haven't been able to use TP as a wide back rower all that much, he's been propping mainly which has had an impact on his impact, so to speak.

I guess the reason I prefer TP is that I've seen Eastwood have a few poor and anonymous games, but TP has been consistently good for us. Like I said though, I haven't seen anywhere near as much of Eastwood as you lot, obviously.

Get Eastwood fit for long periods and I've no doubt he'd be the better player though.

Ditto! I think Eastwood has played well for Leeds recently, looked really good in the Wigan game. My only worry is his tackling technique. What ever he touches usually goes to ground, but when it doesn't, or someone isn't there to wrap up after him, his effort has gone in vein. Saying that, I still think we'll struggle to replace what he brings to the team.

For what ive seen of TP the prop, metre maker role, suits him. He looks too big and heavy to be a wide back rower. Having said that so does Ali but he does a fine job. Either way Leeds need to use Eastwoods cap space top bring in a metre maker. Someone who can do the hard yards, bacause apart from JP and Kylie (the latter with limited game time) we havn't got anybody else.

I'd take Puletua at Leeds as Eastwood's replacement in a heartbeat. Quality player who, as FTV says, has been used in a role at Saints that really doesn't suit him.

Indeed, but if he came to Leeds he would end up having to fulfil exactly the same role.

Hopefully next year with Perry/Graham/LMS/Clough taking the reins at prop, we'll see a bit more of what he can do in the back row.

Strange to admit it, when we're 80 minutes from Old Trafford, but I can't wait for next season - a pack/bench comprising some of Perry/Graham/LMS/Clough/Wilkin/Soliola/Flannery/Puletua/Roby/Moore looks very handy.

Are there any rumours about who might be coming in for Eastwood? I would think that increased salary cap in Oz and exchange rate will make it tough to attract tip top quality?

It's a similar situation to Eastwood at Leeds in that case and either way it's the role they both play best, IMO.

__________





Innes must have carried on playing first grade for Leeds (albeit briefly) after he left in that case.

A bit like Peacock when he joined Leeds?

With Ablett, JJB, Kirke, Ali, Clarkson all knocking about for next season he would be best playing prop.

Thats why Leeds should splash out on a real hard prop. Get another mold of Kylie brought on board. Because of the impressive Clarkson coming into the picture we no longer need a second rower. Albeit Clarkson may play loose until McGuire returns, but when he does 2 of the five mentioned about will be sitting in the stands. Then of course you have Senior, who many are calling for him to play in the back row next season.

Thats a very scary pack!!

Perry, Graham, LMS and Clough all driving it up the middle with TP and Soliola running wide.



Wigans also looks impressive with Hoffman and Lima joining them.

Hetherington better have something up his sleeve.

And perhaps Hock . . .

Leeds need to sign another prop I reckon. Senior looks a good option in the back row if Watkins can make a centre spot his own.

Leeds tried to persuade Innes to come back for the 96 semi final as he was their player.

When Bradford tried to sign him for the 97 season, Hetherington made many unhappy noises about him been our registered player.

Certainly is a mouthwatering propect indeed, should make for some "interesting" battles.

gh has already said we will just go get somebody as good. There a a good few Aussies/kiwis out of contract, been told they can leave or have an sl release clause. even with a cap increase there are still plenty of quality players who won't be on anything like they could get in sl.

Do you think perry is moving to st hellens for the life style?

I have looked at who is available and mentioned a few I would want a Leeds on other threads. For example sika Manu and jared weaerea Hargreaves.

that's just 2 belters of a long list before we approach those who might ask to be released.

If one thing is certain Leeds won't be left not able to bring someone in if gh is after a player.

Lima has been really gash at times this season. Madge will need to improve him like he has this current team. If he doesn't hit his straps the pie dome faithful will be very disapointed

Double post

How was Hetherington involved in how much we got for Innes then?

Even if it did happen, although I suspect this could be another Phil Daly moment, that makes 2 in 14/15 years of management. Considering the entirety of Hetherington's reign at Leeds those 2 instances aren't really representative.

Read what I put again, then look at it in the context it was.

I only said that Hetherington had gone to the press on two previous occassions before this demanding big money for a player, and ended up with nothing. And on that I asked why we should expect it to be any different this time?

How many other occassions has a player left in contract where we have demanded money to make it more representative?

So, let me get this straight. I just want to make sure we're knitting the same fog here?

You're criticising Hetherington in relation to a player signed several season's before he was ever at the club, a player who reneged on a contract Hetherington had nothing to do with, a player who left the club two playing seasons and more than 12 months prior to Hetherington arriving at the club?

Just to be sure, like, that is what you're doing?

Classic Gotcha. Posts something patently wrong then follows it up with something patently insane to justify it.

Classic Gotcha.

And as usual you lumbar in with your usual childish agendas without reading a post properly, and furthermore without even having the knowledge to get your facts right.

But just to make it clear for even your "special" type.

There has been no critisism of Hetherington.

A question was asked. Hence why I repeated it above, why should it be any different this time?

Innes may well have been signed several seasons before Hetherington was at the club, but what that has to do with any point only you could explain. I was talking about him leaving and compensation demanded, and more specifically that when Hetherington took over he made it clear to the media that he still intended to persue the case against Innes and Manly for compensation. A further point he made in 1997 when Bradford tried to sign Innes to them, which Hetherington went to the media again for to say we held his registration.

I further notice how you have gone fog knitting here, by just ignoring the fact that I mentioned Karl Pratt also, which is also just as relevent to this point.

So the only argument against my point is if anyone has left Leeds under contract without the clubs permission where we demanded compensation and got it? which are these players.

You see, it's easy to show a point without been childish. Learn from it.

Well off the top of my head there is Jordan Tansey and Iestyn Harris. There may well be others. But you were attempting to have a little dig at Hetherington for some reason over this issue but yet your only real evidence to back you up is the Karl Pratt deal.