Last year the run was down to Buderus being unleashed for the full eighty, organising the direction of play with ball in hand and leading the ruck speed and consistency in defence.

Who has McDermott got to turn to this season after the often highly regarded CEO released a world class player without sourcing an adequate replacement first - which he had promised to do incidentally.

You didn't have to be that clued up to realise that Buderus was hugely instrumental in our achievement last season, and furthermore what a huge loss he was going to be on this season.

Only certain individuals fail to face up to realism.

This is where i have some sympathy for McDermott because whilst Tony Smith was able to bring in the likes of Ali, Webb, Ellis, Peacock etc. i can't imagine McDermott is being given the same kind of financial support in terms of recruiment and highly doubt GH went to him and said you can pick any player in the world you want and i'll go get him for you money no object and McDermott's first thought was........Richard Moore.

It was also Weller Hauraki, and Griffin that came down to that Einstein.

A fair point, on the face of it looks like uncle Garry thinks the solution is to bring players through the academy . It will be a deadly fascinating end to the season ,for certain players who if they don't perform should be shown the door.
Whatever happens I think they will rightly or wrongly stick with the present coaching staff.

Someone like Griffin is an ok signing if made in addition to a bigger signing, for example for the 2006 season we brought in Ian Kirke in addition to signing Jamie Peacock. The problem comes when Griffin is your big signing.

He was an England international and Huddersfield star player. He was regarded as a big signing. You might not think he should have been classed as a big signing, and I agree with you, but he was certainly regarded as big by our club in signing him, and "alledgedly" given the wages of a big signing to go with it.

I'd agree in general but I'd also say that the amount of quality players who are available now has fallen. I just don't see the players available now who are equivalent quality to the likes of Peacock, Webb, Ali, Ellis etc

The way to put some perspective on the quality of our recruits is to look at who other teams have picked up and if they would have improved our situation.

Who, that has changed clubs in the last 3 years would have improved our situation?

This group of players are capable of far more than it has shown on many many occasions in the last 2 or 3 years.

ABSO-BLUDDY-LUTELY. The FULL 80 !!!! Get that those (one at least) who persistently dismissed this great individual as somebody incapable of winning a mom award.

+1

Whilst some think that we should keep Lunt, some think McShane, I think neither! Buderus has not adequately been replaced, and if we don't sign anyone else this close season we need a quality 80 min hooker. In the modern game it's arguably the most important position now. Look how Saints coped without Roby & Wigan without Leuleui as an example

Ps Burrow never has been - or ever will be - a hooker, what a waste!

Daryl Clarke is the only hooker in Super League (assuming Roby, McClorum, and Monaghan are untouchable), that would both be someone we could probably get and somebody who would improve us enormously.

I don't know who could be possible from overseas.

There isn't a massive list whatever way you look at it. And in order to really get back to the level required, it would take a significant amount of money.

Going down a level from thosel, IMO, Lunt is good enough to take an 80 minute role (despite no as good as the options above I stated).

It's either a lead balloon or a rabbit Mac will pull out of the hat.

Clark would be a very very good signing for Leeds, but if he leaves Cas, I hear it's Hull he's headed for.

Hull can't sign *everyone*. He was heavily linked with Wire at the time when he was asking to be released from Cas. Whatever their backing/accountancy there's no reason Leeds can't compete with those two clubs for at least *some* players.

Clark would be my first choice for a domestic signing too. Build the next generation team around him and Ward.

One game away from yet another Grand Final. You know-it-all critics don't seem to be right too often about Brian after you wanted him out before he lead you to GF glory last season.

What price history repeating itself this season after again the many predictable calls for his head?

Available at 8/1 before tonight's game at Warrington. Leeds are fourth favourites of the five five clubs remaining.

It's still a fairly special group of players regardless of the quality of coaching. Les Catalans did shoot themselves in the foot though. You can't make the number of errors they did and expect to win a game ..... any game really, let alone a Play-Off.

Last night game said it all, at the after match interview Mr Mcdermott he had lost control on what was going on, on the pitch. From what i understand he is a decent person, but he is not a good coach. Last year the players won the GF not down to the coach, if and god i hope we do get to Old Trafford it will down to the skills of the players. But my god there has been so much rubbish played by the once mightly Leeds. Bar the CC Semi how many games did we out play a top side. We clearly need a need a new prop, hopefully under 25 and the future of Leeds is not Richard Moor, we need a new half as Rob and Danny are getting old, and we need a replacement for Ali. The mess over the hocking role shows how poor Mcdermott is, at the start of the season McShane given the number 9 jersey and Hood was to challenge him for the role. Both young players with possible big futures in the game, we would have tolerated the odd poor game. Afew weeks into the season both gone and we have Shaun Lunt a Fartown cast off, not a bad season but he is not the future. McShane now does the bussiness at Widnes. It is a mess Leeds, changes are needed and it needs to start with Mcdemott going NOW

Neither can Leeds expect to win any remaining play-off game unless the discipline improves. Was it 15 pens against Catalan. Give Wigan/Saints that sort of chance and there's no hope. Not even for the dirtiest team in the world. Apparently.

I admire your ability for agitated hyperbole but are you sure it's a good idea to sack the head coach in the week before a big game? In particular when the coach has never lost a play off game and the big game is, in fact, the biggest play off game of the season?

I actually think McDermott is a decent coach and I think a decent bloke.
My gripe is that he has had many opportunities to rotate the squad and keep some of our crown jewels fresh and ready for the play offs/ CCF.
To continually play forwards who are shot has not helped our cause.
To continually play some players clearly out of form such as JJB and drop players who have been in form such as Moore is somewhat bemusing.
Now we might end up with yet another GF win.
But we have without doubt made life difficult for ourselves.
Maybe McDermott sees this like a horse race and we are handicapped to the full to allow other lesser teams like Wigan the chance to compete

Finishing 5th is no handicap - it's wonderful. It's the lightest and most productive weight to be carrying around into the proper semi finals next week

Yeah. you get to play each week so you aren't in danger of being underdone, but the teams you are drawn against are sufficiently crap to ensure you progress.

The only downside is playing away in the final semi.

Leeds had a low error count on Friday, I expect Les Catalans' was much higher. I counted four Leeds knock ons but only the Peacock one in the second half came when clearing the ball in our own half.

Giving penalties away is a bad habit but sometimes they can buy time to organise defensively and save tries rather than always conceding. Also a penalty conceded early in the tackle count close to your own line comes with no real down side attached.

Losing possession before reaching a clearing or attacking kick is rarely a good thing by comparison.

Leeds and Warrington both played some good, play-off winning football this weekend and should go forward in good heart for the rightly tough Qualifying Semi-Finals to come.

As TVOC alludes on the previous page, I am rarely surprised at the results this champion group of players continue to pull out. Yet I am continually surprised the coach is at the helm of teams that keep reaching finals.

Make of that what you will.