Here Here.
i 'm not gonna take back my early season rants because at the time the performances warranted them imo but he has played his part in turning around our season and getting this squad playing how we know they can.
Still has some "head scratching" moments (i thought he was mad to drop Ali again) but we are at OT and in another GF from 5th!!!!!
Well done Brian Mc lets hope the upward spiral continues and our improvement carrys on.

I just can't believe we've made the grand final, from 5th.

I too have been guilty of screaming obscenities from the Southstand against our esteemed leader, but i'll accept he HAS done us good in the last month or so, and we definetely have that belief back now.... So.... Do we want Saints or Wigan??

Hmmm.......

Nobody can doubt that the early season performances were nowhere near good enough, and criticism was deserved (despite being deprived of Peacock and McGuire), but he deserves huge credit for turning things around.

Anyone who booed him after the Wakefield game should hang their heads in shame.

Personally, I really want another crack at wigan.

I think we've been unlucky to lose to them twice this season, all 3 have been close, and we've been getting better game on game since the CC final.

Their fans will show alot of bravado, as they have done this week if you read their boards, but if you look past that, theres fear.

I want wigan.

Some performacnes warranted critcism.

We aren't braindead morons who will champion anything in blue n amber. If something aint good enough, will say it isn't.

Mcdermott and the players have turned it round. Bloody well done.

He's shut up all his doubters since the Castleford Tigers sem-final to be honest, and ill admit I did doubt his credentials as a Head Coach, but have been proved wrong.

Thanks for the ups and downs this season Brian, its been scarily brilliant.

I like that, sums it up well!

Booing after the Wakey game was braindead though, and I said as much at the time.

To be honest I wouldn't go overboard in praise for Brian McDermott. This isn't me being a bitter Warrington fan because we lost, I don't think McDermott is a good enough coach for one of the top clubs.

Sometimes a team with a lot of experienced senior players can carry the coach for a while, it happened when Avram Grant was at Chelsea, it happened when Dean Lance was Leeds coach and they made the CC Final and won 15 on the spin or whatever in the league. But in the context of time Grant or Lance were out of their depth and I think McDermott is as well.

But maybe that's why we should listen to the players - yet again after the match Sinfield went out of his way to praise McDermott (just as he had after the Cas semi). That certainly wouldn't have happened with Dean Lance.

(and it was an unprompted comment not a response to a journalists question where it'd be a case of well yeah he would say that)

Think a reflection of Brian's work ethic was actually seen last night. Well done i backed you without any handicap last night. I think some serious humble pie eating is in order from some of you Rhino's supporters who have been giving him the rough treatment. If saints get to final however i feel could be one match too far but you have well and truely over achieved this season considering injuries you have had.

Questioning performances and decisions was one thing, the tirade of name calling and insults was just pathetic and sums up so called fans. Deserves all the accolades does McDermott, some tough times through the season were always on the cards when you factor in players available, where the team were at last season and the transition of a new coach. His team selections made the best of the pivots in preparing for the end of the season.

Buderus also world class and has been outstanding I know mcshane and hood have benefited from his experience.

Perhaps burrow may receive a stay of execution...

There have been some pretty poor performances this season and not just in the early rounds. However, the overall standard has improved significantly and, although one swallow does not a summer make, some credit is thoroughly deserved.

As regards our change in fortunes, and my thoughts on Brian Mcdermott, just read my post on the Mcdermott poll thread!

Absolutely brilliiant finish to a rollercoaster of a season. Well done to everyone involved at Leeds Rhinos who has contributed to a complete turnaround in fortunes from the first half of the season.

I agree Seth.

Nothing wrong with critical comment but much of it against Big Mac was ill judged and bordering on the hysterical. He has shown great strength of character, dignity and a lot of tenacity to prove many people very wrong.

He has also shown courage to stick to his guns and maintain his style of play which is now bearing fruit because the players have returned to form and fitness. It was this lack of form by the players together with serious injuries that was the main cause of much of our previous poor performances. It was because in my judgement these were the reasons for our early season problems that I have consistently defended BM.

I am not saying he hasn't made mistakes but as a young British coach, starting with a difficult set of problems to overcome, he deserved to be given more time to prove himself by the many 'back seat coaches' who were calling for his head.

So very well done Brian for creating history to get us to the Grand Final and good luck next week.

I have been fairly critical of him this season, earlier in the year particularly. At the time the criticism was justified by the way he was trying to get us to play, which the players were not capable of. We have changed the style of rugby significantly since then (not one single offload in the first half last night) and whilst it's not the most "attractive" we have certainly been compelling to watch.

The players themselves have shown no lack of commitment to the cause at any point this year (maybe with the exception of Catalans away?), so that left me looking at the coaching team. They have turned the season around and now deserve the praise, where previously they deserved the criticism.

Well done on turning things round Brian.

Excellent summation of our season to date Batley. Our early and mid season form and tactics were appalling and both coaching and playing staff must accept the criticism for that. Equally, all should be applauded for their efforts at the right spot in the season, and in particular for the part they played last night in an outstanding game of RL.

Whether BMD is the real deal as claimed by several of the tight underwear brigade who have popped their heads above the parapet these last couple of weeks, only time will tell, but he like everyone at Headingley deserves a massive round of applause for getting to both Wembley and Old Trafford.

Early season performances were not good and probably some of the complaints were justified against mac. But it's important to say well done as well, and he has turned things round and deserves credit for that.

He took it on the chin when we criticised him, performances werent good enough but he stuck to his guns. Regardless of what happens in the rest of his career, GF and CC final in the same year is an outstanding achievement and McDermott has done it. There was and maybe still is a bit of a lack of faith in McDermotts ability but what he has achieved he has achieved and it can never be taken away from him.

Well done Brian

I also owe him an apology but we've won nowt yet.

With Peacock and McGuire injured for a third of the season, then getting back to match fitness for another third, Senior missing for more than half the season, Eastwood not replaced with a like-for-like player, getting both both finals is a great achievement. Statistically this season is already better than last year. Our performances have, at times, been poor but for people to want him sacked before Easter and then boo him at the Wakefield game is ridiculous. If we do it on Saturday it will be five championships in eight years and probably the biggest achievement of them all.

Have to resurrect this thread to add my own (belated) apology to BM. Well done.

I think the issue with the early season wasn't the results but the really very poor performances in too many games. Well done for turning it around Brian. I'll support you for next year at least now.

Whilst some decisions have been bizarre, I think particular congratulations are in order for how he's developing Hardaker. The lad was going well on the wing then disappeared, much to the confusion of many. Plainly BM rates him, but wanted him to become a centre. Now he's showing a lot of faith in a young inexperienced player, for which he gets a lot of credit.

Anyway, I will attempt to prevent my knee from jerking so quickly in the future.

I have never booed him, but as I put on my own thread (couldn't see this one at the time) I think it's only fair that I apologise.

I apportioned much of the blame for poor performances to him earlier in the season, and it would be hugely hypocritical to give all the credit to the players for the turn around in fortunes now.

You could argue that the jury is still out long term, but I think you'll find few arguing that he doesn't deserve the chance to continue what he's started next season.

I severely doubted him, but never booed him or called him names.

I still have some lingering doubts about the odd team selection and tactic but overall he has steered the ship through some very, very rocky waters.

However, he did himself no favours early on with some of his eccentric press appearances. For the last two months he's seemed for more reasoned and lucid. Maybe that is because the pressure has been less because we've been winning. However, if the head man reacts to pressure by making bizarre statements and flicking rubber gloves it still raises doubts it's not a good sign.