Think the complaint about lack of game time was more to do with not being able to gather some momentum and form rather than his fitness. Whilst not the same level he had a few run outs for Hunslet too so his fitness should've been better, a year under the Rhinos conditioning staff will have been the key. Also, whilst he's did ok there by reports, at the same time he wasn't exactly tearing it up at Penrith TBF.

My comments about JJB and Bailey relate to their propensity to give silly penalties, which seems to have been drummed out of the current team with the departure of a few other culprits in previous seasons (e.g Webb, Senior).

JJB's work-rate is tremendous but as noted he is known for his fair share of defensive mis-reads in our goal-line. If he could cut this out and improve his discipline he ought to win his place back. But he should not walk back in.

Bailey just seems to have been eclipsed by hungrier players. I like it when he gets under the opposition's skin but cringe when he's caught out 'looking for trouble' when the team don't need it (e.g. the spat with Bateman). I think the top teams have sussed him out as a wind-up merchant (it has been a long time since Radford, Graham and Faasavalu plyed their wares in SL). Outside of that he's usually a solid defender but doesn't offer anything out of the ordinary - for a player with alleged discipline issues I can't see him lasting with the current crop of young forwards coming through.

Leeds Rhinos have received a major boost for next season with the signing of Newcastle Knights prop Adam Cuthbertson, 29, on a four year contract. www.therhinos.co.uk/m/news/23128.php

Leeds Rhinos have received a major boost for next season with the signing of Newcastle Knights prop Adam Cuthbertson, 29, on a four year contract. www.therhinos.co.uk/m/news/23128.php

Cuthbo is a good signing.
Wayne Bennett doesn't seem to like his style and has tried to stop him offloading, but he averages 30 tackles and 136 metres this year in the NRL.
Newcastle fans think he is very under rated.

glad to see we have signed a prop which should cover the loss of kylie for next season.

not seen too much of him play but at 29 hopefully he will still have a few good years to give.I will reserve judgment till next season gets into full swing but im happy to see our problem area is being addressed.

Good signing. And he doesn't count on overseas quota neither which is even better.

Be interesting to see who stays as GH has said the "whole squad" are signed up for 2015 which I hope is wrong because imo 2/3 can and should be moved on.

Returning to the rumours re. Clarke...............The story I have heard is that Warrington have paid money up front for him, on the basis that he would join them for 2015. It now appears that he does not want to move house or travel along the M62. So Warrington (who have no financial difficulties) have reluctantly agreed & have asked for their money back. Problem is that Cas. have already spent the money & so they are having to sell him to another Yorkshire team to raise the money !!!

Looks like the operation GH authorised has been successful.

Now all he needs to is tie up all the loose ends, he can't afford to have someone pull on one and unravel the whole thing.

FW- Eh are you suggesting GH is some kind of evil genius lol?

Kirke and Bailey?

Given Kylie is retiring and with the young forwards coming through I don't expect much change. Although Kirke isn't particularly popular it's clear McDermott likes him and I would estimate his salary is fairly low. I guess the question would be could we get better with his wages?

Kylie hasn't decided yet. He's on a one year rolling contract so if he wants to go around one more year he will and to be fair on his form SO FAR this season, I'd have little complaint if he went round one more time.

IMO time to move Bailey on though for sure

Fair dos I thought he was retiring. I agree on Bailey.

If the Clark one does happen, IF, it's shows just what a bit of patience can do. Year upon year now all I've heard is "worried", "worried", "worried" when it comes to our front row.

By the start of 2016 we could have a line up of

8 - Cuthbertson
9 - Clark
10 - Singleton

14 - R.Ward
15 - Baldwinson
16 - Mulhern

According to Pete Smith on twitter Kirke has another year to run in 2015 for me I'd release him ,Bailey & Clarkson.
Foster ,Yates(if he makes an impact) Cuthbertson ,Achurch ,JP ,Singleton,Delaney,JJb ,Baldwinson ,Tonks ,Ablett and S.Ward is a decent Pack and balances youth and experience add in the possibility of Mulhern and Grange getting retained but maybe season long loans in the Championship it looks pretty good for the future.
Printer-Our FR is still weak should we lose kylie or JP or worse still both
for a long period of time given how average the likes of Bailey & Kirke have been.
Plus Kylie started last year strong but ran out of steam in the final couple of months.

Clarkson is contracted till 2016 and is still young enough to improve his recent performances have shown he still has something to offer.

Leeds should sign mark sneyd and begin to phase mcguire out.

No need, IMO.

Half-back is position where Leeds are stacked with talent in the junior grades which is going to be falling over itself for first team opportunities in the next 18-24 months.

Sneyd's going ok at Cas, but I'd want to see him do it for more than half a season before touting him as some great prospect.

I must admit I don't have much knowledge of the junior grades but if what you say is true, then that's good news, and it couldn't have come at a better time because we literally haven't brought through a halfback of genuine quality, since mcguire and burrow.

To be fair how many teams have near the top of the league in the era of McGuire and Burrow?

The likes of Tomkins and Lomax ended up at FB, Gaskell has moved clubs and sometimes positions down at lowly Bradford. Wheeler is a mystery. Ratchford is getting their but didn't come through Wire's academy and has had to do a few other positions first. Luke Robinson didn't get long at Wigan but eventually over time with Hudds has made it up, all be it with a spell at hooker under Brown. Brough had several clubs before Hudds. Kevin Brown hasn't been the out and out starting half for a top side. Pryce was at Saints but after a few years of Wing/Centre/FB at Bradford. Myler is the closest in terms of always staying at halfback but even he came from Salford and not Wire and had to endure being dropped a few times early in his Wire career and still isn't convincing them over there now. Also Matty Smith, finally hit the big time at Wigan but it was a bit of a detour he took to get there.

Obviously Sinfield started out in the backrow and Burrow has done hooking duties. Briers was let go by Saints and it was a long while before Wire became challengers. Long was let go by Wigan before Saints. Iestyn Harris and Sculthorpe were both Wire and different positions before halfback cam calling for them. Deacon made his start at Oldham.

Danny McGuire is probably the last out and out halfback that one of the top teams has promoted through their Academy and that has stayed not only at that club, but in that position.

It's still a big if, but if the likes of Sutcliffe, Jordan Lilley, Morgan Smith and Jack Wray come along to somewhere near their full potential, then that's a quartet that are going to provide quality in depth.

The reason for that must be fairly self evident.

No.





The club will try and produce as many top quality players as they can, they will hardly have said ''well, we have mcguire and burrow now, halfbacks can go to hell for the next decade''.

It's not like we've had real potential come through but their path has been blocked by burrow and mcguire, we just haven't physically had anyone of any quality come through, period. That's the point.

We have had plenty of potentially good half backs. But to go the next level they need to play first team. That wasn't going to happen, with the pairing we already had.

Trouble is that a massive percentage of potentially good kids will go by the wayside if the break doesn't happen. Only the very focused and strong believers will still make it happen.

Gareth Moore is a good example. Had he being at any other club at the time, he would have got a shot at first team.

Has any SL club developed a top quality half back over the past decade?

Only one pops to mind is Matty Smith, is he top quality? Im not sure. However he was pinched by Saints and even then they didn't want him.

Sneyd -Still to be known.

Brough - He was average for 5 years, became top class for a year and has now gone back down a division.

Myler? Meh, And again was a signing from Salford.

Tomkins & Lomax - Fall into top quality but then they were shifted to FB.


I've heard big things about Morgan Smith. A pal of mine is part of the Huddersfield scouting set up, they wanted the lad, wanted him a lot. Best young kid he has ever spotted. They showed him around Hudds, but then Leeds stepped in.