I remember running this at the start of the year. Turns out GH was right after all about this being Leeds 'greatest ever squad' as my, at the time tongue in cheek statement from him came true! the 3 people that demanded nothing less will be pleased

As it turns out...

As it turns out it was you in those games and us Winning EVERYTHING.

Feel like a Clown yet?

Aye, imagine what could have been achieved with a decent squad...oh, hang on...

And a decent coach, don't forget the need for a decent coach

Can see on previous pages (and other threads around this time last year) the criticism I got for pointing out the huge effect the CC had on this team in 2014 and how that is what cost us the LLS and our hopes in the playoffs but it was just "excuses" apparently. Skip forward 12 months and it almost happened again if not for that last 5 secs at Hudds.

Said people were focusing too much on those last 6 defeats which wasn't a true reflection and that the cup wins vs Wire and Cas showed that when we were truely focused we still had it and so this season showed to be true.

Reading back on this thread was really quite amusing. Some of the guff spouted by certain critics against Brian Mac and some of the players was so wrong that you have to question the rugby acumen of these same critics. Our deserved Coach of the Year not only proved them to be totally wrong, yet again, but he did it on all fronts; winning all three trophies, getting the team to play in an exciting offloading style, overseeing the transition and creating history.... his victory over his critics couldn't be more emphatic.

Sal Paradise shows up well again with his assessments and predictions

Being so right is a bit dull though, isn't it? After the treble, there's no life in the opposition any more - be it terminal naysayers on here or trolls from other boards. Hopefully we'll lose a couple of matches at the start of next season so they can get the lead back in their pencils...

As do a couple of others on the first two pages who must be embarrassed too

His "I can't see a scenario where they make the top four" is of Phil Clarke levels.

A lot of people clearly went too far with their view of the end of 2014 having relevance for 2015, completely underestimating what a massive impact finally winning the CC had on the core of the team.

The other things that enabled Leeds to do better than many expected (including me although I was in the 2014 fade out being mental camp) were Cuthbertson and Garbutt. Neither would have been predictable at the start of the season - a journeyman pro turning to offloading machine, and a reserve grade prop with a handful of games at 26 turning out to be an absolute gem. I'll put my hand up and admit I was thinking more Ben Cross in terms of their likely impact.

I must learn to believe the sleeve.

Five seconds...that's all it took to seemingly elevate some posters to forecasting gurus while condemning others to the rank of eternal fekkwit. Let's try to keep it real. We could easily have finished with just the CC - which would have been an underachievement for a team capable of so much. Still a sight better than struggling to make the 8 though...

I think the whole team played well and that the new forwards gave us that extra impact we needed. Some of the youngsters, especially, Kienhorst, Handley and Golding stood up well. But for me, the one player who's stood out all year is Danny McGuire, what a player, what a leader.-

Wouldn't argue with any of that.

Having re-read this thread, hats off to Fieldhead Rhino & brickbats to DHM, Biff Tannen & Charlie Sheen.
Sal Paradiso has already been mentioned but his words on Hardaker should be sticking in his throat.
But heyho it was all about our opinions & it was hard after the disappointing end to 2014 to predict not just the treble but the way we played at times.
Roll on 2016 who knows what it will bring?

In life generally, if you're pessimistic you'll be proved right more often than not - if you like that kind of thing.

But as a fan of a team - what's the point of being gloomy? It's meant to be an escape. You might as well take up fishing, or something, instead.

You could even switch allegiance to Hull and do both.

There's gloomy and there's downright suicidal..!

Not too sure but I can't wait for the season. Looking forward to seeing Galloway and hopefully Ward and Sutcliffe can pick up where they left off last season before the injuries.

Will be interesting to see how Golding and Handley are managed.

S

The way some write on here you'd think we were as bad as Hull or even Wakefield.

Cuthbertson transformed the way the team played. He added an offloading game up the middle of the pitch that we hadn't had for years. When you have a guy who you can't take your eyes off till he's on the deck he sucks in defenders - even if he doesn't offload. It took a while for it to all work but when it did Leeds were a different team to the one that started the season.
Credit to BMD for letting him do pretty much what he wanted and running with it.

Quite right, but I wouldn't underestimate Garbutt's impact either. We were losing bodies all over the place and he quickly became the reliable big prop every side needs, allowing others to function better. There's no way we'd have won the treble without either Cuthbertson or Garbutt.