no dirtier than other teams

yep. but that's always conveniently forgotten

You're right...we all tend to be a little parochial when it comes to highlighting referee mistakes. I did forget about that....still two wrongs definitely do not make a right.
Fundamentally it's consistency and a lack of 50/50 'guesswork' we all want. If there is case for video referee intervention then let's at least have it on a consistent basis.

Who was it who was saying that Thaler was easily the best ref? Whilst I'd tend to agree he's not doing himself any favours in the last few minutes of the Hudds/Saints game. If this was Silverwood and us we'd be going through the roof.

The first time I spoke at any length with Brian McDermott it was quite a strained conversation. I felt uneasy with his demeanour and the way he came across. I used to find his post match interviews unnerving but compelling. Over the last few months I've warmed to him, he comes across as genuine and thoughtful in his responses, unlike Most of the cliche riddled coaches of present day RL. It is refreshing to hear a coach say what he thinks rather than what people would like to hear. I always find him respectful to other clubs if they have earned that respect, and honest rather than diplomatic regarding events post match. All I can ask from a coach is that they have the best interest of the club at heart, they work 100% to achieve success, and they are honest but firm with the players. McDermott fulfills those criteria, and I would never level any criticism at him for failing to do everything he can to achieve success for the the team. No two people are the same, and if McDermott is vastly different to the average person it doesn't bother me. He is here to manage the team, and if he can bring in good players that elevate our chances of success, and he manages them well, I am not bothered about his unorthodox approach and unusual demeanour.

Agree if you don't believe that check out in the usual place Leeds v Chelsea the FA Cup replay of 1970, possibly the most brutal game ever played in England.

I remember that game and others against the top sides. Each team had it's hard men and Leeds were no exception but gained a perhaps unfair reputation of being the dirtiest partly because they were so successful. The side matured into a very skillful team who played some great football.

It was because all of the press were London based and didn't like a little yorkshire side dominating

Eventually he said he'd never said it to Rod but it took him three attempts to get there.

McDermott first said "I'm not sure I've ever said that Rod"

(Ever, I would suggest, being the relevant word here.)

Then McDermott said "I don't think I've ever said that"

(Again the use of the word ever standing out.)

Before finally offering "I don't think I've ever said ever to you - you get what you deserve."

Hard to imagine a coach never saying what he was being 'accused' of saying to someone, somewhere, sometime - even if that individual wasn't actually ever Rod Studd.

Just seemed an odd way to respond to a question that implied that Leeds perhaps had been a little hard done by - which is a sentiment seen echoed since.

I feel sure Mac has plenty of experience of Studd and his wind up style and perhaps is not his favorite interviewer. Studd opened with an attempt to put words in Mac's mouth saying something like "I know you believe you get...etc". So, given that Mac would have been none too pleased with what had just happened in the match, Mac made clear he was not going to go along with Studd's little game.

By opening with "I know..." Studd had personalized his remark and therefore Mac's response was in that same personal context and his reply made clear Studd was quite wrong to assume he knew Mac's thoughts.

To take a phrase out of context is misleading as Mac was clearly addressing Studd personally as the whole exchange proved. It is hard enough for a coach to have to go on TV immediately after such an event with emotion running high but if you then have the interviewer trying to get you to make a remark that could land you in trouble it is understandable if the coach treats the wind up with contempt.

I don't know of a specific instance yet when McDermott has said to Studd a phrase containing 'you get what you deserve' (evidence suggests the term being used on occasions) but both have been involved in their current roles for several seasons and I'm minded to believe it's a possibility.

McDermott appears to accept the possibility by each time qualifying the denial with a 'I'm not sure' or a 'I don't think'

I can't say I find Studd's line in questioning of coaches and players after games particularly provocative.

Three horse race, really? You can't have seen how utterly inept Saints were last week. We could have scored 2 or 3 more tries after fluffing good chances and their 3 tries were "soft" to say the least (after we took our foot of the gas). Castleford and Huddersfield have been playing better than any of the "top" 3 recently. Should be a great end of season with quite a few clubs in with a shout.

A bit of a tenuous line of criticism of our coach IMO. I would have thought you would be expressing your delight in Mac's achievements so far this season.

Whilst we all know there aren't any pots handed out in July - there have been some welcome adjustments from the coach as he now appears to have moved in accord with some IMO valid points aired via this board last season.

Burrow's role within the squad - no longer vital eighty minute player... better sharing of forward workload with more use of the bench especially Singleton .... Handley worth an extended run albeit injury forced the coach's hand he could have gone conservative and shifted Ablett and Watkins around more.

Not sure where the credit for the recruiting of Cuthbertson goes but that has been the best bit of business done by Leeds in several seasons and transformed the attacking play.

McDermott reduced Burrow's role from his first season

So the fact that with one match to go before the super 8s we are in first place having scored 176 points more than our nearest rival and achieved it, in the main, in a most attractive style .........you attribute all this to him reading the critics on this board



Is this the best praise you can come up with. Even if we lose next week and finish 2nd this will be about 5 positions higher than you predicted at the start of the season - so surely even you have to give him some credit for this.

When Mac was winning pots eg successive Championships, World Club Champions and Challenge Cup final winners you moaned about our finishing position or our style of play. So now we are league leaders and the most attractive team you cannot give him the credit because we haven't won anything yet and anyway it is all down to the players taking their coaching instructions from the Southstanders forum I suppose

Come on you've been on SouthStander long enough to know.....if we do finish top it'll be because the opposition are rubbish.

I obviously don't know what your body looks like, but my hip is pretty near my leg.

I said McDermott has moved - I didn't say I knew his thoughts behind the move. Perhaps the coach is this season finally seeing what others were seeing back then.



As far as I am aware nothing finishes after the next game only which four clubs move from SL to compete in the middle eights. Won't the LLS be handed out after Round 30?



I would hope I moaned about both.



It matters not one jot to Leeds what I (or anyone else) thinks or says on here - it only matters between ourselves.

Burrow being neither the prefereed starting hooker or scrum half has not come about 'because of' some views stated on here - I can only recall one poster suggesting a player's form was being adversely effected by comments made on here and that poster wasn't me.

Ever the curmudgeon you are quick to criticise and never wrong. Like I said we are guaranteed to finish in the top 2 for the regular season with every chance of finish higher than you predicted which would have drawn some praise from most posters had they been as pessimistic as you were at the start of the season. Ever the optimist I still live in hope you will see come out from under that dark cloud one day and smell the roses

We have been on SS long enough to know if the team doesn't finish top and doesn't win anything you will pull out a string of excuses as why that didn't happen

!!

They did win something last year

Where did i say tbey didnt?

I've hardly been quick to criticise this season, I've hardly posted - that said I would have mused how finishing positions could well come down to points difference having freely chosen at times not to select the most reliable gatherer of said crucial points this club has ever produced. Those inconsistencies are best left to the deep thinkers to justify.



I don't share your definition of regular season as there are still eight rounds to go. Time will tell where everyone finishes and if my pre-season predictions are off it won't be the first or last time. As commented earlier McDermott has made some adjustments this season - which I welcome and the entertainment value has improved finally now let's see if it can go the distance.



I'll never come out from my dark cloud, I live with my loss everyday - but believe it or not I still enjoy my RL.

Time will tell



Well the regular season is what SL call it and it is when you have played every team home and away. We are well placed to do well in the super 8's subject to injuries, it should be entertaining.



My comments are only ever aimed at rugby and not intended outside of this... so tvoc I am truly sorry for your loss, of which I was unaware, and I retract any remarks that under the circumstances that have been insensitive or caused you offence.