I agree with you on that one.
It does seem a waste of an overseas spot on someone who is not going to set the place alight maybe like Soliola would have done.
I know people are saying that Bluey knows best and I am sure he does.
But for me I would have been happier with Ratu, Watkins and Coady to choose from.

have you seen delaney play?
are you writing him him off before you have?

coady,in blueys own words, is at least a season away from the first team.
watkins will replace senior, he looks far more comfortable on the left and will get more game time next season.
ratu i'm still not sure was good enough for a top championship chasing side.guess we will see next season if he was

Ratu will come good with this opportunity - which, after all is what it is all about, he will find a place in SL and grow from there as Gibson, Jones-bishop etc

I reckon he will end up in the backrow next year, which is where he started.

No unfortunately I do not get to Australia as often as I would like


No I am not writing him off as you will see I said Bluey would know better.
What I am saying is that it would have been nice to see home grown players come through instead of using an overseas quota.
I am sure Delaney will be fine.
I would rather have Ratu, Watkins or Coadey.
The way Senior is playing I don`t see Watkins getting many starts at LC.

You'd rather Leeds fielded inferior players just because of their nationality?

That's a difficult argument, and for me it is really at the crux of being a "club supporter" or a "game supporter", either being ok in my book.

Personally, I'd prefer to see a less experienced young British talent given the opportunity rather than a "safer bet" overseas player. It's going to be very hard to improve the overall level of GB qualified player pool, in terms of either quality or number, without giving them regular opportunities in SL.

Of course the problem is that legally my preference is entirely unenforceable, and many clubs will simply prefer to take the safe option for fear of falling revenues though lower gates.

At least delaney is 23 and not a 31 year old topping up his pension.

I'd like to see the club have the courage to go with Ratu next year but as we saw at the start of this season, our supporters are not prepared to be patient and see young players given an opportunity to develop.

I suspect if we read threads discussing our options at centre from the first two months of this season there'd be a few hypocrites who are now saying how they feel we should have given Ratu an opportunity rather than signing someone from the NRL.

The success or otherwise of the England national team isn't an issue for clubs, and neither should it be.

The objectives of a club are to run as a profitable business and be as successful as it can be while living inside that business model.

Whether or not that translates into international success ain't their problem.

As long as Tesco are making profits, you think they worry about the state of the rest of the UK retail sector?

and herein lies the problem. Whilst clubs first duty is to themselves and their ultimate sustainability, I believe that they all, professional or amateur, have a role to play in the promotion and support of the International game.

Precisely how can any sport grow an International game if all it's constituent parts show no interest? If we take your position to the extreme, I take it you would be happy to see the end of International RL completely?

Yes, I do - because without the rest of the UK retail sector, it's appropriate framework and member organisations etc, Tesco wouldn't be in the position it is now.

Do you think that no private enterprise can recognise the importance of competition / overall growth and actively support the sector in which it operates?

Back to RL - as batleyrhino says, you have to give young players a chance at the top level if the game as a whole is to flourish.

Obviously each club should focus on their own business / sporting objectives, but they also have to recognise their wider responsibility to the future progress of the game.

Personally yes to a degree.
Whilst I have yet to witness the skills of Delaney.
I have seen the skills of Watkins and Ratu.
For me even though they are British they are still not bad players and may only get better over time.
Who is to say they wont be better than Delaney if given the opportunity?

I could have really done with some support earlier this season when championing the clubs decision to give opportunities to Watkins, Gibson and Smith to play in the right centre.

I don't recall getting much but I did get plenty of opposition.

How refreshing that now we HAVE signed someone from the NRL peoples views seem to be changing.

I don't think I've seen this elsewhere on this thread, will we have received any transfer fee for Ratu given that he's come through our ranks & is only 21?

i think it's a case of the coaching staff judging him not good enough and they see him every day.

That doesn't say much for the rest of the reserves though when he's just been voted reserve team player of the year.
I think more likely it's that he's been offered more money & the security of a 2 year conttact by HKR with (in his view at least) a greater likelihood of 1st team rugby. Esp in view of Webster's and Walker's injury problems.

I think I have been singing Ratu`s praises for a good couple of years now certainly before he went to Halifax.
But I get your drift G1.

IIRC Were we not labelled believists by some????
I was also called clueless for championing players like Gibson,Ratu and predicting manning would play and do well!!
I do think the ratu situation has come about because i'm led to believe the club wanted to retain him but were looking at the "dual registration" option for him but the player himself was attracted to the rovers offer both playing wise and contactual so good luck to him.

I leave the petty name calling to others but Gibson (and in your case Worrall) were/are not up to the standard Leeds need to take them forward and remain a force. I think Ratu may also perhaps fall into that same category although in fairness I haven't seen enough of him to judge fully yet.

The Vulcan Operating Company, you are goody at the statistics and the judgements. We will be payings you 100 Ugandan Shillings per weeks to come and look after our national team statistics. I also makes available my 4th homings for your perusal.

Idi

But we needed a right centre and replacement for Ellis and a replacement for Eastwood!!!!

You did mate and i've no probs with debating and sharing differing opinions with yer!!

I know. No way a squad containing the likes of them could ever acheive any kind of success in this league is there........................................

We did didn't we.

Nobody seems to have told the players we have they're not up to it.

Any kind of success, yes. The kind of success I and the club should crave in this relative golden age (that won't last forever and could be over in the snap of a brittle bone or two) builds upon being Champions and doesn't rest upon it.

St Helens in 2006 could do it, why not a dominant Leeds?