Down play or accurately critique? I even used the word excellent in there.

I guess you've never seen Wellens beaten for pace on the outside one on one before?

Imagine if that was Jodie Broughton

Hasn't he been away on holiday?



Referencing oneself in the third person is too obvious a trait to be taken seriously .... isn't it?

Tony Soprano also thinks this.

Not by Jodie Broughton I haven't, though I have seen broughton rounded by Sinfield.

Keith is convinced that Tony Soprano is G1's new butt plug.

You need some new material.

If you've never seen a winger round Paul Wellens one on one before, how about a stand off (who has lost more pace than Wellens ever had) two weeks ago or a lumbering second rower beat him in a foot race over 80 meters?

Keith would be correct and stop making it so bloody obvious who you are.

So why question Scott Donald doing it?

Did he have a choice of fullbacks to beat or did he just score a fantastic try in a GF?

As do you. Why focus on Wellens perceived short comings rather than celebrate a joyous try?

The Broughton comment is valid considering how you tied our failure to retain him very much to our decision to retain Donald this year. Broughton might've run some great tries in against the Bulls this year (but I suspect Wellens looked like Lockyer against this version of the Bulls) but I've yet to see Broughton score a try like that, against opposition like that, in a game as meaningful as that and i suspect that I never will.

I'm always slightly puzzled by folk who don't value pace in a winger. Your notion that pace is only effective in open spaces is a myth - it can be even more crucial when space is at a premium - providing the winger doesn't shirk contact - which Donald rarely does (unlike Dave Smith).

I'd also question how much space (or lack of it) Donald has been given in his 5 years in SL when looking at his 80+ trys in 140ish games.

As stated by the majority here....thanks for the memories Scott.

A great servant to the club and best wishes in your future career.

Would everyone agree he's easily been our best winger in the Super League era? (although i recall several threads questioning his signing during his first year here but assume he silenced/converted all those initial doubters?)

Fair point. Comparing Donald with D. Smith was grotesquely inaccurate and unfair as the latter was probably the must gutless winger I've ever seen.

My personal view of Donald is he's overrated by some and underrated by others - the truth lies somewhere in the middle - he was steady.

I can think of another winger who is the best cheeky

Have you finished my dictation yet or you still fantasising about Ryan H?

Re: The 07 Grand Final try:

Superb try, seeing Donald in full flight was superb, and the decision to go himself was an excellent one. I do however wonder what would have happened if Brent Webb wasn't pushing up on the inside, because Wellens was blatantly trying to cover both options (something noted by Rob Burrow in the Match of My Life book.)


Rob Burrow, Page 167.

For me Donald on the left wing was the best winger in the competition 07 and 08 (put some of that down to a certain Keith Senior) but on the right wing he was not nearly as effective and just turned dependable and solid, rather than spectacular. As good as he's been for the club, with the tight constraints of the salary cap I think it's probably a good thing he's decided to return home. Just my opinion.

Make that 90 trys in 143 games according to sporting life.

I'd guess a relatively low proportion came from bombs, given his stature. It's personal preference but I'd rather see tries come from a less predictable route.

I critiqued the score without getting all misty eyed over a winger's ability to run half the length of the pitch. Does that really make me a bad person?



And the short-sightedness of that decision has now become wholly apparent as Broughton has proved his worth at SL level in 2010 once given the opportunity including recognition in a full England training squad selection.



Hardly a massive claim at this stage of his fledgling career as playing for Salford his chances of scoring a Grand Final try of any description against any opposition are going to be pretty remote.

Lets hope that Leeds' eventual replacement for Donald is at least as good as the Leeds produced Academy lads that have moved on.

Scott Donald will alway's be mentioned in later year's as a member of a leeds team in a legendary period .
I remember him scoring great tries when he did'nt have acres of space the one against Hull at home springs to mind.
I think in years to come he may recall the 2007 GF try in the same way that Wilf Rosenberg did when recalling one of the tries he scored against saint's in the 1961 championship semi final when he left Mick Sullivan grasping fresh air .
He said "oh that try"
Thanks for the memories Scott ,all the best for the future

Hell there's been some e on the right wing between alan smith and scott donald. If he wishes to retire good luck to him. he's been an integral part of more wins than losses and 3 major trophies so far.

Who said it makes you a bad person? Similarly if I view what I consider to be a great try in a great final through misty eyes does that make me a bad person? I'd rather view Leeds successes through misty eyes than cynical ones.

Oh you want to discuss it now, it's no longer "old material" I see. FYI the short sightedness of the decision is not apparent. That England train on squad contains the following players likely to represent Leeds on the wing next year and on the fringes of a wing place, Hall, Smith, BJB. Besides, one might reverse it and point out the decision was Broughtons and it might be him who was short sighted. Had he shown the bottle to stay and earn a wing spot at Leeds they might not have re-signed Smith and turned to him instead of Bush. Had he taken this hypothetical chance he might now be, like Hall before him, who, I remind you, some considered to be a stop gap, an unequivocal 1st choice and playing at Wembley next weekend for his home town team instead of the easy option of getting picked every week in a dire Salford team.


Indeed. As I say, such a shame he was so short sighted in leaving for 1st team opportunities at a club like Salford when, in all likelihood, those opportunities would've come this year at leeds and, if he's as good as you think, he might have had the chance to show us what he can do in a major final next week. Still, his choice and I hope he feels content with his lot whilst his contemporaries, such as Clarkson, go on to play in major showpiece finals, hopefully.

What about full international Academy product Lee Smith? Do you rate Broughton above him as well as Donald? Leeds can field an Academy produced lad on each wing right now who have both gone on to earn international honours, not just train on squads. leroy Rivett made one of them once you know.

Thanks for the tries Scott. Best of luck with the rest of your life.