bullsfab!, thanks for giving me the opportunity to trot out a few more stats. Crossley played twice, Tom ten times more times. but you are right about Crossleys go forward, 8.4 metres a carry is about as good as Toms 8.9 metres, and nil mistakes versus Toms 9.4% errors per carry. however carries per game 4.5 versus Toms 10.1 (and Scrutons 9.6), you can work out the total metres per game easily enough from those stats. Tackles per game 10 and 12.7 respectivley BUT missed tackle % 20% versus 7.9%. however the most important statistic is this: 19 years old and 22, with all the time to progress their strengths and improve their weaknesses, just like Koppy, who is now 25 and incomparably better than the player he was 3-4 years ago. And Lynchs stats when he left us are incomparably better than those of when he joined us at the age of... yes you guessed the statistic, 25. So the morale of the tale is, grow up to be a prop.

+1

I don't think Tom's done that bad for a debut season. I do think, however, that there are many people who are expecting too much of him just because of his surname.

He's got bags full of potential and hopefully will grow into being a very good player. Yes, he's not pulling up the trees that Sam did during his time at Bradford, but I'd say that Sam Burgess is a freak. A one off where everything clicks into place and you have a world class player coming out of the mix. Luke isn't as good as Sam, yet he's the older brother.

I really think that people should look at the lad as TOM [size=85Burgess[/size rather than as Tom [size=150Burgess[/size

I think Tom is an amazing talent and their is no doubt the havoc he can cause running into defences and scattering them. yes he is far from complete but if he steadily improves from his FIRST year then we will have a cracking player.

Tom is the only player in our squad where rival fans have frequently commented on his potential. He's that impact prop we've been looking for, hopefully he can keep his feet on the ground.

Give the kid a break, he's 19 ffs and surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.

Perhaps aim the radar at folk like Langley who spend more time poncing around the treatment room than on the paddock. He needs to replace the name on the back of his shirt next year with "Man Up"

Rumour going round that hes signed for Saints, fee to be agreed.

Yawn...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Going round your head? How can he have signed if the fee is still to be agreed?

In the same route of Leeds with Darrell Griffin, Giants ready to let him go for free, decide against it and ask for fee.

We were ready to let our most exciting prospect go for free?

So we get rid of Lynch and then let Burgess go to Saints for free? I know our business sense is not brilliant but even for us, that would be a step too far.

I'd be gobsmacked if the club agreed to this, it has to be .

sounds like latest version of the annual big les to leeds rumour to me. especially given the OP.

this is tosh, some guys spouted this off with another couple of random and completely unrealistic rumours on twitter...looks like someone's read that and taken it as gospel

You'd think Rhino fans would still have too much of a headache to bother with tosh like this, wouldn't you?

It'll be interesting to see how he goes next year. I hope he really develops.

My only query about the two younger brothers is mobility - are they likely to turn into 'Paul Anderson' Mk 3 & 4? Nothing wrong with Anderson, but he was always that bit too immobile (just too big?) to be world class. Genuine question as I haven't seen much of them.

Someone at the club told me the same yesterday.

Conservative Club?

I watched George play for Norths Sydney this year and he trimmed down a lot more than Tom, George was quite lean which would have made him more mobile.

and in the Radio Leeds programme Tom did say he had too much weight and was aiming to lose some, they had only just finished training so I guess he had been given instructions on what was expected of him when he got back from the break.

[size=200

[/size