With Lowes first team coach at Leeds, who do we want to play in the big Championship Easter game?

Halifax or Leeds?

Reading between the lines of the press statement from GH, it's Sinfield who is doing the coaching. Lowes is more of an assistant. It almost looks like Lowes is there just in case things don't go well and he can be the fall guy.

Either way Sinfield has absolutely zero experience of coaching at this level so this really could go either way. He could be a natural or this could be a disaster. Time will tell, and if they don't make the top 8 this season it will be one hell of a baptism of fire for Sir Kev.

Well the Whinos that have wanted Boom Boom out since he started there have got their wish, but it could end up being careful what you wish for!

This looks like a poisoned chalice for Jimmy to me.

Although he could be just in the hotseat for the rest of the season until they can pony up someone they think worthy of taking over. And by that reckoning should Jimmy do badly then Hetherington et al look good in sacking him too.


edit: a letter

Jimmy's just in it for the car park finish at the Shay

Sinfield doesn't have coaching badges, Lowes does.

After his stint at the Bulls that's debatable!

Ah - that's a whole different argument. Regarding qualifications & competence....

Strange isn't it, as I understand it, McDermott has won more cups and championships than any other Leeds coach but he gets all this vitriol. I mean, I understand that coaches, even successful ones, have a 'lifetime' and after which they fade out a bit, but you'd think fans would begrateful for a record like the Rhinos have had over his period in charge. Who'd be a coach?

It does seem a little ironic that Gary Hetherington was the only super league chairman to back the 8's system staying for next year yet sacks the club's most successful coach in a desperate attempt to keep them out of the bottom 4.

I was listening to the Golden Point Podcast (the Sky Sports one) and Barrie McDermott made an interesting point. He said the Brian McDermott 'won as a Leeds man, but lost as a Bradford man'.

Essentially, he was saying that the Leeds fans never accepted Boom Boom as 'one of their own' - and never would, not matter how many trophies he won them

Yes, they really are that petty....

It's a bit like (in a parallel universe) us winning trophies under Francis Cummins (yes, I know...

) and still wanting him sacked

I don't buy that. If you have a spare afternoon there is a ginormous thread on the Leeds board full of people wanting rid of Brian. I think you will struggle to find a single post citing his time at Bradford as a reason to let him go, and plenty focusing on his bizarre team selections, use of substitutes and team tactics.

Brian's been at Leeds for six years which is a long stint in anybody's book. For sure he's had his problems with player availability, but maybe his tenure in the job has just reached it's natural end?
As for fans not wanting him because he played for Bradford, I'm sorry but I just don't really buy that one. I'm sure there will be a few who might hold that against him, but surely only a tiny number.

Let's not forget how much some Bulls' fans really hate the Rhinos and then think of how every one of the ex-Leeds contingent over the years have been fully accepted - do we really think Rhino fans are any different? If they hadn't delivered the goods it might have been different of course, as any player who doesn't perform won't be liked, but that only brings us back to Mc Dermott and how his team has played this season.

Cynically it could be looked that Boom Boom could have kept Leeds out of the relegation battle but it wouldn't generate the extra income that Leeds now need, el Presidente would feel confident that Leeds have the Players to keep them from going down while generating much needed income!!

McDermott could be seen as a victim of his own success. He has shown that he could win a title from any position in the top 8. However after a while supporters take the winning of trophies for granted and look more at how their team play whilst winning them. I remember Chelsea sacking Marinho because thay had won 2 titles but were not seen as attacking enough. As other poster have said: Be careful what you wish for. Warrington are quite exciting to watch.

I think there is much in that: going back a few years didn't Wigan sack a coach shortly after doing a league and cup double because of complaints about "how the team played"?

Fev did the same last year straight after qualifying for the Middle 8s.

Yeah that's the one I thought of as well, although at the time I thought there was a bit more to that one.

Well yes, to accept, at face value, everything contained in club statements is often very naive at best.