So then, where are all of those who posted during the middle of the season having a good laugh at Leeds and McDermott? Going to crawl out from under your rocks now? Apparently McDermott was ruining Leeds. More and more Leeds supporters are beginning to give McDermott credit.

Challenge Cup Final and Grand Final in his first season, with an apparently ageing side.

How can you argue with that?

But he is a useless coach of course and we are better off with Powell.

Personally, I am absolutely delighted for him.

Does this prove quins fans wrong when they said he wasn't a good coach for Quins?

Does it prove the point about the cattle we have and the lack of depth in our previous squads?



Personally. I think so.


Did you slågg him off in the past aswell Listy?

Really pleased for Mac. It is funny that the team we did the double over is first to the GF. And the team that flogged us twice are left with nowt! I love this game!

I was a doubter no question. But credit must be given where due.

Leeds are the form team and certainly wont be frightened of Wigan.

Sinfield, Burrow, McGuire, Webb have all hit form. Last night was like watching Leeds of old, fast tries and rugged defence. Good game

I think we all saw last night why Briers never was international standard. It is a trait of his to go missing in tight games. 4 internatioanl centres behind a massive pack unfortunately no half backs

I did not, I was gutted when he left.

I could get Leeds to the Grand Final.

careful how you word it rooster B "bad coach for quins! I believe most folk were just saying he was rubbish coach full stop.
Quite funny how early on in the season for leeds he was getting slagged off by them for poor performances! maybe its his coaching skills that turned that round, yep even i started to agree that he did not have the right skills early in hios time at leeds
But i think its starting to show, with the right tools he can do the job, problem is with us he did not have the players to produce the winning formulae

McDermott has won only 15 games out of 27 in the league with disgraceful losses against the poorest Bradford side in living memory and two losses v the worst ever London side. He also clawed back a late undeserved with v Bradford and wins in the last ten minutes twice v Crusaders and could have had more losses than wins.

In the cup he has a lovely set of fixtures with home ties against two of the bottom three and only a difficult away tie against Hull FC. He then got a plum draw against a Castleford side which always fails to deliver and scraped home against Castleford in the Cup with a late comeback and still relied on that chump Rangi Chase missing a drop goal from in front of the posts in the last minute before winning the drop goal lottery.

In the play-offs he gets injury hit sides like Hull and the out-of-sorts Huddersfield whom had won just two from nine and are bottlers and even then he nearly capsized. Then he wins again by just 2 points v Warrington after Matt King grounds the ball centimetres short. A meritorious performance against a team missing Man of Steel fullback Hodgson of course.

Leeds had made four out of the last five Grand Finals so arguably they had an 80% chance of making it away, you can only give faint praise for two finals in a year - however he played bottom half sides in Crusaders, Harlequins, Castleford and Hull, an out of form Huddersfield and Warrington in these runs to the finals.

For us he did nothing in the cups, I don't think we ever beat two Super League teams in the same year. His league record was:

2010 engage Super League XV Won 7 from 27 - Position 13
2009 engage Super League XIV Won 11 from 27 - Position 11
2008 engage Super League XIII Won 11 from 27 - Position 9
2007 engage Super League XII Won 10 from 27 - Position 9
2006 engage Super League XI Won 5 from 9 - Position 7

He's a lucky manager. He took us from average to mediocre, but he has just had one of his famous winning sequences. It won't last. He's got all his squad available just about so he's had more luck with injuries this year than when he used to beast players every week with double training after matches etc but the guy is still the same uncompromising misery as always.

I'm chuffed he's gone, we were treading water with him and slowly sinking, shame he couldn't have gone in as Head Coach and took Powell.

He will be an Andy Murray, might get a sniff of a final but will lose to superior opponents each time.

But is winning the important ones unlike Warrington. This isnt first past the post its about making the 8 with the correct timing which he is doing. He didn't have Peacock or McGuire early doors and has also lost Senior in a squad that is lacking centres.

The comp is set up to benefit those that flourish at the end and his timing seems perfect

Credit where it is due.

I'd say your argument has one major flaw, Dave: Powell was coaching McDermott's team this year. Next year when he has his own team, we'll see whether he can do a better job.

I meant it at this quote.

I still can't believe Mac has got a team to the Final but am seriously worried that if Leeds win (with him in charge)there will be a crack in the space -time continum!

am interested why King grounding the ball cms short of the line has anything to do with it! 1 cm short is not close enough! The knock on by Leeds that chalked off there try has not been mentioned! Why not pick up on the fact the 2 points were given away by warrington by being offside!
Interesting comment about the cas game and the Chump Chase! errrrr he ripped us apart the bloke is one of the best players in the league
So all Leeds games that they have won have been against an out of form teams!! yep warrington out of form!!! give the bloke his due he has got em too old trafford against all the odds and from 5th i think

at Quins he did not have the players to compete same as this year with Powell, maybe next year with a bit of money spoent and the ones coming in it may be different

Jesus christ.

And to think you wasted half your evening typing that post.

I've just read the rest of that post and come to the conclusion markrammond knows absolutely nothing about Rugby League.

Going on this principle, does that mean we all have to agree Tony Smith is a rubbish coach, because he failed to get the best squad in the league to either final ?

Leeds have a very good squad. Quite possibly the best after Warrington's, and the players have more playoffs and Grand Final winning experience than any other squad. They're a very good side. Richard Agar could probably coach them to a final. Rammond's post isn't inaccurate - they've underperformed this year in terms of wins/losses relative to the quality of their squad.

Put it this way, McDermott's team is at Old Trafford, and Tony Smith and Michael Maguire will be watching as spectators, but I know which two of those three I'd rather have coaching Saints if Royce Simmons fell under a bus.

Simple facts. People jumped on McDermotts back when he coached us. People wanted him out. Then they had a good laugh when Leeds lost a couple of games. And somehow he has got his team to the two biggest games of the season. Leeds fans are delighted. Our "fans" are left bringing up irrelevant facts in a desperate attempt to bring him down more and justify their ignorant comments. As someone said, credit where credit is due, McDermott has done a fantastic job with a squad that was written off half way through the season.

The best squad after Warrington? Trolololol.

1. You shouldn't misquote. I said "quite possibly" the best squad after Warrington's - it's arguable, but it's a fair argument. Leeds' threequarters are the best in the league after Wire's (possibly better than Wire's). Their forward pack is a match for any of the top teams. Only in the halves have they looked weaker than the other big teams this year. Which makes their win/loss record in the competition look particularly poor.

2. You're basing your assessment of McDermott's coaching ability on the fact that he got to Wembley and Old Trafford. In the last 5 years, Catalans, Hull and Huddersfield all got to the CC Final, but it didn't make them good teams, or their coaches particularly impressive. Saints got to the Grand Final last year under Mick Potter, who many Saints fans will tell you was our worst coach of the summer era, and who was duly asked to find another job - where he's hardly set the world on fire. He did that because he had the remnants of a very good team which knew how to win play-off games. Even some of his old players have now publicly criticised his coaching.

3. You're claiming that other people are bringing up irrelevant facts. Yet your whole post is basically an attempt to say that because Leeds have got to Wembley and Old Trafford this year, your view that the coach of Harlequins is pants must be accurate. If you think that's a reasonable argument, then it explains much about your judgement, I guess.

McDermott had years in London with far stronger squads than 2011's vintage, and achieved nothing. He's been at Leeds one year, and in terms of wins and losses, they've had their worst year for 5 years, despite having one of the best squads in the competition. Maybe Leeds will win the GF. Maybe they won't. But the idea that somehow he's a coaching guru whose absence is the cause of Quins' problems this year is at best doubtful, and at worst laughable.

Go back to the Saints forum or the Rob Powell Supporters Club forum then, we all know you have a soft spot for him for obvious reasons, your opinions unfortunately cannot be considered unbiased.

Oh and I look forward to you heading over to the Leeds forum to lambast all of those delighted with their coach.

I will have small wager with anyone that this time next year leeds will not be in the Grand final and it has little to do with their coach. Mac has done well at leeds and the hard work for Him will begin in February.

Listy why has it taken you this long to state something we've all known for years. He is a typical student who manipulates statistics to form an argument-All he is missing from his posts is a reference list at the end.

Maybe he should change his name to Harvard

Roy-This is a statement to provoke response, right. I know you use possibly and quite possibly as copouts but could you name Leeds 2 centres.

Exactly. They play Ablett there who is a second rower ffs

Compared to Wire who have 4 international centres to choose from added to 2 international halves (Accepted Briers played for Wales!) and a highly rated full back (previous MOS)