Whichever way you dress it up he was poor in defence, could have been first games nerves but it did not affect his ball carries. He just did not look ready from a defensive point of view. I think he is at least a seasona away from 1st team.

I'd take Meli over Calderwood and Hall.

Thank god for that, I thought I was all alone.

I'd sooner spend the sort of money he'd likely want elsewhere.

Agree. Desperately need a fit halfback.

He'd be getting Calderwood's money. A forward will get Yak's money.

I sincerely doubt he wouldn't be more expensive than Calderwood, or even that we wouldn't be better off with someone like Sharp and using the money saved elsewhere. As BDT says, we desperately need another halfback option.

I just dont see how anyone can use that game as proof that he isn't ready for SL. I wouldn't have him as a first choice for next season but I'd have no problem with him getting game time.

I don't think Calderwood is massive money but who is to say we would get another winger much cheaper? We have to replace Yak so where is this money coming from for a half? The only chance that will happen is if Berro goes. Right now we are looking at props, backrowers, wingers and centres from what I heard.

But it's all we have to judge him on. Still I agree he needs looking at again but imo we won't see him pushing for selection until the 2012.

So agar still doesn't understand where the problem really is

I guess he thinks Horne and Long are his halves and Berro, Whiting, Washbrook, Turner and Tansey can act as cover. We did look at Orr which would have been useful cover for 6, 7 and 9.

we're a club making profit, if we can't produce a 7, lets go out and buy a 7, warrington did that with myler!

money talks! most clubs need extra income and a transfer fee would come in handy for some

we can struggle through to the end of this seeason, long being back for the play off, we can't keep going on like this every year!

We can while the money keeps rolling in

the club has no ambition!

No, I mean that I think Meli would be on significantly more than Calderwood, and we should be looking at cheaper than him until we've sorted the rest of the team out first. Surely Cusack, Calderwood, and whatever we paid Raynor could cover a decent prop, a winger like, say, Will Sharp (or even a 1-year extension for Calderwood until Lyne is ready), and a 2nd string halfback from somewhere. Doesn't have to be a 1st choice, just a back-up plan for Long who can organise a team.

In an ideal world we should be blooding Tuffour and Lyne a bit in the remaining games to see how they could do, but it may be too risky. The hype about Lyne seems to have made Tuffour a forgotten man, but I keep hearing he's doing well at York.

And if we don't consider ourselves already fully-stocked with backrowers and centres I despair.

and again in 2011 another season will pass us by due to injury prone half backs and poor cover.

And you tell us our Salary cap management is bad

You cant afford to spend yours, we just dont manage ours well. Not sure which is worse.

I think you're right. Guessing that part of Raynor's salary will count on this year's, but upgrades for Houghton, Tickle etc will probably offset that.

Maybe OTT, but I think we're shafted until 2012. At least then we'll have the salaries of Berrigan,Long, Fitz, Lauaki,Horne, Radford and Dowes to play with. Really need to get a top coach in for next season to assess the whole thing and review our approach to recruitment and squad structure with a massive amount of the cap to play with for 2012. A big name coach would make FC a more attractive destination, despite the PR managed love-in for Agar that we get every time a player signs.

Can you tell me who Leeds halfback cover is?

We need a reaplcement for Yak, If Lauaki is that replacement then someone needs to replace him on the bench, Burnett is not ready imo.

I assume you want a decent halfback as cover, who do you know that would come and only expect to play in case of injuries? Best hope we have is a young halfback from the NL (unless Berro goes back), I heard we have been closely watching one or two.

To play devils advocate, bigger names than Long, O'Meeley and Fitz?

Unless we can find a back up halfback like Briggs or Matty smith or another young NL or SL halfback, then I would look to sign Mathers and our halfbacks would Tansey and Long.

Fair point Paul, but Leeds didn't sign an older, injury prone half back at the end of last year. We knew Long would miss more games than he played, but didn't have a back up plan. And we still haven't. 2011 could be a long year.