Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Sat May 28, 2016 4:03 pm  

Exeter Rhino wrote:

At what point does Kallum Watkins stop being an automatic selection? Some of his defence of late has been appalling for an elite player. At least he is young enough to be part of something again if/when things get better.

Never understand this rubbish about Watkins. The same gash is said of Hardaker. There is no doubt, with the expectations we have that both players have been a let down this year to what we expect, and what know they have in them. However, both have still been way above most of their peers out there.

The number of tackles Watkins is having to do for us this year is massive. You don't see other players purely playing centre making as many as him. That defence each game then effects your attacking side. Our weaknesses with the defensive structure is forcing Watkins to make that high number of tackles. For me he is a complacent player, who comes across as head not in it, and simply has not progressed to the level he should be. But his defending is not something I would be bagging, as without it I think we would have had even more problems this year.

There is much bigger problems with this team than that.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Sat May 28, 2016 7:29 pm  

Our centres are defending near the posts. Last night Keinhorst had McGuire and Burrow outside him and not a second row in sight. Watkins clocked up 16 tackles by half time. We look better on the left because Ferres does run wide, but Delaney doesn't and JJB doesn't. Then of course you have Burrow who once again demonstrated he can't pass to his right.

The guys who have the most effect on a game are the ones who touch the ball most often and connect plays together. Hooker, halves, FB, ball playing forwards like Cuthbertson did last season. Outside backs can be the difference in a tight game (Hall's two tries in the CC final against Cas are an example), but we haven't been close to being in a tight game for most of the season. And that's the pack and the halves.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Tue May 31, 2016 12:14 am  

Watkins gets a lot of unfair stick IMO. His defensive load is far higher than it should be, and often involves him tackling big forwards well away from where he should be defending. Then in attack he gets no early ball and gets slated for not looking for it when he's probably still gassed from making tackles he shouldn't have to. That's not to say he's in anything like form but he's playing a role a class runner should never be asked to do.

[Frosties.]

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Tue May 31, 2016 5:54 am  

Segeyaro is available from now and next season onwards, he's one player I would be very happy for us to sign. Leeds need a good hooker, I hope they don't go all out for Farah as he's much older.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Tue May 31, 2016 6:28 am  

Segeyaro is quite simply not the player he was in 2014. He dropped off a bit last year and now he's effectively been dumped by the Panthers. I'm not sure if he'd add much other than the fact he's not 'injured', especially if it meant he had to be signed for 3 years or so. The article I read about him said Leeds are still after Farah. Now that would mean marquee signing and wages.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Tue May 31, 2016 6:49 am  

Farah would be perfect for us imo. He is the leader type player with an all round hooking game. at 33 next year we would probably only get a couple of good seasons from him but we need someone to come in a steady the ship in that role, and there won't be many if anyone else available with anything close to his reputation.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:04 pm  

Stevosfalseteeth wrote:

Because no matter how bad 2016 has been for us, Luke Gale has more chance of winning trophies at Leeds than at Cas. I reckon we'll grab Powell aswell. Money talks.

Gale has signed a contract extension - to be announced soon (possibly Monday). Will cost you a lot more to get him now.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:20 pm  

nottinghamtiger wrote:

Gale has signed a contract extension - to be announced soon (possibly Monday). Will cost you a lot more to get him now.

Like I said....decent player looks at his options. He sees what he has now and the speculated apparent interest from a rival club....a club languishing at rock bottom of the SL with no guarantee of SL footie next season. Which would you choose?

Arrogant to assume otherwise really

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Thu Jun 02, 2016 10:31 pm  

nantwichexile wrote:

Like I said....decent player looks at his options. He sees what he has now and the speculated apparent interest from a rival club....a club languishing at rock bottom of the SL with no guarantee of SL footie next season. Which would you choose?

Arrogant to assume otherwise really

And herein also lies one of the problems of the salary cap - it's fairly unusual for players to move.
Say Gale is currently on 80k and his new contract at Cas is 100k. That's only 20k extra Cas need to account for under the salary cap. Any other club would need to find the whole 100k.

Re: If Leeds are in super league next season.. : Thu Jun 02, 2016 11:45 pm  

Depends who they get rid of to accommodate him.