Re: Skills : Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:44 am  

Gotcha wrote:

How can I tell? well does anyone really think Peacock and Sinfield are going to get better than 2014 a year later?

A bit rich talking about favourites Sal, considering your position on little Danny. Haven't I just said above a list I wouldn't swap, yet missed Sinfield's name off it?

It doesn't really matter though, I still wouldn't change the ones I listed, and I could name better players than the rest of the squad knocking around super league. Whether the club could get them is another matter altogether.

My position on McGuire is this and I have stated numerous times on here - he has been my favourite player at Leeds through the golden generation - we sponsored him before he emerged into the first team so I have an vested interest. Sadly he isn't the player he once was - he doesn't have the pace he had and he isn't the game breaker he was. However he is still a player I would want in my side and he is capable of raising his game - the CC semi and final showed that. On here he is a an easy scapegoat when things are not going well - posters like you will seldom ever criticise Sinfield he seems immune even though 2014 was an appalling season for him.

It would be difficult to imagine Sinfield having a worse season than 2014 - surely that isn't possible is it? Peacock, perhaps if the coach uses him better he may have more impact especially in the second half of the year.

The point about Sinfield was you would have had him in 2014 and look what happened?

Re: Skills : Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:36 am  

Sal Paradise wrote:

The point about Sinfield was you would have had him in 2014 and look what happened?

Exactly. And yet you started this off by criticising me for saying another player is better than what we have, and that I say everyone is better than what we have.

Now you are confirming my point.

Re: Skills : Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:00 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

Exactly. And yet you started this off by criticising me for saying another player is better than what we have, and that I say everyone is better than what we have.

Now you are confirming my point.

The point was meant tongue in cheek - you obviously took it to heart, I am pretty resigned to 2015 being distinctly average but you seem even more negative than I. Travis Burns is no great shakes IMO and I would not want him before either McGuire or Sinfield but we all have opinions, your idea that he is significantly better than our half backs is more a reflection of your view of Leeds than the true reality of the player

Re: Skills : Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:13 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

The point was meant tongue in cheek - you obviously took it to heart, I am pretty resigned to 2015 being distinctly average but you seem even more negative than I. Travis Burns is no great shakes IMO and I would not want him before either McGuire or Sinfield but we all have opinions, your idea that he is significantly better than our half backs is more a reflection of your view of Leeds than the true reality of the player

Not really. I think he has excelled in each of the last two seasons, and looks a great acquisition for Saints. I think he is an excellent player.

As far as I am concerned Leeds are no different to last season. The excellent acquisition of Cuthbertson is unfortunately brought down a little by the fact our two frontline props will go backwards, and our halfs are nothing compared to what they were. I will be generous and say that is a net zero effect, as I also believe Stevie Ward given the opportunity will excel this year.

Where my "more negative" may come from is that I think, other than Wakefield and Widnes, every other team will be stronger than they were last year. There is of course still time for Leeds to have further acquisitions.

Re: Skills : Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:19 pm  

Gotcha wrote:

The excellent acquisition of Cuthbertson is unfortunately brought down a little by the fact our two frontline props will go backwards, and our halfs are nothing compared to what they were.

Re our halves, I'm hopeful Sinfield's knee op might herald an upturn in form. In a recent interview he claimed he'd been hampered for most of last year by the injury he's now had sorted.

Re: Skills : Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:22 am  

Clearwing wrote:

Re our halves, I'm hopeful Sinfield's knee op might herald an upturn in form. In a recent interview he claimed he'd been hampered for most of last year by the injury he's now had sorted.

Burrow also. McGuire wasn't 100% either. The long Off Season will hopefully see them on top form in 2015.

Re: Skills : Mon Dec 22, 2014 11:39 pm  

I wonder what - if any - plan exists for replacing that trio. Sinfield has supposedly said he'll finish after 2016. By that stage Burrow and McGuire will also be well into their 30s. If Sutcliffe is the great hope for one halfback spot, he needs to be given decent game time this year and next, otherwise we'll still be asking why he can't control a game.

Re: Skills : Tue Dec 23, 2014 7:26 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

I wonder what - if any - plan exists for replacing that trio. Sinfield has supposedly said he'll finish after 2016. By that stage Burrow and McGuire will also be well into their 30s. If Sutcliffe is the great hope for one halfback spot, he needs to be given decent game time this year and next, otherwise we'll still be asking why he can't control a game.

Hardaker and Lilley will be the long term. Unless DM has a great year this, can't see him here in 2016.

Re: Skills : Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:12 am  

Gotcha wrote:

Hardaker and Lilley will be the long term. Unless DM has a great year this, can't see him here in 2016.

Seriously!! Hardaker has no instinct to pass and doesn't have a kicking game of any kind - no other top club would be thinking of him as a half back. Just shows flawed succession planning.

On the halves both of them need to up their game significantly - both were well below par last season. On Burrow difficult to assess in his current position but his impact was nowhere near what it had been in previous seasons

Re: Skills : Tue Dec 23, 2014 9:32 am  

Hardaker won't make a stand-off as long as he has a hole in his backside. No passing game, no open play kicking game to speak of.

Unless he changes his skillset radically, it would be lunacy to even think of selecting him in the position.