Burrow is a fantastic player, just not in the traditional scrum-half role. If a team wants him to play seven they will need one or more organisers out there alongside him just as he's had at Leeds.
Absolutely. That is the dilemma with Burrow. He is too unique in his talents and too exciting a player to lose, but as always, the question is where best to utilise him?
He can be devastating out of dummy half and is probably at his best there, but neither is he an 80 min hooker IMO.
For me he is a game changer off the bench alternating between the two roles in a free roaming capacity purely to keep the tiring opposition guessing. If we had Burrow, a committed Eastwood and a young fit Ali to join him there McDermott would be a lot safer in his job I think.
'There's been a couple of times during my career when I've thought about moving elsewhere but, when I run out in front of 17,000, 18,000 people at Headingley, I've thought 'nah, this is the place for me'.
'There's been a couple of times during my career when I've thought about moving elsewhere but, when I run out in front of 17,000, 18,000 people at Headingley, I've thought 'nah, this is the place for me'.
Hardly Crocked Lad, but you keep telling yourself that
I will, we'll see who's right. Absolute legend in his pomp, a shadow of that even when he was last playing week to week, no disgrace at all for everything he's achieved and his age.
Burrow I believe is still contracted to the end of 2013 season.It may just be the start of talks about a new deal.Has there been rumours also about Mags rejecting or accepting a new contract
Every player in our squad could probably earn more money with another club. But they prefer to sacrifice a few extra quid in their back pocket to share special memories. And playing at a place like Old Trafford on a night like this makes it all worthwhile.
Burrow remains the most dangerous player at Leeds whatever position he's played in. He's a game breaker and we would be in a much, much worse position without him.
Any team would be desperate to have his talents.
I remain convinced of his qualities at scrum half. Tomy Smith and Brain McLennan were happy with those qualities. Brian McDermott doesn't seem to be (well, some weeks he is).
Of course, he's been helped by playing with a quality stand off and play making loose forward (why don't we go back to that) but he has that x-factor that no other player in the league (bar Tomkins) let alone Leeds has.
Without him last year, we don't reach the grand final let alone win it.
To let him leave would be a great blow to the team.
Another way of looking at it is. He isn't the best scrum half at the club, and neither is he the best hooker at the club. In truth he isn't in the top 5 in super league in either of those positions anymore.
As both positions are regarded as pivots, and pivotal to a teams success, when you consider we are a salary capped sport, is there really room for a luxury odd job player?
Every player in our squad could probably earn more money with another club. But they prefer to sacrifice a few extra quid in their back pocket to share special memories. And playing at a place like Old Trafford on a night like this makes it all worthwhile.
Another way of looking at it, a more sane way of looking at it, is he IS the best scrum half at the club and he IS the best hooker at the club.
I'm going to have my cake and eat it here I know but Tony Smith and Brian McLennan regarded him as the best scrum half at the club. Coach Mcdermott regards him as the best hooker at the club, based upon team selections.
Another way of looking at it is. He isn't the best scrum half at the club, and neither is he the best hooker at the club. In truth he isn't in the top 5 in super league in either of those positions anymore.
As both positions are regarded as pivots, and pivotal to a teams success, when you consider we are a salary capped sport, is there really room for a luxury odd job player?
I think you do burrow a dis service calling him a odd job player. Yes there are better traditional HB out there but burrow is a genuine game breaker and would be a loss to our squad. As G1 said without burrow we wouldn't have made the grand final let alone win it last year.