As stated several times by many people its highly likely had we been knocked out by Saints in the cup earlier in the year or even Warrington in the semi for that matter, we would have gone on to lift the Hub cap and be sat with our feet up primed for next week right now.

No doubt in my mind those games were lost/thrown away due to the pure focus on wining the CC this year.

I've said it once and i'll say it again i can more than live with that and am still happy with the season and happy for the players who it seems have achieved their ultimate goal for this year.

The Bradford game maybe but as for London, the team that was sent down was more than capable of beating the Broncos.

I'll be honest, I'm not that bothered about the end to this season. The sight of Kylie and JP sat in wheelie bins full of ice on Boots n' all today was so funny I can't feel bad about it anymore.

It was, but add 3/4 players if we have the next weekend off then we win that (and the Bradford game, and probably the Hull game too if it isn't as dead rubber). If we'd been lingering around 6th all year then fair does, but REALITY is we were top 2 for most of the year until we made big sacrifices for the CC. With that 'burden' now out of the way not dominating thoughts then it still looks ok for next year with the odd tweak here and there IMO.

Well thats one way of looking at it. But there is another way.

If you grade the three 'pots' of silver ware available

The Grand final would be placed first, the Challenge Cup second and the lead leaders third.

So each of the three coaches won 2 championships and and 1 World Club Challenge so evens there. That leaves Brian McDermott's Challenge Cup win to trump the other two's lead leaders trophies! And the clear winner for trophies is....... Big Mac

What also should be taken into consideration is that Smith and Bluey had the core players younger faster and at their peak and in addition Ali, Ellis and Webb as world class players at their peak too.

u
Bluey did it in only 3 seasons

IIRC the context of my post was to answer a specific question asked rather than looking at anything one way or the other.



In your opinion perhaps but considering the fact that Leeds have won twelve Challenge Cups to seven League Leaders Shields they have seemingly found the LLS considerably more difficult to come by. Perhaps unsurprisingly as one is the reward for consistency over very many games while the other is a reward over comparatively few with potentially some uneven contests (lower league opponents) along the journey.



And my equally subjective view is that Championships feel more merited when accompanied by a League Leaders Shield - reward for consistency over the full course of the season and the ability to also win in the cauldron of knock-out football. A high placed finish was also a pre-requisite during Smith's tenure under the six team play-off format.



Yes sadly at Leeds the standards have been allowed to slip and the buck stops with those in high office off the field and with the head coach for matters on it. Since the Manchester weekend Leeds have produced relegation form and that needs to be addressed - no distractions - otherwise the final few home games of 2015 could even be spent outside the elite.

The Leeds CEO has not given the present coach all the tools he could have (and IMO operates well within the cap limits a club this size should be happy and willing to maximise) but equally the coach has not always used the tools he has been given wisely either, quite often barely using some and on too many occasions not using some tools at all.

The Leeds CEO has not given the present coach all the tools he could have (and IMO operates well within the cap limits a club this size should be happy and willing to maximise) but equally the coach has not always used the tools he has been given wisely either, quite often barely using some and on too many occasions not using some tools at all.

brilliantly put

True but as I said he took over a side at the peak of form with the 'golden generation' players 7 years younger than they are now and with the other great advantages of a world class attacking full back (Webb) and world class back rowers in Ellis and Ali at their best. Despite this he did not win the 2nd best trophy on offer ie; the Challenge Cup. Whereas Mac has achieved this with patched up ageing stars in a lesser squad.

IMO one of the main reasons our attack has suffered when compared with earlier years is the above points. Hardaker is a good full back on his day but lacks the class of Webb who used to join the line at speed in the standoff position and create the space particularly on the left side for so many of our tries. Hardaker makes good metres but his game is based on the physical rather than the creative. Ali was unique and combined with Ellis and Sinfield at 13 we could open up most defences. BM has not had these advantages and so his ability to have still produced the silverware should not be diminished.

On one hand we should commend BMcD for achieving silverware with "ageing stars", 7 years past their peak but on the other hand he should be criticised for having a squad full of ageing stars, 7 years past their peak.