With ref to the last dozen years,yes we were spoilt and lucky to have had probably one of the all time great goal kickers and replacing him with the equivalent % kicker was always going to be a tough ask.but we have to go with what we have and learn to live with it as we will with his game management,organising and everything that came with him The past is the past.

Wrt Sinfield he didn't just walk into the team a great GK in fact i remember a game v Bradford at Headingley when he missed numerous "easy" kicks which lead to a section of the fan base singing there's only 1 Ben Walker.

Yes he grew into the role,because as with the rest of his game he worked hard at it and did loads of afters in training,it is unlikely we will ever replace him but as I said we go with what we have

Those dozen years include 2008 and 2009. I'm sure I don't need to tell you the Kevin 'probably one of the all time great goal kickers' Sinfield's kick % but for everyone else it was 76% and 77% respectively. Earlier you set a 75% bench mark over the course of a season to reflect kicks from all sides, all angles. An all time great kicker illustratrated in two SL winning seasons that the standard you set isn't a gimme especially for lesser standard kickers.

With that in mind care to remind everyone Sutcliffe's record in 2016 - his first in the role as the majority 1st choice kicker?

TvOc think you are confusing me with Chester I never said we need a %75 kicker just that Sinny is probably irreplaceable so we go with what we have.i would add that given our poor attack this season goal kicking will be vital in tight games,and I think we will be involved in plenty of them this year

That's what I was thinking. Those two on Friday and the one last week vs Saints were all touch line efforts so not a gimme for any kicker.

I see Lilley (nor Halas) were in the Bradford squad this weekend. Any news on if they're possibly injured?

Yes, my bad. I apologise Chestnutrhino, missed that completely I'm afraid to say.

The point stands though, this time directed to Chesterrhino. If Leeds need another 75% kicker how far away was Sutcliffe from achieving your benchmark in 2016? How many more would he have needed to equal Sinfield's % for the SL winning seasons of 2008 and 2009?

He was not used as a kicker for the full season if I recall so can't give the stats for a full season when lilley played he mostly got the duties due to his superior kicking ability and consistency
In the big matches it's the ones kicked from the touch lines that make the difference lilley can convert from the touch mostly sutty can't he has the power but not the accuracy one thing I thought is why we didn't get skinny to teach the kickers?
My post is not to critisis sutty just to point out that we needs a consistent 75 percent kicker in the team to win trophies.

Hallas has an ankle injury i think not sure about Lilley.

Sutcliffe was the majority kicker in 2016. Stats for a full season are not neccesary, he and Lilley had enough chances to establish a representative percentage. You honed in 75% being a requirement (minimum requirement even?) and I wouldn't disagree with that.

The question I'm asking you is how did Sutcliffe measure against your stated standard in his first season as the majority 1st choice pick?

I agree Lilley appears to be the more reliable kicker at this stage but is not a SL standard player (IMO) unless SL has fallen off a cliff. Encouraging news this weekend on that front thanks to Tony Smith and Shaun Wane. Perhaps it's just the standard at Leeds that is falling to mirror that of it's bargain basement coaching set up.