With the new season about to kick off in a week or so, how do you think Leeds will fare? (I couldn't find a recently active thread on this topic).

There's been a lot of talk about the club being in decline, with a new inexperienced coaching set-up, key players injured until mid-season, an ageing squad, the recent signings of 'average' antipodeans in the form of Cross and Hauraki (not to mention Delaney), and the alleged decline of our youth conveyer belt. At the same time Wigan, Saints, Warrington and Huddersfield all seem to be going from strength to strength.

That said, I don't think things are quite as bad as they are being made out by opposition supporters and certain Leeds fans. After all, despite a pretty depressing season last year, we were the only team to beat Wigan in knock-out RL (CC) and the play-offs.

Thoughts?

My expectations for 2011 are not high. I think we are entering a rebuilding phase in terms of new youngsters coming through into an ageing team so the transition will take time to work

Top 4
Quater Finals of CC

I'm pretty optimistic.

I think all this talk of "decline" is ridiculous. Last season we were 80 mins from OT, CC Final & showed lots of spirit vs. a seriously overpaid Melbourne. "Decline" has only starting getting mentioned because we won the title the previous 3 years. The only way to go was down!! We were going to have to relinquish the title at some point!

If Huddersfield, or Warrington, or Hull FC, or Bradford had achieved the same as us last season they'd have won "Team of the Year" without a doubt.

Bottom line is we won the title 3 years in a row, the year that we didn't win it was always going to be "the start of the decline".

I can see no reason whatsoever why we won't be challenging for all three honours. Including top spot. I'm not saying we'll win all three, or that I expect to even win one of them. I'm saying I can see no reasons why we shouldn't be challenging for all three.

Put it this way... they're professional athletes, and even with Mags & JP missing for half, we have some of the best talent in the league. I can 100% guarantee you they're not all sat in a room in Kirkstall saying... "So we're agreed?! Let's call this a [itransition year[/i and aim for 4th!"

We will be there, or thereabouts in all competitions.

Man for man our squad is as good as any in SL, without a doubt. We had one bad year, other teams improved, and suddenly everyone including our fans have taken to this mentality that we are spent. Its just nonsense imo. The competition is stronger than ever but that doesn't mean to say we cannot challenge for trophys with them.
The brand of rugby played under Bluey was just dull. Off the ball movement with dummy runners just vanished, its was like it was coached out of them, and with the standard of back rowers we had made it most suprising. Already in pre season we have seen a lot of work off the ball and that will spark up the real Rhinos.
Man for man Leeds are as good as any side in SL. And all this about an ageing squad...who? JP, Buderus and Senior? Is that the ageing squad? The vast majority are in their 20s and are under contract for a long time so there is no transitional period.

We didn't even have a bad year! We just didn't win the league. We lost a few silly matches, but don't forget we didn't have a single week off! Of course, it was far from our best year, and it was a "bad year" by our own usual standards, but 10 of the 14 clubs in the league (Everyone excluding Wigan, Saints & Wire) would've killed for our year!!

Totally agree with your comments about the ageing squad too. Just ridiculous.

Personally, I think the change of coaching (and no disrespect to Bluey) raised our chances the minute it was announced.

Because of the change I think we will be better than where we would have been under the previous regime, for this coming season.

That said, I still think we did not do enough on the player changes. I don't think that much about a Bulls revival or Salford been a different team, all that is rubbish. However, I do see Huddersfield looking stronger than Leeds, I think Saints will improve from last year, Wigan will be the same, Wire will be the same, and you will probably see improvements from both Hull clubs.

I'm going to say we will see improved playing performances from Leeds this season compared to last, but unlikely to finish above 5th, with a chance of another CC final.

Agree with both your posts. A bad year by our standards but a very very good year for 80% of our competition.

I agree with Remarkable Rhinos.

The CC final performance was pretty flat as well, or is that one of the 'few silly matches'? I don't disagree by the way, and also agree with your more optimistic assessment. Last year was not a bad year but it WAS disappointing. Most of us expected Leeds would continue their success, given that the squad appeared to be significantly stronger than the previous year.

At the moment I'm cautiously optimistic for the new season - but there are just too many questions about this team with the various changes in the off-season and persistent injuries for me to be more confident (also I've not seen any of the pre-season games!).

i think we will go ok this year!

I think we will see a much improved squad this season over last because from what I see bluey's 'old boys club' has gone. If you're not playing well, you'll be dropped until you find your form again.

That, and if the reports of cutting down on lying on from the Stobart stadium are true, we can play better rugby and our discipline should improve. Our discipline problem last season was because we knew other teams were taking longer to get up and if we tried similar tactics we were penalised.

If we get plenty of youngsters making appearances this year and finish 4th, I think it will be a successful year. But, I do think we have a good opportunity to finish higher. Either way we will definitely be within 80 minutes of Old Trafford, if not there.

I'm confident we will challenge for the trophies on offer again and imo for every - that's aimed at us this season there's more than enough +'s.
I think the regime change has put a spring in the step and everyone is on notice to "perform" or lose your place.
Of course we'll need some luck injury wise and the odd bouce of the ball but if we can keep in touch with the front runners until Mags and JP are firing then we'll match anyone in this league and i include Wire ,Saints and Wigan.

Finish top, win the GF and the CC.

Nothing less

It can go either way. If our new coach carries on from where he left off then we’re doomed. But if he’s miraculously recovered from that doomed spell at Harlequins and returned to the coach eh once was whilst at Leeds then we have a good leader. James Lowes is also a concern as he like Paul Cullen couldn’t get the best out of Warrington.

However this squad of players are more professional than the ones at Warrington. We could probably have had Kevin Sinfield as player/coach this year. So I think that if The coaches don’t make too many changes and just freshen things up then my expectations are high. At the moment I think that we're capable of going for it all if the off season is anything to go by.

But any pointless meddling will just lead to a season of low expectations.

At the moment I am fairly optamistic. I agree I just think we had a slightly dissapointing year by our standards last year because we had won 3 in arow before that. Not sure we will win it but from what ihave seen pre season we have as good a chance as any. Hopefully with mags and jp missing for first half others will step up and take on their roles. But I certainly don't see us in decline or that much of a aging team. Seems to me we are doing the sensable thing and bringing in the youngsters in gradually with a nice blend of experience and youth