I had largely lost interest in Leeds' season this year.....but lo and behold I have just watched the Wigan match having deliberately avoiding the result: easy down here in South Cheshire.

What a difference in intensity, tactics, commitment and utilising the exceptional backs after laying a foundation in hard running forwards.

The answer to the hooking problem is proven to be resolved with the sharing between Sinfield and Burrow
.........McShane will surely be following Hood out of Headingley.

Peacock, Ablett and Hall were all exceptional. Singleton has surely now played himself into a starting position.

What a contrast to the rot we have seen for the majority of the season.....and yet Leeds finish 3rd

Not only do we need to pity the Leeds season ticket holders, but also the rotten standards in SL this season no doubt partly due to the format of having 8 teams in the play offs.

I pity the handful of Huddersfield fans that made their way to Bradford this afternoon and paid £20 to see a 2nd/3rd string Giants team get slaughtered by Bradford.

nantwich-I'm genuinely not sure if you're being ironic or not, such is the flippancy and tone in your post, particularly the term 'rot' in reference to the majority of the season.

I purchased a season ticket this season, and I don't feel pitiful or that I've been ripped off. In fact, in the regular season we've seen much improved performances, as the fact that Leeds finished 3rd suggests. The table doesn't lie-Leeds have been the third best team this year, meaning they have been pretty consistent results wise, which is all you can really ask for.

As a matter of fact, the only truly bad part of the season was in May, when we lost four in a row: against Hudds in the Challenge Cup (it was a one-off game, and they were just the better team on the day), Saints at home (one we probably should have won, but you have to give credit to Saints-a team full of kids, coming back from 16-0 down away at the Champions), the Wigan game was probably one of the best games (and performances) of the year, so there's no grievance there, and as for Hull, same as the Hudds game.

What I'm getting at is that a torrid month aside Leeds have been consistent with their results, pulling off some big wins against Wigan and Warrington at home, the 18-all against Bradford (which was an absolute classic), away at Catalans and then away again at Wigan on Thursday.

As well as all this, we've seen the blooding of a lot of youngsters (something I'd have thought you, of all people, would get excited about!) and, as you say, Singleton has nailed down a first-team spot. You might say that this was only brought on by injuries, but that only makes finishing 3rd even more impressive.

In summation, I feel season ticket holders have had access to some rich entertainment throughout this season, and even the games that weren't particularly skillful or entertaining gave us a chance to look at the future of our team, which is always intriguing.

Oh, and I really hope your lack of interest doesn't persist over the next few weeks-I have a feeling Leeds (and SL fans in general) will have quite a lot more to get excited about. But never mind, I'm sure there's a lot to do down in South Cheshire.

I believe Lord of the Idiots has a bright future in the polishing and marketing of regular season turds.

Anyone who buys a season ticket out of some sense of PR invented "loyalty" rather than taking a purely financial decision on the matter deserves to be treated like the idiot cash cow that they are.

the wigan performance vindicated my decision not to get a season ticket this year. all the big games have been on sky anyway.
not missed going TBH

Who brought coerced loyalty into it? Do you think that some of the people stood around you are not of your intellectual standard and therefore, not capable of making a rational judgement on how they spend their money? Not saying your wrong but, if let us not have an elephant in the room.

The original post, or did you miss the title ?

I've stood and sat next to people at RL games, particularly finals, who were not capable of remembering their own name until they looked at the label that their mums had sewn into the collar of their jacket, so the answer is probably yes.

Fair enough, I can't say I have had a very different experience over the years! Still can't see where the issue of gullibility was brought into it though, just because we are deserving of pity does not mean that we were coerced. I had a pretty good idea what garbage would be on offer for at least some of the season but, it beats the hell out of watching Eastenders!

Hasn't the whole foundation of the club over that last 10 years being built on loyaly?

I really need to stop buying season tickets whilst this coach operates this way. My problem is not so much loyalty or financial, as just the thing I do. Having been a season ticket holder for 35 years this year, I just can't seem to let go of the tie. But I do fully agree with the likes of Tad, and need to man up. Can't do another season like this.

I don't always agree with the OP, but until we get back to a top 5 playoff this is going to be the case. Teams like Leeds can afford to go through the motions on too many occasions in the regular season with the top 8 format rat is currently in place.

For me persoanlly there have been too many games this year when i've actually not wanted to attend prior to the game but having a ST swayed it.
Also although "a win is a win" i've left HQ thinking too many games were pretty poor.
Saying that though seeing Foster ,Minns ,Duckworth ,Singleton and Sutcliffe break through has been a real highlight for me this year as has watching JP and the few times we've got quality ball to our back-line.
As it stands though i'm "picking and choosing" next season or at least until GH throws a ST buying jedi mind-trick my way!

Most of you who buy into the "loyal" brand do so for exactly the same reason, its hard to kick the habit of thinking that you need a season ticket despite all logic pointing to the fact that you don't (unless you PARTICULARLY want to keep the same seat you've sat in for 35 years), factor in one weekends illness and another on holiday or like me being on call one weekend in two for anywhere between Nottingham and the Highlands of Scotland and you're starting to look like a mug punter.

They have around 8000 "loyal" customers who have bought into the brand and can be guaranteed to buy a season ticket and a shirt every year, thats money in the bank before christmas, nice business if you can get it especially as you haven't yet done anything to earn that cash or indeed then need to do anything in particular in the coming season except finish in the top half of the table, those punters won't desert you next year - very nice business actually, I wish I could have applied the concept to my own business.