You better ask TVOC. That is what he said.

You called Donald "a decidedly average antipodean"

This is the winger that finished 2nd in the Superleague try scorers list in 2008 and has scored some memorable and outstanding tries! certainly not "a decidedly average antipodean"

You seem to have forgotten that when Donald was signed we did not have the luxury of any rising Academy wingers. Hall was not ready then.

What you also seem to have forgotten is that in the season after he was the 2nd top try scorer in Superleague he was switched from the left to the right side which not only broke up the successful partnership with Senior but gave him a succession of bit player centres including 2nd row forwards which certainly effected his scoring opportunities. Until then he had scored 53 tries in 79 games. He also suffered injuries in 2009 and 10

Once Hall had moved to the left with Senior he began to flourish so Donald was not blocking his opportunities!

With regard to Delaney at centre I fully agree and said so on several occasions last season and also had said he could make a good 2nd rower in the McKenna mould.

I am all for giving youngsters their chance, but this is professional sport and if the Academy lads are not ready you have to sign the best available for that position and Donald was the man at the time.



Here I agree with you 100%

Nor will I or Jones-Bishop's perfectly weighted and executed double kick through and chase in Cardiff last week.

My point always was and always will be, why have we had to wait for the 'average antipodean' to finally renege on a contract before releasing the potential of our own Leeds produced, future potential England prospects.

It's important also to remember at the end of last season Donald and coach McClennan were still scheduled to be here in 2011, potentially further limiting those opportunities.

No doubt if Jones-Bishop in that scenario was sent away to learn for yet another year the faithfully would be hailing that decision also.

I thought his contract was terminated by mutual consent. If so, your statement above is potentially libellous.

Thank you for the advice, I'll try and bear it in mind in future.

_________



I do so on the basis of what he achieved in the NRL. Do you have a beer mat handy I might need to borrow one, failing that a postage stamp. In addition for several months before he arrived in this country he was playing reserve grade football.



Why have you chosen to wait until Donald's third season to comment on his strike rate. The young Leeds, English ex-Academy winger he replaced (according to the club CEO and who am I to argue) was the top try scorer in SL in his final season at Leeds. Had a much higher work rate and the best chase game in SL, something Donald was never interested in replicating, too much effort needed. As you mention scoring tries (which I agree is an important aspect of a winger's role) Donald's was 63 per 100 Appearances for Leeds, the player he replaced was 74, so I'm glad you've considered this.



Leeds wouldn't have needed one had they looked after the player they had invested time and money in already who was by now the finished article producing the goods week in week out. Next in line? Try Peter Fox, you may recall Leeds had him out at loan at York in 2006 but perhaps not as it's only me that conveniently forgets these things according to some. Never given the opportunity at Headingley but who went on to gain International honours while playing elsewhere shortly after by the same coach who had shown him the door. Ooops. Terrrrrrrific, the more expensive, quota taking, half-hearted, pension topping upping Scott Donald by plenty again. You really must remind me why England struggle at International level again sometime and why 'average antipodeans' are not part of the problem or like many club supporters do you not care.

Don't misunderstand me .... I am in total agreement with you. If young capable home grown talent is blocked by antipodean imports that offer no more... then it is indeed a travesty. We are lucky BJB is still with the club despite now being 22 ... And like you I think the loss of Broughton was a severe case of mis - management.

I have questioned the wisdom of persisting with the two-hooker farce; the signing of Delaney as a centre when BJB would have been at least as capable in that role; and the signing of Cross at Ambler's expense

It is ironic that the one exceptional recent antipodean talent that could have been justified was diminished by more mis-management in appeasing his nemesis. However, as I have also previously stated, even that signing should not stand in the way of an exceptional or equal home grown talent: if Liam Hood meets that criteria ( Diskin didn't ) he should be the club's priority. No more mistakes ...

My only issue was use of the word 'average' for Donald...guess it depends on your definition... BUT again I emphasise Broughton would have been the better signing of the two.

Fox was given chances in pre-season friendlies and deemed surplus by TS a coach who had won a championship and WCC so i've no problem with that tbh but good on Fox for working hard in the lower leagues and eventually earning a chance at Wakey and then HKR.
Now Calderwood wanted more than the club offered simple so who says they then went and spent MORE on Donald?
Donald already had a decent NRL strike-rate btw and as we all saw maybe Calderwood was'nt "all that" and he (like others have since) benefited from playing in a quality team.

Well lets look at what he achieved in the NRL.

For Manly he scored 48 tries in 68 games
For Paramatta he scored 15 tries in 21 games

I would say this is an above average performance in the NRL




Why do you not accept that this is an above average performance_

OK if you need more.
In 2006 he was the 3rd top try scoring winger in Superleague.
In both 2007 and 2008 he was named in the Superleague Dream Team

Again hardly a record of "a decidedly average antipodean" I am so glad your views are not considered by the Leeds management.



This same player was too greedy in his contract renewal negotiations. I note you have not recorded his tries per 100 games since he left Leeds.

Compare Donalds record against Calderwoods over the same period then try telling us that Leeds made the wrong decision.





oooh you are an angry chappie. I think you are losing it tvoc.

...and how well would Broughton go in a " quality team "...? Considering how good he has looked playing for lowly Salford.

I would suggest he is a better specialist wing talent than either Calderwood, Fox or, especially, Smith. ( much though I like him )

Broughton spent time on loan at Hull mate and the powers that be decided against giving him the deal he wanted or did'nt offer one at all and judging by how our squad looked at the start of last year again i'm fine with that.
lets get one thing straight we have'nt let the next "Jason Robinson" get away and good luck to the kid and although he got selected for the train on squad i take that with a pinch of salt given tyhat it was Mcbanana who picked him.
Btw Gibson has looked more than adequate in the Salford team a player i backed on here for yrs just for many to deem him not good enough but like as has been suggested many times you can't keep them all and but for a horrendous injury list and poor CC final last year the Bjb loan or Broughton release would'nt of been mentioned half as much.
Smith isn't just a winger he's a quality outside back that can perform at a very good level in a number of positions and i certainly would'nt swop him for Broughton or any of the other players mentioned.

Then you are far too easily pleased when recruiting what should be a limited resource. At almost 26 above average would be City V Country selection, State Of Origin Squad Selection, Australian Squad selection, Rothmans medal selection etc and certainly not reserve grade selection.




Wow amazing. The player he replaced was the top try scorer (as well as top winger) in SL.



And the other wingers were

Quite true because if they did we'd have lost the services of Worrall, Gibson and Bush. Oh hang on a minute.



Feel free to do so. It'll be higher than Donald will achieve.



The comparison I'm interested in, is did the potency and involvement from the right wing position improve with the change in personel from 2005 to 2006. IMO (take it or leave it) it regressed and markedly so.



You said it.

And if say Calderwood wanted £5K more then Leeds were offering they would still be right in digging their heels in and showing him the door, yes?

Brad Godden left the club alledgedly for such a piffling difference in valuation.

I can imagine what you were thinking about Godden at the time, **** him, am I right, I'm not wrong am I.



Followed immediately by desperately getting the shot to pieces Leeds defence into some sort of order. Screaming at Smith where he wanted him.

Nice to see someone who takes a pride in their performance and clearly cares about the club getting his chance .... finally.

Mark Calderwood justified a pay rise after become a great all round player by his final season for Leeds. However there’s the salary cap to consider and the fact that one person doesn’t make up a whole team. If money wasn’t an issue, we’d probably have all the better Leeds born players playing for the Rhinos today. However we have to make do with what the rules are.

In no way should the above be used to demonise Scott Donald or Gary Hetherington for that matter. If anything the RFL should be cursed.

Let's not forget that Donald was signed to replace Marcus Bai, not Calderwood.

According to the Leeds CEO he was signed as a direct replacement for Mark Calderwood.

You don't even have to take my word for it, here is what he said in the YEP on the 20th June 2005 under the banner headline Rhinos Land Aussie Ace.



If you no longer have the paper copy you could all nip down to the library to check it out ...... if you're quick.

As if there could be any doubt that Calderwood was being replaced by Donald you'd also have to take issue with Coach Smith

The only question I have is: Would Leeds lad Calderwood have stayed around for the money given to Aussie ace Scott Donald?

I don't know the answer but it would have been interesting to find out.