We had already signed Cuthbertson.

Dated January 2015


=#FF0000Ian Kirke is still in the dark over the reasons for his sudden departure from Leeds Rhinos but insists he holds no grudges against his old club as he prepares to kick-start his career with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

The 34-year-old ex-York City Knights prop forward was looking forward to starting his 10th season with the Rhinos =#FF0000when he was told in November that his chances of regular football in 2015 were going to be limited.

It left him with little time to find a new club but the Wildcats offered him a 12-month deal and he followed a well-trodden path from Headingley to Belle Vue.

=#FF0000"I had a conversation in the middle of last season when I was definitely staying for this year but at the end of the year that changed," Kirke said. "I'm not too sure why.

"I think it's because they're bringing on the younger players. They've got to look to the future. I've got no bitter feelings towards them, other than perhaps it wasn't ideal timing for me because most clubs were settled by the time I got to find out.

"As it happens, Wakefield is good for me. I don't have to uproot myself and I know a few of the guys here."

Back rower Chris Clarkson had been given the same message a few months earlier and front rower Ryan Bailey was similarly told he was not part of Leeds coach Brian McDermott's plans for 2015.

They moved on to Widnes Vikings and Hull KR respectively, Clarkson on a season-long loan, and Kirke anticipated an influx of new blood to replenish the Rhinos' pack.

However, Leeds' only close-season signing has been Australian prop Adam Cuthbertson, which has surprised Kirke.

"If it had been my choice, I would have stayed there until the bitter end but they said I would have limited opportunities so it was time to move on," he added.

=#FF0000"Me and Bails (Bailey) got told at the same time. I was a little bit surprised. I assumed they would be signing some other people. That has not happened yet but (chief executive) Gary (Hetherington) has probably got something in his back pocket."

That last line is rubbish. Kirke may not be on the same wave length as the rest of the game, but Bailey had agreed verbally with Cadtleford for thus year. Only the desperation of Hull KR and the money on offer changed that route. Funny how he the ends up realising a mistake, and just around the corner is a Castleford deal.

Sometimes what happens in the game isn't a secret. Also you get a lot of media interviews that are just meaningless words of nothing, to dill paper space. Well done Printer on finding one of those many Interviews. Third hand information is not the best route to use on a debate, you know that very well.

Hahahahaha you're honestly going with Kirke must not be as in-the-know of what was happening at the club as you were.

Considering your claim that so many people knew it's a ridiculous stretch to think a member of the playing staff for almost 10 years didn't know a thing about it. He isn't the only player to express surprise at the departures.

Perhaps your source was wrong, you ever considered that? It was at the same time around Easter your sources told you that the Daryl Clark to Warrington done deal had performed a u-turn and he was now going to head to Leeds for 2015 after a financial deal was agreed with Wire.

How did that one from your source work out?

What I said was that the Interview was rubbish. I doubt that Kirke didn't know. The comment about his wavelength was a tongue in cheek comment.

Funny how it all came exactly as stated last year, bit coincidental. And when I was saying throughout last season, I actually said he was going to Cas, because he was. Funny how that turned out.

As for Clark, give your head a shake. I said that Warrington were looking to pull out of the deal. I further said that Leeds had spoke to Cas about the possibility. I never said anything close to him heading to Leeds.

Like I said some things are not secret. Newspaper space needs filling. Don't believe everything you read in papers, or don't hear on radios.

So Kirke did know all along that Bailey was leaving from Easter onwards but has just randomly decided to make up a completely different version of events for no logical reason.

Considering you said Bailey to Cas from around Easter last year and they'd "verbally agreed" a deal......he didn't sign for HKR until 31st October. That's 6 weeks AFTER Leeds' season had ended and over 6 months since the Easter period.

That's one long ar*ed "verbal agreement". Again in what logical world of reasoning does it take them 6 months and plus several weeks after a season ends to get a contract drawn up and signed. What were they waiting for? To sign it on Xmas day?

Even this year when he left HKR it was another 4 weeks before Cas signed him.

Well at the end of the day, I am right Printer, and you are wrong. So it just moves on.

It doesn't mean you're right it just means you always believe any story or version of events you hear from the Hardaker family.

You'd previously pointed out Bailey's bad behaviour as something Hardaker wasn't happy about when punished for what you claimed was just being out drinking during the World Cup, so no surprise that the story which doesn't add up about Bailey being told he was off came from their spokesperson.

Like I said, their's always two versions of events and clearly the Hardaker clan never told you the reason he was fined so much for the World Cup drinking incident is that he was out with a Yorkshire Carnegie player and threw a punch at him. That's why he was fined so much and why he 'chose' to leave the England squad (under club orders) and it wasn't England kicking him out because the fighting part was kept in house at Leeds.

I know from my friend who's in the squad and has been for some time that there were a few in the squad getting sick of Bailey and his attitude. Only told me after Bailey had left and didn't ask further questions. Don't know mcdermotts thoughts on him and have no idea the reason Bailey went. If I was guessing I wouldn't put fans pressure at the top of the list.

What's everyone's thoughts regarding Mossop at the time I wasn't too bothered that we didn't sign him, was hoping that as we didn't waste cap space on him we would be getting a top notch prop for next year.
Having granted only seen him play a few times I have been fairly impressed with him. And as I cannot see us getting a big signing prop next year, seems a missed opportunity

might be their knee jerking after the Saints loss, but the Wigan fans on their board seem to be saying he's basically been anonymous

Complete & utter waste of cap. I have never seen him do anything in defence or attack to justify his rep.

13116 posts of rubbish