Ideally Gary Hetherington would have a team of top surgeons in over the close season to oversee a heart transplant for Kirke thus swapping his, the size of an orange pip, for one the size of a lion. If that unlikely event doesn't take place you might have to put up with a 5th winners ring for kirke next season. Alternatively the signings of Griffin and Moore mean kirke may have to stock up on Duraglit while he sits in the stand polishing his rings.

Or the competition for places will inspire him and bring out the desired improvements.

Then you're an idiot for leaving gaps in the defensive line or a hard working genius who covers for his lazy team mates a lot.

One of the times I re-watched the GF, I paid specific attention to Kirke whilst he was on, especially after something Gotcha said about someone highly regarded in the game saying that people didn't want to run at Kirke.

Whilst I don't think he hurts anyone particularly in defence, what I saw was that he was controlling the ball/torso of the tackled player, and keeping him upright & away from the floor. May not sound much to the uneducated amongst you, but actually, in a big game, and against St Helens especially, if you can slow the tackle / PTB down sufficiently, and prevent them getting a quick play the ball, and a roll on, then you give yourself a pretty good chance.

I saw Kikre do this when he was first man in, as well as when he joined in as second / third / forth man in the tackle.

I would love to see him take the ball in more, but clearly McDermott & heatherington (along with McClennan and Smith) are happy with his ball work, whilst he is steadying the defence up so well.

Also, whilst we are not American football, where people only have 1 role, people should definitely play to their strengths, as well as play to the game plan, given by the coach, or do people on here think they know how to win major honours better than those paid to do it?

Are you softening?

The only way I can see Kirke being valuable to the team is if he is cheap, but with 4 GF rings to his name, and a number of contracts for Leeds, I don't expect him to be cheap. He won't be the most expensive prop on the books, probably not even top 4, but I suspect given his longevity at Leeds his financial reward is greater than his impact on the field.

Last season he was taking up a spot that could have been used on a promising younger player, next season with the signing of Griffin, I suspect that will no longer be the case.

Generally, people on here know nothing. On the other hand, I know everything.

And yet when I mentioned Buderus's high salary in conjunction with criticism you said performance on the field was all that mattered and salary was irrelevant.

So, which is it? Is salary relative to the value a player offers or not?

rlrl

I think as has already been mentioned kirkes value to team now may get over looked with moore and more so griffin. i believe every player has a role, but they should all have value. giving someone a rest is a waste of a shirt, they should come on and give more than the tired player they have just replaced could.

I wouldn't bet on it

if you look at games where kirke plays he's often available to take the ball up but doesnt get the ball, does that suggest the rest of the players dont trust him or do they use him as a decoy?

his defensive qualities are well noted not just in effecting a tackle but in effecting a slow tackle without penalties
going forward he supplies solid if unspectacular metres and sometimes thats what you need just to gain ground

the ability to play the game almost mistake free and not give away penalties shouldnt be over looked as we have players that might produce moments of brilliance but are just as likely to throw a forward pass or drop a ball to kill a attacking move or defensive effort

apparently more than the people who have delivered the most successful period in the clubs history.

oh no my mistake, you feck all about how to put together a squad that consistently wins top honours, just like everyone else on here.

That's your contribution to the discussion is it? If so, I wonder why then you bother coming onto a discussion forum at all if all you can add is "the club knows best".

Being an avid supporter of the club (which I am) and not being an employee of the club doesn't prevent someone holding a perfectly valid opinion. There have been some top notch fekkwitts employed at the club over the years, on and off the field. There have also been some very knowledgeable supporters who know an awful lot about rugby league.

But hey ho.

Baaaa baaa baaaa baaaa baaa.

Is that better?