I'm pretty sure it's difficult to con 3 different coaches, and win Grand Finals.

If he wasn't any good, or didn't do as was asked, he'd have been dropped by at least one of the 3...yet he played, and although not certain, was picked on merit, not because of injuries forcing the coach into picking him.

Suggesting Kirke should not be picked shows disrespect to the coaching staff at Leeds.

Thank God for Sherbet dip , the abuse Kirk recieves on here says more about the posters than anything else , yes one or two of you can be forgiven as you are easily led the others well your actual knowledge of the game is perhaps not as good as you think . Anyone who thinks he has not been an integral part of our super league successes obviously does not understand team sport where you are given a job to do and you carry that out to the coaches wishes .

Cue , the i know more than Smith , Bluey and Brian brigade

There isn't abuse of Kirke. It's about losing respect for a work shy cart horse, who actually has all the credentials to be a first class forward. He is simply not stepping up to the plate. That is plain to see for anyone watching with eyes open. If coaches can not see that, then that is their issue. It would be the same comment for anyone else putting in the same.

Yes it is the coaches issue and reading your posts thank god for that

Integral. Guffaw.

Ridden the coat tails of some great players. Had a chance to show us what he is made of these last few months due to the various injuries to Peacock, Bailey and Kylie. It was his chance to up his role from that of "breather for JP". Sure, there have been obstacles, like those nasty smaller opposition forwards and that terrible pitch at Widnes that just gives him the willies. What has he shown us? His true colours.

Granted I don't see him in training or the gym but I've seen nearly all of his Leeds 1st team appearances and he's kakka, whatever Smith, Mclennan or McDermott may think.

Now, feel free to voice your own opinion, even if it is baa baa baa.

Agree.

He's obiously a player that simply doesn't make waves, trains well, is always the convenient, cheap, ''breather for JP'' option and that is why he's remained a fixture despite being average.

never integral but was a useful squad player.
not anymore, he should have been leading from the front on friday. instead the likes of foster was showing him the way

Are we talking past exloits or here and now??
Quite simply if we are going on what role players played in our success we should have kept Webb ,Senior and Ali to name just 3 but we didn't we moved on and that's what should have happend in the off season with Kirke IMHO.
Singleton has shown he's more than ccapable of doing WHATEVER role Kirke has fulfilled in the past and in Baldwinson ,Tonks and Foster they have even more potential and hunger to take us forward.
Getting sentimental or looking back doesn't take us forward for 2014 and beyond it's feck all to do with who's picked him in the past it's what i personally have seen and know what's available to the Club he's 32 now and there's no improvement in him so 2 yrs is a poor call by GH and the Coach imo and whilst i pay for my ST etc i'll retain that right to an opinion and no amount of whining about what happend last year or beyond changes that.

He definately was not worth 2 years

Agree. I have seen him training in the gym and he is a very good trainer, but have to agree with you regarding his on field performances.

While we have had JP kylie etc he has always got away with just giving a breather to JP. Against wire we had alot of younger players there and he as a senior pro should have been leading by example and stepped up, however he gave his usual performance. 2yr renewal of his contract is a joke

G1 is correct in stating kirke has hung on the coat tails of top class props for many years.i ask all those defending mr kirke,would you be happy with him and for that matter moore being our starting front row when kylie and JP retire? Because to me,that is a scary thought after witnessing their respective efforts over the last few weeks.kirke can only hope JP lasts another 2 years so he can keep pulling the wool over certain short sighted fan's eyes.

Apparently I'm a Kirke lover because I don't think he's the devil incarnate. At the start of the season he was a steady 4th choice prop who was hopefully going to be challenged by Singleton.

That I questioned the theory that Kirke (a prop) was stopping us from giving an academy 2nd Rower more money apparently made me have 'blue & amber glasses' on. He's been given a contract.....Griffin & Lee Smith had contracts and mid-season left recently, that Leeds re-signed him was keeping an option open, it doesn't mean he'll see it through or be starting 17 every week (but with Vickery now out of the scene Kirke is the poster boy for blocking ALL our academy players.)

He is selected every week regardless of others availability, regardless of form, regardless of other players.

The picture you paint is quite different to the real one.

Since somebody else mentioned him....has there been any word/sighting of Vickery since his last appearance?

I saw him eating with Mitch Achurch a couple of weeks back at a Leeds Rugby Foundation fundraising night. Really nice blokes.