I have felt for some time now that our squad is backing further and further into a corner from which it is becoming more and more difficult to escape. The last half dozen games of this season we looked unimaginative, lackluster and frankly shot. Losing to Bradford was a disgrace but the London loss was unforgivable - any team (and I really mean ANY team, not just SL) should have been able to protect a 22 point lead with less than 30 minutes left. Let us not forget the Hull effort!

Powell built this team, Smith instilled the work ethos, Bluey enhanced it and McDermott has flogged it. It's a bit like when you buy a really nice car that has had 3 previous owners and a full service history then you run it into the ground without it seeing the inside of a garage and then complain that it isn't as good as when you bought it.

The current squad has seen better days - JP, McGuire, Burrow, Sinfield, Bailey, JJB and Leuluai are all past their 'best before' date but, on the whole, are the first names on the team sheet every week. The problem is that all the above will be going round again next year as well. Unless some of the youngsters step up and get given more time on the field we'll be looking at an even lower league position come season's end next year.

Like I said - the 'pick & choose' option is currently looking more favorable than a season ticket as it stands right now.

Apparently (according to Jeff almighty) anyone who blindly renews their season ticket does so, not on an informed decision but because they know no wiser.

I still may get a season ticket next year but I will give it some consideration first and the second I do purchase one I lose all cognitive reasoning and become a "single cell organism" - go figure!

Lesson 1 from this year: There are no longer 4 teams in competition for the silverware. There have been 6 this year. I expect the same next year, at least (Cas will be interesting, but Catalans are not far away if they keep building and the Carney thing works out).

For the first time in a long time, the end of season musical chairs for next year will have fewer chairs than players. Our regular season has to improve and we need to plan for that.

In the scramble for a chair, the older man with creaking bones and joints (ie. Leeds' pack) is more likely to be left standing than the more spritely and fleet-footed challengers.

Apparently so

Not sure what that makes people who'd rather spend their Friday nights home alone, on the internet having the same discussions and arguments they've been having for the last 10 years though.
Or those who spend their days at Yorkshire Cricket, reading magazines.

Not really true though is it.

Had Leeds got knocked out of the cup this year they'd have walked the LLS and probably gone on to win the GF.
As it was, they put everything in to the cup and messed the league up badly.
I'm sure lessons have been learned and changes will be made for 2015.

That highlights my point. 'They put everything into the cup.'

The cup was 3 games. Saints, warrington and cas. The performance against leigh was atrocious. Very much like the catalans one in the playoffs. So what you're telling me is that in the entire second half of the season they were capable of performing to a high level 2 times.

My "opinion and conjecture being presented as fact" alarm has gone off.

I am sure people really are naïve enough to believe that as well. We lost the games because we were not good enough, nothing to do with the Challenge Cup, as proved when it mattered.

And as for you getting a season ticket. Anyone can look at your postings, on nearly every match when it is been played, you are posting on here. So on this occasion I doubt your claim of getting a season ticket is anything more than tongue in cheek.

The cup isn't just 3 or 4 games though is it, it's spread over a few months and clearly had an effect on the whole squad. I'd prefer the GF every time but we all know how much they wanted it.

As I said, I fully expect a top 2 finish next year with at least 1 new signing to be announced soon. Hopefully a 7 or 9 as we're ok everywhere else despite what the glass half empty brigade think.

Oh, naive aswell now.

I think it finally dispels the myth that Leeds can peak at the right time for the playoffs every year.

Thats two years in a row we have taken our eye of the ball, form and fitness wise and have looked past it come the crunch.

I dont believe in throwing the baby out with the bathwater, this squad still has more to give and can bounce back from this setback, but it has shown some glaring deficencies that we must come to terms with and accept and put right.

My bad, do we now have to add IMO to every post?

Got it, thanks.