We'll win this. Pressure's off now we're not expected to.

I think that's a snap shot of recent seasons where a few have got fed up and don't go to the games as much as they used to. Success always brings new fans, continued success then breeds a bit of complacency which is why those attendances never got any bigger. I also think it's a reflection of the sport, the product on the field is pretty average throughout the comp.

I thought you were around in the 80s etc Arthur? Attendances now are higher than they were all the way through the 70s, 80s and 90s (maybe very slightly below 1999 but massively higher than most of the 70s/80s). We may not quite be at our peak of the early 2000s, but some of our biggest crowds back then were against the Bulls (two of the 2005 crowds were 20k plus against them). Take them out and we've not fallen much. Its also not fair to compare any season to one following one where we'd just won the championship for the first time in 30 years. Our average crowd at home in 2006 fell back to just over 14k, but then beat the 05 average in 2007. Success does have an impact.

I also think the percent of population metric is a bit off. RL has never been more than a small minority sport in Leeds compared to football. When I was at school I only knew two or three kids interested in RL. There were far more active Man Utd fans who travelled by train to watch "home" games than RL fans, also more Liverpool fans etc, and the vast majority of kids were supposedly Leeds Utd fans. On a percent of population basis vs Cas we ought to average 70k a week or something daft.

Just saying, I've been around long enough to know really cr*p times, and these aren't them. Also that the loss of Bradford to SL was a real damage to the sport.

Cracking post that OWL

Olpherts, Johnson and Waltersayimg in reserves

So team will be I reckon

Handley
Macdonald
Newman
Martin
Tindall
Austin
Myler
Oledski
Oconner
Lisone
Gannon
Tetevano
Smith

Sangare
Holroyd
Bentley
Donaldson

Bentley covering 9

If O’Connor comes off, CJ should have been on the bench. We’re not progressing him fast enough and will lose Walters. Both decisions are dumb.

Yep, Walters in one week out the next after been far from the weakest of the front row.

Walters has arguably contributed more than Mik who's been a way off following his return, maybe he needs a reserves spell.

I do find it strange that we are not giving Johnson a chance preferring to play Bentley at 9 which is a specialised position.
Johnson could probably fill in at HB much more so than Myler.
Walters had a better game last week than Lisone and Mik yet gets dropped.
I wouldn`t blame him if he left tbh.

Sadly I haven't shaved off 10 years overnight so I do remember the 80's and the late 70's. When I first started going average Headingley attendances were about 7K, so I agree that figures, not just at Leeds but all over the game are as good, if not better now, than they have ever been. One in the eye for those who like to say the game is on its deathbed.My point is that Leeds attendances peaked at 17k and haven't really dropped of a great deal since, despite the sustained drop off in quality. Hence that 17k figure would appear to be finite.
I'd like to think that in good times a city as large as Leeds could get to 20k, but sadly people are far more comfortable pontificating from arm chairs or pubs than actually in the ground. RL towns like Wigan/Saints do much better and whatever way you want to spin it, they have far smaller ponds to fish in.

No disrespect to Donaldson but if Walters is behind him in the pecking order he's done at Leeds im thinking CJ might want a move aswell it must be sapping his confidence seeing a second rower preferred to him at 9 Smiths comment's regarding young players is purely lip service.

Just don't get Donaldson on the bench having not played any rugby for ages especially when Walters can cover back row too. I'm not coming on here tonight

bet you do!