So we shouldnt have signed players like Senior, Ellis, Poching, Hardacker, Lunt, Moon, Aiton Briscoe etc...

All signed from teams that would be classed as below us in the table

Dodd made his debut in a dominant side when he was approaching 19. Sinfield made his debut at 17 and he's already got half a dozen under his belt and will likely be in double figures by the end of the year. Personally I don't think the "if he's good enough he's old enough" maxim holds true anymore. The game is so much more physical and we have probably paid a price (through injury) by exposing the likes of Ward, Walker and Newman at young ages.

When we signed those players, they were either international players or had already shown they were good enough to play for Leeds. It’s hardly the same when we are bin dredging in the way we have for years now.

So where should we sign player from? Only teams above us and the NRL?

The players you mention are on the whole ones who their clubs would have wanted to hold on to and ranked as one of their best, not those that were surplus. Milnes would be joining because they have recruited and already have better options.

Well there are currently plenty of teams above us so we could, although I think that would be a bit of a stretch. Similarly NRL players are not coming over here at the peak of their powers, but there are probably plenty that would add significantly to our team, I'm thinking of the likes of Donald and Kylie who weren't getting rep honours but were certainly good enough. Either of those two would walk into our team at the moment.

I'd have no objection to signing selected players, like those in your list, from clubs in the lower reaches of the league, but when most of your signings are coming from those clubs, or from lower divisions even, that's unlikely to result in a top 4 squad which IMO is what Leeds should be expecting each year.

My preference would be to hold on to the remaining quality players we have (as long as they are played in their right positions, no Handley at FB or Gannon at SO) and then supplement them with good quality experienced players from other clubs or the NRL, and this is used to bring the talented youth through into a strong culture and winning environment. That will take time I know, but signing players like Rowan Milnes who is constantly linked with us will not address the problems we have, he's just another body on the field rather than an improvement on where we were at the start of this season.

In fairness Smith said he hadn't been in touch with Milnes yesterday, so I don't know where this "Smith wants him" has come from. I agree that Milnes isn't the quality of player required to make the big leaps forward that the team needs. Let's hope the media speculation (which normally gets dismissed as clickbait when it's positive) turns out to be wide of the mark.

But most of the signings weve made from clubs below us recently, havent been players that were signed as starting players, apart from Macdonald, and he has been worth it.

A sensible post. Jack is still very young. Ideally next year he will be first reserve for the halves positions. In terms of this year you also have to take into account the lad had a concussion and his A levels that meant he wasn’t available at times he’d have likely played.

While I agree that ideally Martin wouldn’t be in the centres, to say he adds nothing is a bit of hyperbole. I’m pretty sure he’s our top tryscorer this year. While they might be indicative of how we’ve played, he’s certainly added more than nothing.

Saints at home at start of the year, didn't he kick it through and outpace the Saints winger to score in the corner? Obviously he isnt a centre but he does the job well, like Ablett used to.

Was that the one where Sezer regathered and kicked again?

Cant remember exactly, he also made a break out his own 20m and ended up putting Handley in for a try against saints at home

So from the following : David Fusitu'a, Harry Newman, Nene Macdonald, Ash Handley, Aidan Sezer, Mikolaj Oledzki, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, Cameron Smith, Jarrod O'Connor, Sam Lisone, Derrell Olpherts, Tom Holroyd, James McDonnell, Luke Hooley, Sam Walters, Luis Roberts, James Donaldson, Corey Johnson, Jack Sinfield, Leon Ruan.

Hooley
Fusitua
Newman
Macdonald
Handley
Sezer
Sinfield
Oledzki
O`Connor
Holroyd
McDonnell
Martin
Smith.

Lisone
Walters
Bentley
Johnson

Marcus Bai-Bai on 1 wing and Scotty D on the other.... zzzzzzoom!!!