Good luck tonight chaps...

This weather is getting a bit rough.

I might stay in and watch it at home on TV sat in my armchair with the central heating on.

Just like several others on this forum

The drill in itself is bad enough, my bigger issue is with coaching things in relays, queues of 18 kids and only touching the ball once every 5 minutes. A good reality check would be for someone to focus on say 2 kids throughout an hours training session then report back on the number of minutes out of the 60 that those children were actively engaged (touching the ball) for.

Unfortunately with all the coach education many coaches don't have the patience to see it through or even buy into the principles in the first place. Their weekend (and ego) lives or dies on whether their u10s won, and if they didn't the players 'will get it in the neck'. Theres another principle that's unfortunately not adhered to; as a coach if things arent going right with your team, reflect with complete honestly about your practice and strive to provide an environment in which the players can reach their potential.

i dont even think we should be keeping score at u10's, the focus needs to be executing skills instead of winning games, and lets be fair, its not just coaches. Many of them would be getting it in the neck from parents if the team loses.

Our game has its own little fiefdoms with their own individual interests where success, tomorrow, for them is the only thing that matters.

Conveniently left out 1 from the spine but I take your point
For all the talk of thurston he isnt the biggest threat, though his ability to put second rowers through holes will provide problems
the biggest threat will be granville breaking from dummy half who is lightning quick for a 9 and even skimmed GI last year so we cant rely on Hardaker to stop him 1 on 1 like we could most hookers, the only way to stop him is slowing the PTB, weve got 5 props out there tonight and if they stand up weve got every chance imo

Swimming has the same issues funnily enough. Swimming is an early developing sport so there are coaches who literally flig kids to death. Kids don't have an issue with lactic acid so you can theoretically work them almost to the level of adult internationals. We had such a coach when my son started swimming (a bit late at 10). When he was 11 he was regularly doing near 40k in a week, 13k on one day. His technique and his skills were awful. We moved him and all he did this last year was skills. There are British WC medalists - one in particular - who don't kick properly off the wall in turns (the fastest part of the race) and their turns are awful. That person funnily enough swam as s youngster at my son's old club.

No its not just because they got in a world 13 doesn't make them world class - there isn't a world class performer in every position but there more than one in others. My idea of a world class performer is say Sean Johnson, Greg Inglis, Jonathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, RTS, these guys are few are far between, I would there are 10 max. - the fact you think Watkins and McGilvery are even close to that standard is a difficult to understand. I would say Ryan Hall is nearer than both of them. Watkins has the potential to be a world beater but as last season showed he needs to up his game if he is to considered even as good as the likes of Jennings who I wouldn't say is world class.

JP was a great player but to suggest he is a better player than Matt Scott again I cannot agree with Matt Scott has been the best prop in world rugby since the retirement of Webke. JP has been passed his peak since 2010.

James Graham hasn't played in SL for years - we are talking about now not what happened 6 years ago. Graham was a class player when he played here as was Sam Burgess but the competition was better in those days. Who are your world class player currently running around in SL?

Can't believe you guys are that big a underdogs. 9/2 to win and evens for a +14 handicap.

I don't think the Cows are that special, hopefully you guys can do a number on them. All the best!

Well Leeds certainly have the elements in their favour - doubt you get many nights like tonight in Townsville. Reminds of the night at Elland Rd for the first Rhinos v Storm WCC. That was the worst conditions I have experienced for a game in the summer era.

Making excuses just in case for NQC I see

Terrible conditions and completely alien to the Cowboys players. Must be worth at least 20 points to Leeds. Throw in a hugely favourable penalty count like at Saints on Friday and Wigan yesterday and that's another 10 to 20 points for Leeds right there.

I've decided to go tonight despite the lack of arm rests.

I coached juniors for 10 years and firmly believe that 'mini rugby' should be all about fun and involvement where skills and decision making abilities are encouraged by starting out with small sided games (eg 4 against 4 which increases with each age group) with less emphasis on structure and keeping the rules simple. I do not think that leagues or cup matches should be allowed before say U/13s. This way basic and more advanced skills are learnt without the pressure of failure in an important match. I say this despite having coached an U12 junior side to a Yorkshire Final Cup win.

Terribly alien conditions. None of these players will have ever been to say Canberra in June.