Good for you. PS the weekend isn't over yet. I just get the impression you like to have a whinge and re-appear when there's something you think is worth whinging about.

You've posted elsewhere that our quality is diminishing and we're heading back to the pack. Make your mind up. BTW, it doesn't frustrate me in the slightest. I enjoy my rugby and love to see Leeds win but I have the perfect balance of family, work and play so Rugby results are kept firmly in perspective.


How nice of you to worry about the people who pay to watch because its' many years since you did.

I didn't feel in the slightest bit short changed last night and really enjoyed it. Thanks for your concern though.

Our overall quality of performance is diminishing. The potential quality of the players is still generally high.

I guess, like most people, there are times when I feel the need to express my opinion, now is one of those times. IMO Leeds (and Saints) are slipping back into the pack (see the number of defeats for each club this year) and this is down to a reduction in the quality of our performances rather than the improvement in most of the other teams. This is not good for the game, no matter how much you enjoy average performances like last night.

So two teams dominating the game is good then?

Why are attendances down?

Mainly because the way we're playing under McClennan simply isn't that attractive. There's been absolutely none of the champagne stuff we sometimes played under Smith.

Atmospheres at games now are flat, even taking into account the smaller crowds.

....in your opinion of course.

Leeds lost at home to Salford this year for the first time in a life-time. How can you say that is no an improvement for Salford? Had they beaten the worst Leeds team in 30+ years then fair enough but they've beaten a Leeds team that are back to back champions and 2nd in the league.

Leeds have won 2 successive Grand Finals and played in4 of the last 5 GF's. Saints have finished top four years in a row and won 4(?) successive CC'ss. There's every likelihood both teams will add to the impressive tally. If they don't then surely they're entitled to slip back a little.

Unless, of course, you think a team should be winning the title 3 years in a row or should be finishing top6 years in a row or should be winning7 successive CC's.

Only Wigan fans in the 1980's and 1990's had the right to expect that and class anything else as failure but luckily this is a different era and a different playing field.

And if you can't enjoy a game like last night then frankly I wonder what you get out of the game.

I think the weather, and the changing date of the fixture is a large part of it.

Also £20 adult price and £12 junior is very steep.

When I started going in 98, it was £10 adult and £5 junior. Over 10 years that is a massive increase, and in a recession many people can't afford it.

Performances won't make much of a difference, as Leeds have a good win ratio at Headingley this year, so few will stay away because of a performance that they weren't there to see in the first place

I'm not sure thats totally down to McClennan. Smith had a much larger squad, including alot more strength in depth in the forwards.

All champagne rugby comes off the back of the forwards setting the platform. Our squad is to weak, the salary cap will play a major part in this but i was under the impression we haven't reached the cap limit, nor have previously.

These days it's less about Leeds and more about the game generally for me. My current "issue" is that I don't see that the game is improving at anything like the rate that "humpty dumpty and wiggy" on Sky would have you believe. I feel that the standard at the very top of the league game is falling and people are cheering this because it means that other teams don't have to work as hard and play as well to beat Leeds and Saints.

How can the peak level of performance diminishing be good for the game. If you want a game where everyone fumbles around in mediocrity, knock yourself out. I'd prefer to see one where the league creates a level of skill and intensity required for GB/England to consistently perform at a level which is good enough to beat Australia or NZ, and I don't mean in one token game a series.

No it's not "good for the game" but should those two teams "dumb down" so everyone else can catch up?

The only way to really improve is for others to get to the levels of performance that Leeds and Saints have set in recent years. Anything else is a false dawn.

IMO Lower attendances are due to the reduced south stand capacity and the recession.

With regards to Saturday's game, the weather played a huge part and with it being on sky, also being on a Saturday night which is not a usual night for home games for Leeds. It has nothing to do with Leeds not dominating as they have done. Ticket pricing is a tad pricey in the current economic climate, coupled with any bad weather and the game being televised will have an effect on any clubs attendance.

Not at all. How many games would we have been able to push capacity for the ground this season if there weren't a reduced capacity?

I didn't go, I went to watch Toulouse play at Featherstone.

Your point applies to an extent, but I think it's more to do with the fact that we don't seem to be able to string a decent move together. We rely more on individual pieces of skill these days, rather than well-crafted set plays.

But yeah, to be playing under the cap all season really is bemusing.

Why is it so bemusing ?

When was the last time we dropped out of the top four in the league table ?

Why spend money that isn't required when you can achieve your goals (remind me again who has won the Grand Final these past two years) on a reduced budget ?

Its business, plain and simple, the challenge is not in spending every last penny in the salary cap, any fool can do that - its in maintaining your success on the lowest possible overhead, thats the point at which your sports club becomes a viable business.

That's partly correct, however what you fail to mention is that in any business you reinvest in order to maintain improvement especialy in periods of success, have Leeds done that?

Additionally dont underestimate what commercial value a big name player brings to a business (example Real Madrid - Beckham).