Sutcliffe is far too good for the Championship, he was giving Sinfield a run for his money before he got injured, his form was good and he would have been well in the running for young SL player of the year were he still fit imo.

I agree with you, we need a hooker that much clear and a priority, but Sutcliffe has proved he is ready to step in as first choice HB(although not the finished article) alongside McGuire and with Burrow as cover aswell as Lilley we have enough for next year at least.

Basically, sign a hooker (hopefully Clark) and i would be more than happy with the make up of our squad for next season.

We do have 2. We just chose not to utilize Robbie Ward.

Feel free to tell me where this experienced half-back on a short-term contract is going to come from, in that case.

Throw me some names out there of players who are going to be available and willing to come in on a short-term basis for a year or two.

Agree with AG we don't need another halfback until one of McGuire or Burrow retires.

I think some people are getting carried away thinking we need 4 half backs because we've had the luxury of 4 for the last couple of years (McGuire, Burrow, Sinfield & Sutcliffe).
Most clubs can barely scrape 2 quality half backs in to their squad never mind 3 or 4.

As AG says getting another would limit Sutcliffe.
We don't need to sign a replacement for Sinfield, Sutcliffe is his replacement.

The only halfback signing id make is if a relatively young, quality one is available as an eventual replacement for McGuire. Brierley for example, or if Widdop was available. Because quality players don't always become available just when you need one.
But I wouldn't be looking to sign a stop-gap halfback. We don't need it.

If another hooker comes in, Leeds will potentially have four half-back options - McGuire, Sutcliffe, Burrow and Lilley. Quite why some people seem to think we need to add another one to that mix, lord only knows.

Spot on

Who are you going to get that is Top 4 quality but happy to be some sort of stopgap/backup?

In the backs it's not easy to have quality backups because you don't rotate them or they don't pick up injuries like the forwards do. It's why BJB left because he didn't want to hang around getting 4/5 starts a season.

Lilley is still unproven, Sutcliffe, may not recover from his injury, and Burrow isn't utilised in the halves. Had Sutcliffe not done his knee I'd have given him the starting gig next season, however, we have no idea how he'll recover.

Hooker has to be the priority though. I also have no idea why anyone would think we needed a prop. This is the first time I can remember on this board where the consensus seems to be that we've got a good set of props.

Until Leeds enquired on Garbutt he wasn't available. Hang on, until Leeds enquired on Galloway he wasn't available, still under contract. Oh wait a minute, until Leeds enquired on Clark he definitely was not an option, now looking likely.

If the timing Is right and the right deal, a lot of players are available, they don't have to be out of contract.

So if Sutcliffe doesn't deliver from his injury, people are happy with Burrow at scrumhalf? the same guy who hasn't performed in that role for the last few years, and who the coach has only played there in minimal games when he had to. I don't think the issue is for someone to stump Sutcliffes game, it's that you can not go from a team completely managed by it's main half, to having no one in the half positions who has shown they can control a team in a game.

I'd prefer to see the club give serious time to developing Mulhern and Baldwinson than sign another prop.

I'd also prefer the club to give Sutcliffe the jersey for 2016. If he isn't developing the way we like, sign a short term "dunneman" style stop gap for 2017 and if we think he isn't going to make the grade sign a permanent replacement.

Think you will end up with Pelissier at No.9 personally.

Don't think that would be a bad thing though, very similar to Aiton behind a better pack. Could be a shrewd signing.

Now where did I say it would be easy? I am pointing out our needs for next year.

Feel free to tell me who will do our game management in Sinfield's absence and please give examples of where they have consistently proven they have this ability?

Couple of points about Sutcliffe: firstly, he'd be very unlucky were he not to recover from his injury as plenty others have survived similar, particularly in more recent times. Also, I don't entirely subscribe to the notion that he can't manage games. While he's certainly not at Sinfield's level I think there were signs that he was improving the more games he played. Not a linear improvement for sure but not many young halves can make that claim.

And if nobody is available (for a reasonable price) who meets those needs - a likely scenario at this stage of the recruitment process - what do you do?

The team functioned pretty well with Sutcliffe and McGuire as starting half-backs earlier in the season, did it not? I can't say I recall game management being that much of an issue when we were rolling over Saints in the first half at Langtree Park, or winning convincingly at Castleford. Sutcliffe has earned the right to have first shot at the stand-off role in 2016. If it doesn't work out, then move on and look to recruit someone for 2017.

Bringing in another half-back to the club and thereby blocking the development of both Sutcliffe and Lilley is short-termist thinking. It's a good job nobody at the club had those kind of ideas in the Powell era, otherwise we may not have seen some of the club's stalwarts of the golden generation because short-term gains were put before long-term benefits.

And who will be your reserve hooker? Who will be your game manager?

I am not saying Sutcliffe or Lilley will not develop in the role (I hope they do) but if you and other critics do not see a need for a game manager then I would ask that you remember this before you take to your keyboard when we fail to win due to this omission next season.

The same rule applies to recruiting a hooker! This will not stop our search. Who knows we may end up with a mediocre hooker who can tackle eg

I note you didn't mention the loss at Warrington, followed by the draw against Hudderfield at Headingley when we squandered a 20-6 lead or the loss at Widnes all in consecutive weeks and all with Sutcliffe starting at 6. The following week Sinfield was recalled and we beat Hull KR by 20 points.

When all are playing well and better than the opposition we have momentum and the half backs role becomes easy as they are always on the front foot. But in a season form and injuries mean the half backs have to play behind a beaten pack or a very tight game where field position is vital. This is where Sinfield has won us many games not to mention his higher place kick success ratio.



I have already said that under the new structure it is vital to spread the minutes on the field for backs as well as forwards. Sutcliffe, McGuire, Lilley and A.N.Other can be rotated to bring on Lilley gradually and see how Sutcliffe develops.