I take it those alleging mismanagement know exactly what the medical advice was when this injury first occured?

Would hate to think anyone was making assumptions that Leeds have played Delaney against medical advice and thereby worsened the injury.

I agree with what you are both saying here.
Many have been shouting that the likes of JP,Kylie and Delaney be given a rest several weeks ago to help re charge the batteries and to allow for squad rotation in dare I say some of the lesser games.
We now have players who the coach admitted were carrying injuries sidelined for some crucial games coming up.
I am sure the likes of Baldwinson wont let us down.
But he should have been playing a month ago now.
Not sure how thin this squad is going to get before we are forced to bring in some additonal players.
Bit rich that Leeds could be depending on getting in loanees to help us out.

Don`t know the answer to the Delaney question you have posed.
But it seems McDermott is saying JP went against medical advice. So who knows maybe Delaney did too.
Makes you wonder who is running the club.
The Coach or the players!?

Let's play devil's advocate.

Medical team goes to coach and says "player X has got an injury. Probably going to need an operation at some point that means he might miss three weeks. He can play in the meantime without risking making it worse."

What do you do as a coach?

Do you take the player out straight away and get him in for the operation, or do you see if you can get him through a tough run of games before you do it?

How much influence do you let the player have over that decision?

Players playing against medical advice yet some will say they still don't give a toss about the regular season.

RFL have confirmed Delaney can play on Monday according to the YEP.

But what about your gallant players of old spiel earlier on? Isn't Peacock in that fine tradition??

What about it? I'm praising a player going against the club's own medical advice here, potentially putting his season on the line to help out his mates in a difficult spot where defeat at home to Castleford could have become a season defining moment.

That's not to say that the coach (who needs to take a longer term view - and make crucial decisions in respect of player welfare - in cases sometimes where players show rather less regard to their own personal health or fitness) should have selected him in those circumstances.

McGuire said after Manchester - player's are playing busted, here is an example of a player being selected apparently against the medical advice at the club. Shouldn't be happening, IMO.

My answer would be how would playing another 3 weeks not make an injury worse?
If the medics are saying he needs an op surely another potential 3 weeks playing such a physical game could only do more damage.
Maybe the medics said this guy needs an op straight away and the player said stuff that I`m a tough old boot and a bit stupid so I will play.
The fact JP went against medical advice to play for the team is admirable but again stupid.
Why bother having medics if the players know best?
I know for a fact if my Consultant told me it was too risky to take a flight to go on holiday I sure as hell would be cancelling my trip.

Fwiw after his collapse post ST's IF his knee injury was known he should have been put in for the op then imo.
If it's not a CC semi/final play off eliminator or a WCC then imo NO fixture should be deemed important enough to pick players who are busted up it's not worth it.
As for blame for me i 99% of players will put their hands up whether on one leg or whatever the injury which puts the pressure on the Coach.
If we go back to the CC final in 05 TS should not have risked Senior but at the same time Senior knew he wasn't right and shouldn't really have said i'm alright.
This imo is another example of the Coach/staff listening to the player whilst not been tough enough to say sit it out and get it sorted the recent results and other injuries won't have helped but how far do you go?

Of all people, Jamie Peacock is big enough to decide for himself. Your attempt to attribute all things negative to McDermott is an empty contrivance.

Or....he barely uses the adequate squad he was given and now this "innovative" use of his players (limited game time for many players, flogging older players, playing injured players, not using substitutes) is catching up.

Hunslet were surprised at the lack of match fitness some of our fringe players had when sent there due to the very limited game time they see.

Do you know that a recurrence of that injury, or a worsening of it would be a season ending injury?

www.therhinos.co.uk/news/20638.php#.UbiK2NjNm2o England Knights and Leeds Rhinos winger Ben Jones-Bishop will make his much awaited return to action this Monday, 17th June, at Headingley Carnegie when Leeds take on Widnes Vikings, kick off 7.45pm.

www.therhinos.co.uk/news/20638.php#.UbiK2NjNm2o England Knights and Leeds Rhinos winger Ben Jones-Bishop will make his much awaited return to action this Monday, 17th June, at Headingley Carnegie when Leeds take on Widnes Vikings, kick off 7.45pm.

I'm sure Peacock will have put his hand up - just as he did for the Huddersfield CC game despite injuring a knee V Bradford the week before, although not sure whether that was going against the medical advice but the practical upshot of that decision was that he missed the next three games and apparently it should have been left longer still (another fortnight?) before a return.

Presumably Brian McDermott is still in charge of team selection and carries a duty of care towards his players - using all the information at his disposal.



I hold him responsible for those things I would hold any current, previous or future Leeds coach responsible for. The squad he has been given to work with wouldn't be among them, however he is IMO responsible for how he chooses to use it.