Your quite right, James - as he was known as at that time - played 7 for Hunslet. The position he played in against us in a Yorkshire Cup game, during which he was outstanding which led to us signing him.

Aye, I remember that one now that you mention it.

We've had this debate about whether it was a mistake to "let Lowes go" before. Lowes was not the outstanding hooker he became whilst at Leeds. He was pretty good, but not as good as he went on to become at Bradford.

He also left during the period Leeds nearly went under. At about the same time we lost the likes of Tait, Schofield, Innes and Howard, having slightly earlier lost Hanley, Eyres and a few others.

I'd suggest the money issues affecting the club were at least as much to do with Lowes moving as anything else. Unless you believe that the club seriously believed that the likes of Carl Hall, Nathan Picchi and the Gibbons twins were suitable replacements for those that left/were leaving?

I can't believe no-one has mentioned Nathan McAvoy or Chris Feather yet!





Although I think that counts as trolling!!

However, can you imagine the player Medley would have become if he had appeared at Leeds the same time as the likes of Sinfield, McGuire, JJB etc. Never seen a second row forward anywhere from Oz or NZ or UK who could do what he could do as an 18 year old. I have the video of the JP semi at Bolton vs Wigan in '87 and his performance (in the days when forwards played 80) was truly awesome. Fell out with Mal Reilly on the GB tour, picked up an injury (neck I think) and from what I heard some bad habbits off the field and Leeds did what Leeds did back then and shoved him through the revolving door we had in place. Why couldn't we have had Dixon and Medley?

Nathan McAvoy wasn't trolling when he chipped over Harris' head for a fine Challenge Cup Final try.

Around 2000 he was one of SL's form outside backs.

Around 2006 when he joined Leeds....

Hard to argue Leeds got the best of Mr McAvoy.

His quality was my inferred point. He wasn't always a calamity as some presume.

Anyway....he was always first to turn up for training in Leeds colours

Medley won more medals at Leeds than Dixon. They were very different players so it's hard to compare or say one was "better". Dixon, old school tough as teak backrower. Medley, prototype modern day lightning fast backrower. I know who I'd want next to me in a scrap (Dixon) but if I wanted someone to win a game out of nothing only Medley could do that. Off then bench Medley could change a game. Dixon could tough it out with the best for 80mins. As someone said, you should've kept both and kept big Roy too - another who Leeds let go before they should.

Bradford got good years out of all three.

Maybe caretaker would have been a better job for him.

With those, dashing, pretty-boy looks?

If I was picking a team in the modern game, when athleticism is more of a factor and you have a four man interchange bench with ten changes, then I'd take Medley.

With the game as it was in the late 80s and early 90s, where forwards needed to be able to do close on the full 80 and have a higher workrate, that suited Dixon much more than it did Medley.

To an extent, Medley was ahead of his time but I can see why he may not have endeared himself to some coaches.

Entirely with you on Powell though, probably my favourite Leeds player of that era