With my glass half full of mulled wine, he is young , fast which Leeds really need and will be keen to play.

With my glass half full of billy Eve's slash he is very inexperienced. Put alongside a rookie fullback and fairly young stand off we don't have much know how in the key positions. If McGuire is injury prone again and lilley comes in, I think it will be a real test and probably an unfair one on that quartet. I could then see Sutcliffe to full back, Jimmy k to 4 and moon into the halves. I know tad rhino and others are not keen on this but it would stiffen the defence and getting moon more ball can't be a bad thing.

Think Leeds took a conservative approach towards the back of last season to try and build some confidence and grind out wins to stay up at the end of a horror seen.

FWIW I think McD will want us to start quickly and play faster and more like the 2015 style next year. I think it will at least be more entertaining.

Wigan and wire look the 2 strongest again to me, I think there will be plenty of close games next year, whether our inexperienced key players can get us many wins remains to be seen.

Best wishes to all for the festive season.

One query for mr eve. Do we now start the new campaign with official SLWBR status?

A very refreshing post full of tolerance and balanced opinion.

Seasonal felicitations to you too.

Like most folk last season, I was taken by surprise at the depths Leeds had sunk to. They were effectively the bottom team in SL for most of the season until Segeyaro arrived and provided some stability, along with a few returnees from injury.

Like most folk, I still find it hard to believe Leeds were as dire as they were. Sitting in 12th position for a huge chunk of last season takes some doing in a 12 team league where two-thirds of the teams are WBSLR.

Leeds earned that WBSLR tag last season by finishing in the Super Duper Qualifiers, AKA Middle Eights.

The jury is out in 2017 IMO. The Leeds squad has WBSLR written all over it but there's so many other crap squads in SL that it's not out of the question Leeds could finish in the Top 4. If they do, it'll be confirmation of another season of declining playing standards across the board.

I agree it looks very hard to call how the teams that finished outside top 4 last year will fare.

A good kicking game is key. Losing segeyaro weakens that area further. Be interesting to see who takes the responsibility for Leeds. However, the new dead ball rule may mean Leeds run even more last tackle ball than ever.

Must admit being a bit disappointed that they need to slip even further to achieve official SLWBR status, no trophies at all this year.

The awful term transition could be the watchword.

Have to say I've not really noticed Parcell in the NRL. I can explain Manly, as they were horrible this year and I hardly saw a game of theirs. I don't know why I don't remember any of his few Broncos games though.

It's an interesting signing. Young, NRL experience, rated highly by Manly fans and certainly with speed to burn.
We also badly needed A hooker.

The three year deal is a gamble though...we badly need some stability at 9 so it makes sense...if he settles well, doesn't get home sick, doesn't get NRL interest and doesn't have injury risk hamstrings.
If anything goes wrong it could be another Achurch situation and very embarrassing for GH and Leeds.

Hopefully, he'll be noticed in SL instead.

It ought to be easier for him to be a standout in SL who gets noticed.

Nowt wrong with being noticed.

Worked with Segeyaro.

How could he be noticed when he was in a room all alone staring at four walls day and night?

Webcam.

in 2003/4 our spine was full of kids but it worked out fine, it all depends on how these young players handle pressure

and how good they are too

This is the year the likes of Ward, sutcliffe, lilley, Golding,singo, Cameron smith jjr etr really need to stand up and show they are the real deal and make this side their own. Ward we already no is up to it, the others good prospects or jury still out. No excuses If this year they don't show up, the squad will need completely re building.

I for one think sutcliffe can get his confidence back we have a star.

If Singleton is a youngster, then Smith must be a baby. Ward already showed he is the real deal two seasons ago. Fair enough on Lilley and Golding, but calling everyone youngsters doesn't make it correct. Most of our so called "youngsters" are practically veterans in terms of games played.

Singleton is a youngster in prop terms Gotcha, but i do expect a lot more from him next season, he didn't step out of Kylie and JP's shadows this year as we all hoped. I still think he lacks a bit of bulk TBH, he hasn't filled out yet the way i thought he might a couple of years back.