Or Bradford as late as 2005? Our swansong before we became crap when the money (that we never really had) ran out and the world and his dog saw who won the Hetherington/Caisley pìssing contest.

Still think SL will struggle to see a better all-round team than Bradford of 2003.

Leeds 2005 team was far better than any of those sides. It might not have actually won anything, but that was down to disruption when it mattered rather than the quality of side. The rugby played that year and the quality of that side eclipsed any of the championship winning sides of that decade.

the problem, according to a first team regular, was smith stopped the rotation policy and flogged the players in training more or less every day. the players were shattered come the play offs.
the player said smith was the best coach he ever played under but couldn't understand why he hammered them that season

Bradford of 2003 is certainly a very good shout as the best team in SL. Daniel Gartner in particular was immense but never seemed to receive the appropriate accolades. Thought they were showing signs of being on the slide by 2005 despite winning SL that year... a final swansong if you like. I'd favour Bradford of 2001 over Bradford of 2005.

Saints were very good in 2006 and also at the start of the decade and a few years beyond (as Bradford were). When you consider the Bulls had players like the Paul Bros, Vainikolo, Vaikona, Vagana, Gartner, Lowes, Fielden, Peacock, etc,... then Saints with Sculthorpe, Long, Fairleigh, Albert, Shiels, Newlove, Britt, Gleeson etc... all in their pomp around that time, you realise how far standards at the top of SL have fallen. Even Wigan weren't too shabby back then despite not winning SL.

I'll rule out Leeds in 2005 on the basis they won nothing apart from a WCC against a disinterested half a reserve grade Bulldogs side who only decided to wake up when Bailey put in a cheap shot which riled SBW and generated a quickfire 24 point response. Leeds were a better side in 2004.

Current SL playing standards are depressingly mediocre in comparison.

The Hetherington/Caisley ing contest was an embarrassment according to the wise and entertainingly significant according to the majority t brigade. In the long run, there were no winners of that spat because Hetherington has now lost his beloved derby fixture.

I can think of a couple of legal firms who may disagree with that assessment.

That Saints side that took Leeds to the cleaners in consecutive Challenge Cup semi-finals early in the decade was pretty impressive and has a good shout for being the best of the SL era IMO.

Could've sworn we've been playing the Bulls at least twice a year since SL began.

Justice was the winner in that spat. Right prevailed.

Long article on squad recruitment in the YEP, and the only name we're linked with in it is Heath L'Estrange... bit.ly/kluhCm

Long article on squad recruitment in the YEP, and the only name we're linked with in it is Heath L'Estrange... bit.ly/kluhCm

Heath f-in L'Estrange

I agree. He's a feisty customer to boot.

Marginal 2001 vs 2003, although 2001 DID totally destroy the Pies at OT.

With that minor caveat, I agree totally with all of that. Especially about Sir Daniel Gartner. But I'm far from the only one to recognise just how immense and influential he was for us, and IMO he was one of our biggest losses at the end of 2003. And yes, for sure 2004 was very much "after the Lord Mayor's Show", and 2005 the swansong as the wheels were coming off financially by then. Indeed, we were outstandingly mediocre for the first half of the season, and only came good towards the end because the team framed themselves.

In the end, regardless of the rights and wrongs of it and how dumb Caisley was in provoking a fight, it was really financial might that prevailed.

Given the fact we have 2 hookers already in the squad as well as Liam Hood in reserve, it just seems a pointless signing to me, a centre and a new prop are more of a priority than another hooker. Is he quota?

If Buderus leaves, wouldn't be a bad signing to rotate with McShane. Sign him on a 3 year contract, by which time hopefully Hood will be able to come into the squad

If you're in the wrong, you're in the wrong, regardless of how much bigger your opponent is.