So why wasn't he bropught over as part of the coaching staff then rather than taking up valuable cap space and a quota space?

Because he would still be better on the pitch than virtually every hooker in SL but would bring on McShane more effectively than anyone else at the club & Diskin would also learn from him.
Plus Bluey had perceived a weakness in depending solely on Diskin as our no. 9. (This was well documented at the time.)
As was shown when he got injured & he had to play Burrow & others at no 9.
I'm sure you'll argue that it can't have been that bad because without that cover we still won the GF in both 07 & 08. That's true but I believe Bluey & GH realised that we were vulnerable to injury in that key position hence being so eager to bring Buderus over.

....and 09.

He was a luxury when we could've used the cap and quota space in other areas. Diskin has consistently proven himself to be the best British hooker over the last 6 years. Others have had there moment in the limelight, Moore, Roby and Clarke but over those years, Cunningham apart, Diskin has been the best.

Signing Buderus has also restricted 1st team opportunities for McShane.

I omitted 09 because then we had that cover, but then both Buderus & McShane got long term injuries.
Without re-opening old sores its arguable which other players we could have signed to use the cap & the quota in other ways.
At least by signing Buderus we prevented him going to another SL club who may have benefitted more from his presence.
Aren't speculation and hindsight wonderful?

If he were only on the coaching staff would that not add to the cap? i.e. are coaching staff included or just playing staff?

since his injury diskin has unfortunately had patchy form especially the beginning of last season but has usually come good at the business end of the season.

if buderus had continued without getting injured at wigan i don't think diskin would have been involved with 2009 playoffs.


cunningham's been the most consistent by a country mile & probably newton 2nd with roby overrated imo

Just playing staff.

Cheers Phil.

Maybe he is a luxury but we obviously can afford it.
Where would you have used the cap space?
Btw I still see Leeds going with both in the 17 next season and providing both stay fit will make us even stronger than last season.

I wholeheartedly agree that Buderus is a luxury item and not entirely necessary in the Leeds squad but he is a luxury that we can obviously afford and has had no detriment on the team’s performance.

I wonder if that would have been the case had he remained fit and we continued trying to fit a square peg into a round hole with him at 9 and Diskin on the bench.

The idiot Ramrod predicted doom when we were left with Diskin as 1st choice 9 but just like before Matt rose to the occasion and we didn't skip a beat.

Would that be (at the time) the three time Championship winning Matt Diskin?

Talking of the lycra clad narcissistic noob – any word from Dubai?

Why can't both play 40 minutes each?

Well, if we're going to do it I would start each half with Diskin and bring Buderus off the bench. I simply don't think it works the other way around. Will Buderus accept that role?