....but why are you expecting all of that from Hardaker at this stagetoday's[/i McGuire provides that IMO.

Mcguire was a half back, he played as half back, he passed and kicked. Hardaker hasnt done that/.

I believe he has.....but either way I don't get the impression it would take the lad long to learn additional attributes that would complement his natural talents of having commensurate pace, good balance/step and the ability to find a gap to determindly/vigourously burst through.

McGuire has built up his present skills over time...it never stopped him starting at SO in his youth when he had fewer of these in his portfolio. He had the rare raw talent enough to make the position his own: I believe Hardaker has the same.

Hardaker took full advantage of some very suspect, flakey, tackles.

He is quick and wriggly. Huddersfield obviously didn't do their homework on him and they paid the price.

I think Hardaker shows terrific promise. He seems to have a good rugby brain & good game awareness.
If Ablett or Watkins are fit for next week, I'd put him on the wing at the expense of BJB.

Hardaker had a very good game, took his trys well and deservedly got MOM. He's a great prospect and in time will be a star with the Rhinos. However I have to agree with Bloodbath's comments. The Giants defence was very weak but to be fair Hardaker took full advantage. Warrington/Saints will not be so easy. For next season I would prefer him on the wing with an experienced centre still been signed

On McDermott, things are going well now but we still finished one position lower in the league than last season with a much poorer record against the top sides (apart from Huddersfield). Admittedly the cup final performance was better although our road to the final was also much easier this year. As one of his critics, I'm warming to the coach - I think he's earned the right to be in charge next year (not sure about the full extent of his contract) - but if Leeds go out in the next round of the play-offs the season will still be a disappointing one, despite the relative high we're experiencing now.

I'm not sure that you can describe our season as a failure.
Yes, we haven't won anything yet but even if we fall at the next hurdle we'll have been in the top 2 in the challenge cup - 12 other teams would have wanted to be in our shoes - & in the top 4 of the Superleague - something the 10 other teams would have swapped places with us to achieve.
Finally, we're starting to play a brand of rugby that entertains.
Let's hope that we build on this next year.

Nothing fickle about me mate, as I said to you on a couple of occasions in the season I've always thought Leeds will progress with McDermott. And as you'd asked me before if I thought he is a good coach the answer was yes back then and still is now.....fickleless me!

I support your rationale of the season. It's not been a failure and for the first few months we were without Peacock and McGuire. Hopefully we can build on it for 2012 but a lot will depend on the quality of any new signings in the off-season.

Always an interesting point this IMO.

Not sure but I don't think Leeds finished in the top 4 of SL this season. They finished 5th. (I could post any number of links to League tables at this point but won't.)

Even if they go on to end the season as unlikely Champions that won't alter the final Super League table. It will however alter their prizemoney allocation which I guess is important too.

5th in Super League is Leeds' lowest final League placing for a decade, since 2001 under Coach Lance/Powell.

Doesn't 'Lance Powell' sound like a US atronaut's name?

I'll grant you that we didn't finish in the top 4 of the League table after the 27 weekly rounds so my use of language was possibly sloppy.
However, what you can't deny is that we are in the final 4 of the play-offs, something that 10 other clubs would wish they could say.

It does now that you mention it.

Good point, well made.

Typical Leeds whino thread. We whine about how the sleeve isn't buying. We whine about how the academy isn't producing. But when the sleeve buys class and the academy produces class we whine about how they are all jumped up wanabees.

I bet I don't find one thread on redv about Lomax that even resembles this one.