Eccleshill, you make some good points, and some ones that I don't agree with, but suggesting that Gary Hetherington doesn't want Leeds to win this season for the good of the game is just wrong.

David I love your conspiracy theories but to think GH doesn't want Leeds to be successful is

We won two out of the next four Grand Finals. How high were your expectations?

david,

I have always said I hoped Mclennan would go on to eclipse Smith. I still hope he does. I still think he might. I have written anybody off this year.

What irks me is the hypocritical way people on here judge McLennan compared to how they judged Smith.

Oh and yes. Sinfield would be my captain until he retires. I'd imagine his team mates feel the same way, including JP.

I think it might be along the lines of winning enough to shut Stirlingshire Saint up permenantly. But there simply aren't that many trophies in all of World sport for that.

I think Eccleshill Rhino is correct, we need to break up the team, just like Alex Ferguson sold Giggs, O'Shea, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes etc. Like Saints sold Cunningham, Long, Wellens, Gardner, Roby etc.

For us to be successful again lets sell Webb, Smith, McGuire, Burrow & Sinfield.

The very least Sinfield deserves for his recent games not being played to his usual high standard is to be stripped of the captaincy - just to restore his confidence.

Gareth you are just as hypocritical about McClennan as I have said his record stands comparison to Smith in any way you want but you do not judge McClennan as you do Smith.

You never critisised Smith and times his decisions were poor and performances were dire yet you consistently bag McClennan - that is hypocritical even you have to admit that?

Interest in RL had reached a real low during the Wigan era - that is bad for business - nobody wants a foregone conclusion - I personally think GH would make a great bossman for RL his love for the game in unparralled in the UK.

I never once said he did not want Leeds to be successful - winning everything would give a certain success on the field but not to the business as a whole.

Why do Leeds have Cummins, Poaching, McDermott on the coaching staff because they are the best available - no because GH is loyal to those that have been loyal to him - is that long term proposition? not sure I would want McDermott in charge of some of my most valuable commidities!!!

If you were Alex Ferguson do you think he would have Beckham in charge of youth development or an experienced coach/manger with a proved track record?

If Leeds win the comp reasonably regularly then that is a good thing winning it every year is not. Unless he failed to learn from his mistakes - and he doesn't seem like that to me - why would he commit the same error as 2004?

David Cummins has now been a number 2 for several years if he wasn't up to the jobI'm sure he'd have been moved on as I'm sure Poching and McDermott will be also if they prove they are not up to it also.
Who would you have as the number 2 ?

I don't think that's correct. The late 70's and early 80's were dire in regards to gate numbers. They were in growth all during the late 80's and early 90's. We were also very competitive internationaly and really should have beaten the Aussies in 90 and 92.
As an emblem for the game nationaly Wigan lifted the profile of League and did a lot for the product (which is good for everybody). I was extremely proud of my sport when Wigan turned up to the Middlesex Sevens and destroyed everyone in spectacular fashion. They helped trnasform the image of League and set things up for Superleague.
I don't want a situation where there is no salary cap as some clubs (including ours) got in the poop trying to spend as much as Wigan, but could a period of 3-4 years of near total Leeds dominance be bad for the game? I think not. I don't think it's possible due to the cap but I can't see how it could hurt the game agt all.

When we move the ball we look ok, We are playing a lot down middle and nowhere near as expansive as before , We are also giving away far too many penalties away

We must agree to differ

A young coach from Australia who has seen the Aussies coaching methodology and conditioning techniques who can bring some new ideas who would be less familiar with the players - in the past that would have been a Jason Taylor or Steven Kearney.