That’s good news

John's a legend. Anyone know when he first appeared at HQ? He was selling copies of Rugby Leaguer when I started going in 75.

I agree regarding the extensions signed early in the season. In hindsight it's a clear indication of how off the mark McDermott was getting.

Regards the squad reshaping, it's going to take prob 3 off seasons to get back to a good position as inevitably some of the signings we make will look good on paper but just not work out.

It will take longer for the academy to start producing with some regularity.

So I'm not too fussed if some of the squad players take a year or two to shift. Tbh, any player worth his salt who is told they won't be getting game time should be keen to move on, albeit they may need to spend a couple of months at Fev to pursuade them.

No idea mate but he's been there as long as ive been going (80) & is a Legend imo. Ive bought numerous books off him over the years.

The "source" will have been more than credible & he doesn't just pick names at random or from here (ala Nosy parker from LW).
To suggest he's just making stuff up is way off the mark & disregards how well connected to the Club he is.

Or GH. Signing-wise, things seem to have taken a different direction since Sinfield's return. Don't forget GH could have vetoed any/all of those extensions so definitely complicit to some degree.

Read it in bed tonight with your cocoa...

Totally agree, wasn't exonerating GH. More pointing out how off kilter the club's decision making has been under the old guard.

Interesting listening to Proper Sport when it mentioned an agent offering a player to McDermott who said he wanted him. Agent said he would contact GH to discuss money and McDermott blew his lid and vetoed the signing altogether and said he wasn't interested at all.

The fact GH did all the contract talks suggests he was more than a bit complicit!

Quote ="RHINO-MARK"The "source" will have been more than credible & he doesn't just pick names at random or from here (ala Nosy parker from LW). To suggest he's just making stuff up is way off the mark & disregards how well connected to the Club he is.'" In that case I shall stop visiting the Leeds website and just follow Smith on twitter for all my Leeds news. The below is what Smith wrote. 'Understood' means nothing as he actually says that sinny wouldn't discuss individual squad members. So he has no credible source or otherwise to his words below. From those he names, Walters and ormonroyd are gimmes as they are clearly not good enough for SL let alone Leeds. Cuthbo and parcel have both said they are not and have no intention of leaving. Most fans have expressed surprise at Golding and garbutt being 'available' and as yet there is no comment. Mullally was also pretty easy to pick especially with Crosby signing on. So excuse me if I'm not impressed. It is understood several current first team squad members – including Ashton Golding, Adam Cuthbertson, Matt Parcell, Anthony Mullally, Mitch Garbutt, Jack Ormondroyd and Josh Walters – would be allowed to leave if another club came in for them. Read more at: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... -1-9412319

Quote ="RHINO-MARK"The "source" will have been more than credible & he doesn't just pick names at random or from here (ala Nosy parker from LW). To suggest he's just making stuff up is way off the mark & disregards how well connected to the Club he is.'" In that case I shall stop visiting the Leeds website and just follow Smith on twitter for all my Leeds news. The below is what Smith wrote. 'Understood' means nothing as he actually says that sinny wouldn't discuss individual squad members. So he has no credible source or otherwise to his words below. From those he names, Walters and ormonroyd are gimmes as they are clearly not good enough for SL let alone Leeds. Cuthbo and parcel have both said they are not and have no intention of leaving. Most fans have expressed surprise at Golding and garbutt being 'available' and as yet there is no comment. Mullally was also pretty easy to pick especially with Crosby signing on. So excuse me if I'm not impressed. It is understood several current first team squad members – including Ashton Golding, Adam Cuthbertson, Matt Parcell, Anthony Mullally, Mitch Garbutt, Jack Ormondroyd and Josh Walters – would be allowed to leave if another club came in for them. Read more at: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... -1-9412319

Quote ="Fallon"In that case I shall stop visiting the Leeds website and just follow Smith on twitter for all my Leeds news. The below is what Smith wrote. 'Understood' means nothing as he actually says that sinny wouldn't discuss individual squad members. So he has no credible source or otherwise to his words below. From those he names, Walters and ormonroyd are gimmes as they are clearly not good enough for SL let alone Leeds. Cuthbo and parcel have both said they are not and have no intention of leaving. Most fans have expressed surprise at Golding and garbutt being 'available' and as yet there is no comment. Mullally was also pretty easy to pick especially with Crosby signing on. So excuse me if I'm not impressed. It is understood several current first team squad members – including Ashton Golding, Adam Cuthbertson, Matt Parcell, Anthony Mullally, Mitch Garbutt, Jack Ormondroyd and Josh Walters – would be all.owed to leave if another club came in for them. Read more at: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... -1-9412319'" Nobody is expecting you to be "impressed" the point is that dismissing PS putting names out there is "made up" will be wide of the mark. Look at previous years when a number of players have been made "available" they were never individually named by the Club either. The Powell "Clear out" is a perfect example & i still wouldnt rule out Cuthbo & Parcell leaving whether Sinfield names them publically or not. What he has said more than once that he & Club will want/let players will leave that indicates numerous not just 3/4 imo.

Quote ="Fallon"In that case I shall stop visiting the Leeds website and just follow Smith on twitter for all my Leeds news. The below is what Smith wrote. 'Understood' means nothing as he actually says that sinny wouldn't discuss individual squad members. So he has no credible source or otherwise to his words below. From those he names, Walters and ormonroyd are gimmes as they are clearly not good enough for SL let alone Leeds. Cuthbo and parcel have both said they are not and have no intention of leaving. Most fans have expressed surprise at Golding and garbutt being 'available' and as yet there is no comment. Mullally was also pretty easy to pick especially with Crosby signing on. So excuse me if I'm not impressed. It is understood several current first team squad members – including Ashton Golding, Adam Cuthbertson, Matt Parcell, Anthony Mullally, Mitch Garbutt, Jack Ormondroyd and Josh Walters – would be all.owed to leave if another club came in for them. Read more at: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... -1-9412319'" Nobody is expecting you to be "impressed" the point is that dismissing PS putting names out there is "made up" will be wide of the mark. Look at previous years when a number of players have been made "available" they were never individually named by the Club either. The Powell "Clear out" is a perfect example & i still wouldnt rule out Cuthbo & Parcell leaving whether Sinfield names them publically or not. What he has said more than once that he & Club will want/let players will leave that indicates numerous not just 3/4 imo.

I wouldn't rule out anybody leaving, very few deserve to stay based on last year.

My point is that if people want to talk about it fine, that's what sites like these are for, but some are prone to getting overexcited and believing everything that is written is gospel.

When there is actual news the club will say so. Until then, take these write ups for what they are, guess work. Educated guesses perhaps but just guesses none the less.

If Cuthbo says it's news to him then it suggests that one's wide of the mark. The bloke does a lot of promo work for the club and coaches the women's side. Not the club's way to ditch those involved behind the scenes, more likely they'd have expanded his non-playing role if they'd wanted him removed from the first choice roster. Certainly not the cloak and dagger manoeuvring that's being inferred.

He’s been going some years has Brooky

Both Cuthbertson and Parcell were dropped/fell don the pecking order for the middle 8s so it wouldn't surprise me.

That said, I'd be very disappointed if we havent approached them in the first instance to tell them. The snippet on Parcell doesnt say he hasnt been told he can leave, just that he won't be so Smith could well be correct on that. As other's have said, Smith is basically the Rhinos second press office so I'd be very surprised if he's way wide of the mark.

Anyhow, like with the other 96 names we've been linked with in the last month only time will tell. Enjoy the ride!

assuming cuthbertson us telling the truth mind

Back in the day it was £2 each, 2 for a fiver

Like I said, when the club confirms something then there is news you can be sure of. Until then it's all just hot air.

It's a devilish job trying to reshape a competitive squad in one off-season. Sinfield/Furner clearly believe "root and branch" is required. I think the club will try to do things the right way - even if there is the odd racing incident where something might leak via an agent or whatever. As fans we don't always know the behind the scenes factors: how good a player's attitude is, how well they train, how they interact with/disrupt others, what chronic injuries they're carrying. I didn't agree with the approach for SOL; but most players we've been linked with are the right ball park. In Kevin I trust.

I remember john from when I was just a little lad in the late 50s he was just a schoolboy himself but I remember him from back t sticks

Wow he has been going some time, i remember him when i was a kid late 80's selling his magazines on the old eastern terrace. Always had good banter with the fans.i'll bet there aren't many haven't had a run in with him down the years.good to hear he is still going strong.

That is a big assumption and not a clear indication!

You could equally argue that for several years now McDermott had successfully been getting blood out of a stone with his aging and un-refreshed squad. Yet he still produced the silverware without having any of the sort of quality signings that greatly benefited all his competitors.

GH must have thought he had a golden goose and kept his purse strings far too tight. He then naively believed that Sinfield also had the Midas touch only to see no improvement since the sacking McDermott. Finally he must have realised that money had to be spent on quality players or the new stands would be empty next season.

I doubt any coach would not want to sign class rugby talent but McDermott kept faith with the squad his boss restricted him to and I am sure did his best. But the squad had become shorn of quality due to retirements and injuries and Sinfield's face after some of the abject performances mirrored the face of his predecessor as did some of his post match comments as the players let him down too.

not the only one assuming things.
depends on your point of view. for both both Hetherington and macdermott were culpable of overseeing what should have been a steady transistion

I said "you could equally argue". I was replying to a big assumption that was made out to be "a clear indication"

None of us know the restrictions, or otherwise, that were imposed on BM. But we all know that GH keeps his pockets zipped up and that he was largely responsible for recruitment. You could also equally argue that Mac should have stood up to GH and insisted that he needed some new talent. But the relationship was not one of equals and his duty was to tow the company line or leave.

Having said that had we not had such a terrible injury list especially in the pack then I have no doubt we would have been pushing for the top four was Wakefield were.

The idea that the teams poor performances were all the coaches fault were wide of the mark as events showed after his departure. That is not so say he didn't make mistakes but he had earned the right to have enjoyed the benefit of from some decent signings and throughout the season GH had the opportunity to bring in short term solutions but he let BM burn before he put his hand in the company pocket. For that I hold him mainly responsible

How do you know he was under "restriction" at all??
Numerous events show he had a major say in departures recruitment & retention Cross Mcshane Ferres Jjb Delaney Kirke Bailey Hardaker Etc.
Both he AND GH are responsable.