Aye, imagine what could have been achieved with a decent squad...oh, hang on...

And a decent coach, don't forget the need for a decent coach

Can see on previous pages (and other threads around this time last year) the criticism I got for pointing out the huge effect the CC had on this team in 2014 and how that is what cost us the LLS and our hopes in the playoffs but it was just "excuses" apparently. Skip forward 12 months and it almost happened again if not for that last 5 secs at Hudds.

Said people were focusing too much on those last 6 defeats which wasn't a true reflection and that the cup wins vs Wire and Cas showed that when we were truely focused we still had it and so this season showed to be true.

Reading back on this thread was really quite amusing. Some of the guff spouted by certain critics against Brian Mac and some of the players was so wrong that you have to question the rugby acumen of these same critics. Our deserved Coach of the Year not only proved them to be totally wrong, yet again, but he did it on all fronts; winning all three trophies, getting the team to play in an exciting offloading style, overseeing the transition and creating history.... his victory over his critics couldn't be more emphatic.

Sal Paradise shows up well again with his assessments and predictions

Being so right is a bit dull though, isn't it? After the treble, there's no life in the opposition any more - be it terminal naysayers on here or trolls from other boards. Hopefully we'll lose a couple of matches at the start of next season so they can get the lead back in their pencils...

As do a couple of others on the first two pages who must be embarrassed too

His "I can't see a scenario where they make the top four" is of Phil Clarke levels.

A lot of people clearly went too far with their view of the end of 2014 having relevance for 2015, completely underestimating what a massive impact finally winning the CC had on the core of the team.

The other things that enabled Leeds to do better than many expected (including me although I was in the 2014 fade out being mental camp) were Cuthbertson and Garbutt. Neither would have been predictable at the start of the season - a journeyman pro turning to offloading machine, and a reserve grade prop with a handful of games at 26 turning out to be an absolute gem. I'll put my hand up and admit I was thinking more Ben Cross in terms of their likely impact.

I must learn to believe the sleeve.

Five seconds...that's all it took to seemingly elevate some posters to forecasting gurus while condemning others to the rank of eternal fekkwit. Let's try to keep it real. We could easily have finished with just the CC - which would have been an underachievement for a team capable of so much. Still a sight better than struggling to make the 8 though...

I think the whole team played well and that the new forwards gave us that extra impact we needed. Some of the youngsters, especially, Kienhorst, Handley and Golding stood up well. But for me, the one player who's stood out all year is Danny McGuire, what a player, what a leader.-