Source?

Text from one of the Cas players.
(Edit - not one playing tonight, but I would imagine in the dressing rooms).

Good win for us and normally I'd be buzzing but to be honest when I saw the team sheets I had a feeling it would be a big win for Cas and I feel a bit flat about it all. I've read and agree with a lot of the above posts but just to put things in perspective on the coaching discussion. Cas had 3 recent loan signings on the pitch, Larne Patrick, Danny tickle, and Paddy Flynn. Flynn had played one game this season, Patrick hadn't played many more and Tickle had been out for 9 months with a career threatening head injury yet all 3 slotted in seamlessly tonight.

I did notice that in his post match interview on the field that he had taken off his Leeds track suit that he had been wearing and was in "plain clothes"

Hardaker is very fortunate on several occasions not to have been sacked by the club. I'm of the opinion he should have been on each of those occasions but I understand the reasons why he wasn't.

Behaviourally, he's extremely high maintenance for the club and unless he's ripping it up for the team on the field and playing well, then he simply is not worth the effort of continued maintenance. Once the negatives begin to outweigh the positives he offers, it's time to go. That's why he'd currently be my first out of the door if a clearout is deemed necessary and the culture and atmosphere at HQ needs freshening up.

I've no idea whether McDermott is playing hardball with Hardaker but if he is, then surely he's within his coaching and management remit to do so if he believes it is justified?

Fully agree. Who do you think needs to go? Achurch is a goner and for me Falloon joins him on the plane with probably Delaney who has given his all but the injuries have caught up with him now. Walters is a million miles away from the required standard we should be bringing through, i don't know how he keeps making the 17.

Then we come to McGuire, Burrow and JJB. all at or approaching mid 30s now so how long do we keep trying to flog them or do we start afresh and build a squad around a new set of players and start on a new generation from this rock bottom position? Personally i would keep McGuire and Burrow around for another couple of years but JJB should probably make way at the end of the year (he is still giving his all for the club it has to be said right now but i would rather him go out on his own terms playing well rather than an injury down the line.

Then you have players who haven proven in years gone by that they are WC bracket.Hardaker,Hall and Watkins don't become bad players overnight but something seems to be badly missing, especially where Watkins is concerned.Does he need a fresh challenge? something is wrong he doesn't seem d to me and has hardly done anything of note all year so far, it is now quite alarming for a guy touted as one of the best centres in the World not that long ago.

You better hope for your sake you're right otherwise many on here won't ever forgive you for getting their hopes up

Wouldn't surprise me seeing his post match Sky interview and now the one on the Leeds website. Looked like he didn't want to defend the players with regards to the question about "effort" but felt he had to avoid saying anything controversial.

Maybe he hasn't lost the dressing room, maybe the dressing room has lost him and he just doesn't have the same motivation to lead this group of people as he did with the likes of Sinfield, Peacock and Leuluai.

This is it in a nut shell.

I really feel for the guy. I would have tons of respect for him if he came out and held his hands up and walked away now TBH.I really hope it doesn't come to GH having to fire him, he deserves better than that after all he has done but things just can't go on like this imo.

My son advises there is noise on Facebook that rhinos put on Twitter he had resigned then removed it 2 mins later but I suspect it is rubbish.

That's incredibly unprofessional if so.

Agree with most of this. Acurch, falloon and jib all at end of contract. Walters not up to it. If that allows enough for good hooker and stand off may be ok but probably need another 2nd row. If Delaney left would need more back row cover. Think we have some real issues and pace is a big part. Would keep all back 5. Watkins is too good to let go but what is happening this year With his game I have no idea. If McD goes now, who would replace to year end to keep us up? Kear to lifts spirits? Can't think of many options

That wasn't a performance - after GH's email during the week that was a statement by the players. GH will be absolutely fuming.

However we've got here, something has to give.

If BM stays, he should drop as many as he can of the senior players, bring back Luke Briscoe, Falloon and Baldwinson and as many Academy lads as he feels he can play with respect to their safety. If BM doesn't do something radical right now he won't have to wait for the end of the season to go anyway. IMO he needs to send a statement to those players that they aren't indispensable.

If BM goes quickly, I'd bring in a stop gap - not one of the current coaches - but make clear that's all the appointment is for. Then look at recruiting the best available for next year.

The only other option would be for BM to offer to leave at the end of the season. The players then might start playing for pride or whatever if they know he's not going to be around. Regardless, if BM hadn't 'lost the dressing room' previously, its clear he has now.

Anybody notice on Sky who was giving the Leeds half-time team talk?

Must have been Ronnie the Rhino

Why?

Motivation isn't a switch you can flick on or off. He'll have hoped that by keeping the likes of Sinfield and Peacock around for longer that the players left would've copied and carried on their professionalism, determination and character....seems as soon as they retired that for many players it didn't rub off on them at all, that would be incredibly disheartening.

When two of your main guys have gone from Sinfield and Peacock to Watkins and Hardaker in terms of the attributes listed above then wouldn't be surprised to see it hit his motivation for the gig.