To my mind the game is really overcoached and it stifles creativity and natural talent. Coaches profess the ‘play what’s in front of you’ mantra but the reality is coaching methods don’t reflect this and it’s just paid lip service to.

Neither are in the England squad.

I want to see Eastmond taking the line on more. I'm hoping when Gale comes back this part of his game will improve.

INOUT
Dodd, lewis, smith (William's not long since at wigan so they've had 2, 3 with powell) , mcnamara, Trueman, Richardson, that's a number of young halves that are either established or are making their way in the first team, leeds have 0. So while the competition needs more and of ever higher quality, Leeds are even further behind that level.

Hmmm im not so sure many of them are that great if im honest Seth. Trueman is clearly outstanding, Williams has made the grade, Smith, Lewis, McNamara and Dodds are just starting out in their careers if we are honest.

Our youth development is fine, theres a shortage of key positon players i agree but we get kids through. The game is lacking in producing key position players.

Absolutely those you mention are at the start of their first team exposure though as you say yourself Smith has great potential. My point (and concern) is that leeds dont even (and haven't had for lot of years) have a pivot who has been developed to that age/stage. When I think of the names down the years of halves and hookers who have entered the scholarship/academy and not one has made it to that stage. (1 hooker aside as you mentioned who left the game). I do strongly believe that the game is over coached in a less than dynamic way and that that in particular impacts on developing what youd ideally like in those creative positions.

I think just getting him to stand at first/second receiver would be progress.

Too many youngsters being developed as full backs? Id be minded to develop their skills as halves with FB being the fallback position if they're genuinely lacking as a half.

But they played in the last comp, despite all the ‘English’ halves you mention being available.

I think we’re all agreeing that we don’t produce enough good half backs!
And yeh, maybe it’s a coaching thing.
Specific skill set required from an early age required at half back.
That’s why I never made it....

Nothing new at Leeds. I go back to the later years of Holmes and Kevin Dick and it was a long, long time between drinks before Danny and Rob arrived. Remember getting excited about the Macintosh bothers, Gavin Brown and G Holroyd (although he did break into the first team) but none of them really delivered.

Leeds didnt start scouting for young players untill Doug Lawton arrived. I played there as a u17 Barrie Seaborne was coach.The team was put together mainly from an advert in the YEP.No one from that team ever played for the first team and only Heath Godfery who went on to play professional at Bradford.Mark Conway was IIRC the only one from the 19's who went on to play for Leeds first team.

There is one leeds born 18 year old half making big strides, unfortunately he only lived here til he was 2.

I agree and I put the same on the NRL thread.
Could look to improve his goal kicking though

same here it was almost as bad replacing wardy , the talents of gunn and marcus vass faded, rereading john holmes book last night gunn was blamed on rooming with kevin dick, conway had a good game against andy greg in the no try jp semi .

cliff lyons schoey were great but not developed at leeds , maskill ok but again signed , creasser should have been but blighted with injuries

Not forgetting Mick Shaw (Rip) at hooker. Massively exciting young player.