I would prefer to see how the season goes before passing further judgement - the team is flying at the moment but it was last year and look what happened. His integration of Cuthbertson, Handley and Sutcliffe has been good and the improvement in Aiton excellent.

The next real challenge will come at the Magic weekend - it will be interesting to see how that pans out. Season went down hill big style after Wigan roughed them up a little.

It's a tough one. I'm still not totally convinced by him. His team selections are impossible to predict which makes me wonder if he knows what he's doing sometimes.

That said he got the tough selection by benching Sinny right this week.

His record is pretty darn good so that answers most questions about him really.

imagine being in gh's shoes sal,when does a club decide to renew a coaches contract or decide to take an alternative option instead,how would you go?

There's an argument that a coach with less of a professional and potential emotional attachment to the current playing squad may be better placed to make the dispassionate decisions that may be needed as regards some players.

However, Peacock and Sinfield have taken two of the biggest decisions out of McDermott's hands. What he chooses to do now with the likes of McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, JJB etc won't have as much of an impact on the side or fans opinions of him, IMO.

At the moment, I'm struggling to think of another coach in the SL competition who I'd rather have at Leeds.

In the past I've advocated the appointment of an assistant or assistants to aid BMcD given what I perceived to be a stereotypical approach.
However, this year I've been delighted with how we are now playing.
I've no idea what has brought about this improvement.
Is it solely down to BMcD rethinking his tactics or have Barry Eaton, Chris Plume & the other backroom staff have more input than previously?
More likely a combination of the two.
Whatever the reason, provided that we carry on playing this way then I'll be happy.
We're now much more entertaining to watch, we may not always get it right but some of the rugby we've played this year has been sublime.

how certain are you andy that sinny's decision was his alone?

The playing personal is one topic (personally think having Burrow and Delaney not fit/fully fit at the start of the year helped with picking Aiton and Ward, likewise when Sinfield went down and Sutcliffe came in.

The other is how we are playing in terms of style and adventure. We went to Saints last year when they had more injuries than this year (and we were pretty much full strength) and we dominated a lot of the game yet just tried to barge over the line in repeated lack of ideas style (or cautious didn't want to play risky error filled style) and ended up losing because we couldn't score enough points even though we spent enough time down near the opposition tryline (a reoccurring theme throughout 2014).....12 months on, similar squad and we look like the most risk taking, adventurous, entertaining side in the competition.

Coaches throughout their careers will have varying success......but throughout even if they change clubs with different personnal you can still see their teams play a similar style under the coach in question. It's extremely rare to see a coach oversee such a varying style of play from a team they're in charge of, especially just several months apart with so few squad changes made.

If you'd have watched our performances in 2013 and 2014, then watched what we've done in 2015 so far WITHOUT ever knowing who the coach was in that period, you'd probably guess that they'd been a coaching change before the start of 2015.

Brian Mac IMO has a very good record at Leeds and has quietly got on with the transition under our noses. He has brought on the youngsters gradually and responsibly and obviously has the respect of the players. Contrary to the opinions of some he has shown that he can get the team to play attractive and quality rugby and is prepared to allow the players to show their skills. His big game plans are usually well thought out designed to fit the occasion and he has demonstrated he can get the team to stick to the game plan. He is refreshingly honest and he clearly wants his players to play tough but fair. - So why would we want to replace him?

Bringing in a new coach will not somehow produce a new Sinfield or a JP will it? So why not allow Mac (and GH) to continue to evolve a team that while keeping the Headingley ethos plays in a different style and one that suits the skills of the changing squad so that we will not miss Sinfield and JP quite as much. I think Mac has shown us that he can develop a new style of play which relies on a running game with offloads and movement to suit the players he picks. A lot of pre-season work has gone into developing the way we are playing and of course the introduction of Cuthbertson has greatly helped as has the new improved Aiton which I feel sure has something to do with Big Mac.

There are some who are loathed to give Mac any credit and are despite our superb performance to date they are saying - ah but wait until the end of the season before giving Mac any credit. Many things can happen as we go towards the playoffs but loss of form and injuries are not the fault of the coaching staff. So I would argue that if we fail to achieve anything at the end of the season it will be more down to the players and force mejeure than the coach. He has proven that even with some long term injuries to key players he can get the players to maintain the style of play shown in our win against the Saints with 8 tries scored by our backs when we were without two of our best strikers.

I'm pleased McDermott is showing more faith in a larger pool of years. I think he's developed into the role and whilst I've never been part of the "out" crowd I have been critical of many decisions.

Right now he certainly looks like the right man in the right place.

Agree its a tough one - you either change the team or you change the coach - there is only so long that the players can hear the same message.

It looks like the change the team option has opened up for McDermott. I would like to see both JJB and Burrow co-opted onto the coach team, they are both gifted coaches.

Funny thing is that at the end of 2011 and 2012 when it ended so successfully that some posters weren't content with the end result as the league season had disappointed so much.....now we have to wait for the end result before enjoying a SO FAR enjoyable league campaign......I believe the phrase "papering over the cracks" was quite common place shortly after being crowned SL champions in '11 & '12.

April 13th 2003 - we beat Saints in the CC semi, whilst it didn't lead to any success in the 2003 season I think most look back on it as the game that kind of kick started the Golden Generation period and suggested to us that they could lead us to trophies in the future.

April 17th 2015 - we beat Saints away in what is a typically bogey fixture for us with a team filled with younger players that looks like it could go ahead and win things in the future.

Like 2003, this season could end up trophyless. We know how hard getting over the final hurdle in the CC can be and with the playoffs now condensed into just 4 teams and two weeks then any of the 4 who make it could hit form and win imo. But I think regardless, we possibly will look back on Friday's game in years to come as a similar significant game as to the win over the same opposition almost 12 years ago to the day.

100%. I'm pretty sure he'll have looked at what was best for the team and decided it would be a good time to move on and try something he has always expressed a desire to do before hanging his boots up.

I wasn't a fan initially, but I'll admit BM appears to be doing a pretty good job.

I agree that Sinfield and Peacock pulling the pin has probably enabled BM to try a few other options. Probably the most interesting position is halfback, where it looks as though Sutcliffe-McGuire is now the preferred option.

Perhaps with Sinfield leaving the view is that so long as he lasts the season he can play 13 and take his knocks, as there's no requirement (from a Rhinos perspective) to prolong his career? I seem to recall that was the original rationale behind moving back to 6.

Aiton's form has also demanded that he be given more game time, at the expense of Burrow. Even without Sinfield its hard to see Rob getting significantly more game time unless Aiton gets injured or he starts to spark as he did a few years ago.

It will certainly be interesting to see if these remain the preferred selections when it comes to sudden-death matches, or whether BM will become more conservative.

Rob Burrow will no doubt prefer to be on the field for 80 minutes, but there is no denying that he's still lethal coming off the bench in short stints against heavier legs. I see that being a role he takes quite a bit this year.

I always rated McDermott. What's really pleasing is that he still seems prepared to learn. Not necessarily an accusation I'd make of one or two of his principal rivals.