www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... 6/9067929/ The front Row looks set to be a big concern for us in the coming seasons if it isn't already.Our go forward has been almost the sole responsibility of one man and he is the elder statesman of the team.Without his efforts last season i dread to think where we would have finished on the ladder.So its Good to read that Achurch seems to be finding his feet and looks set for building on what was an average first season, although he was injured for a large part to be fair to him.Singleton looked a class act in the second half of the year and if he builds on that i could see him being in the frame for international honours come the end of the year. With Kylie and JP almost certainly in their last year, these two will become vital players come 2015 as i see Achurch making the step up to the front row by then. That still leaves us needing to find at least one top class front rower by the end of next year to atleast soften the blow of losing a great like JP.Lets hope GH is on the case.We have the best three-quarter line in the league but it will struggle to make an impact playing behind a beaten pack in reverse.

www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... 6/9067929/ The front Row looks set to be a big concern for us in the coming seasons if it isn't already.Our go forward has been almost the sole responsibility of one man and he is the elder statesman of the team.Without his efforts last season i dread to think where we would have finished on the ladder.So its Good to read that Achurch seems to be finding his feet and looks set for building on what was an average first season, although he was injured for a large part to be fair to him.Singleton looked a class act in the second half of the year and if he builds on that i could see him being in the frame for international honours come the end of the year. With Kylie and JP almost certainly in their last year, these two will become vital players come 2015 as i see Achurch making the step up to the front row by then. That still leaves us needing to find at least one top class front rower by the end of next year to atleast soften the blow of losing a great like JP.Lets hope GH is on the case.We have the best three-quarter line in the league but it will struggle to make an impact playing behind a beaten pack in reverse.

We should have started the transition before now imo we have let Amor go for nowt ,lost our best 2 FR juniors and still have kirke making far too many matchday teams than his performances merit.
I also think it was an error giving Kylie another year although i hope to be proved wrong but imo 2 props are needed & 1 asap.
Hopefully Bailey will step up more and Singleton will continue to improve wrt Achurch he was signed as an offloading BR and should stay as such.

I agree with everything except the bit on Bailey. He has had 10 years to make that step up that deep down we all know he has. Two good games a season isn't enough. In reality, there is as much a question about him as there is about Kirke. Hopefully being his testimonial year, Bailey will push it to what he has in him.

You are right,We will certainly need two.My point at the end being one of them has to be top class for us to continue competing for honours.If we could get two at that level then great but its hard to see too many being available.Regards Kylie, I agreed with the deal at the time but in hindsight the way he finished the season its hard to not come to the conclusion he is way past it now.

Achurch has the size/Frame to step up to the Front Row and could do a good job there im sure.I do realise this was not the reason he was originaly signed but as we seem to have a glut of Back rowers and an uncertain Front Row, it could be the way to go IMO.

With the loss of Yates through injury and Moore released....our front row is much more stretched already than it was last year. Which is a worry.

I expect more development for the exciting Singleton ...but that may be counter balanced with not knowing if Kylie still has it to go another year.

Amor was a case of wrong place, wrong time.

Leeds had much better options ahead of him in the side, and he didn't do himself any favours with a headless chicken display on debut IIRC.

When he starts making Dream Teams, I'll get misty eyed over him not staying at Leeds. Until then, I'm ambivelent.

I'm intrigued to know what the club are supposed to have done to persuade Baldwinson not to take up an offer from the Warriors though. Offer him more money? Make him promises about first team playing time that he might not merit? Relocate the club to Auckland?

Or the more relevant questions. Include him when he does merit it? Show him there is a progression plan? Ensure your contracts are in place in good time?

On Baldwinson,
1. Don't insult him with a derisory offer
2. Don't renew contracts for players well passed their sell by date
3. Show him a succession plan that outline his part
4. Give him game time - you will never know whether he is upto it without giving him extended game time. We are more than happy to accept long term dips in form of senior players.

AG-Sal and Gotcha have answered with enough detail re-Baldwinson onto Amor over the last 3yrs he's been ahead of Kirke ,Moore and well on a par with Bailey whilst playing for a team of misfits and the unloved and was a cornerstone of the pack that took them into the play-offs that fro me proves his worth.

1. Was the offer derisory in terms of what offers GH has handed out to others Baldwinson's age? Or was it actually similar to what others got at that stage of their careers at Leeds and only really derisory when compared to the NZ Warriors offer?
2. Why not? What happens if Baldwinson stayed and picked up the same early career injuries that the likes of Ward, Watkins, JJB. BJB etc have suffered.
3. Maybe tell Ward, Watkins, BJB, Hall, Ablett, Bailey, McGuire, Burrow, Sinfield, JJB to bring all their 43 GF winners rings into training and show him that succession plan at the club regarding academy players making their way into the first team. Point out the likes of the older ones and say if you do make it here you won't be dumped in a flash for the next promising young thing who might not even live up to the hype and your service will be valued over the years.
4. He was only 18 this year, we've been a bit timid regarding giving Singleton more games the last 2 years but can hardly say Baldwinson could've been in any sooner. Had he not signed to NZW then he might've gotten those appearances that Foster got instead this year.

Not going to rehash the Baldwinson debate, but I'll be surprised if he plays anything other than U20s next season, and anything other than U20s/reserve grade the year after. He was never going to be a front row solution for next year.

What happens with Baldwinson at Warriors or thereafter has no relevance to what happened or might have had at Leeds.

Do Paramedics earn the same as doctors? Does a an hairdresser earn the same as a stylist? Does a sub teacher earn as much as full employed teacher?

None have relevance, but neither does what other rugby players earn at the same age. Not all players are the same level regardless of same age. Some require a premium based on talent and potential.

1. He said he was offered 12k - if this is true that is derisory in any industry never mind for one of the most talented youngsters in the sport. Why stay?
2. What does the re-signing of over the hill players say to young players - it says my opportunities will be very limited for at least 12 months if not longer. It also shows the mentality of the club - the acceptance of mediocrity.
3. They can bring their medals in with confidence their place is safe in the side regardless of how well they play - ask Brad Singleton what happened to him at the business end of last season. A half fit JJB who had not played well for months was preferred to one of the form players in the side. Bailey who had been poor all year also got selected ahead of him!!
4. Baldwinson has seen McDermott in action and maybe he didn't actually like what he saw - who knows, all that we do know is a very talented youngster is no longer at the club - playing in a position we are in need of strengthening.

Translation - You don't have a clue whether it was derisory. You're just guessing for the sake of your argument. Let the fog knitting commence folks.