People keeping saying that he is young & WILL improve given the chance !
Sorry, but he has been around for several years & has NOT really improved !
He tackles BUT so does every forward in the Super League !
He makes little or no ground in attack. He is not big enough & so is ineffective against bigger opposition.
His passing is poor (half of them are forward) - hence the reason why it has not really worked using him at hooker.
Time to make room for the new breed that are coming through.

Hardly anybody is still saying he'll improve anymore. You're about 18 months too late with this thread and most just see him as a squad player who'll come in when injuries happen and most think we should move him on (possibly in a swap deal).

And no, not half of his passes were forward from hooker. The reasons for him not working at hooker more long term is......because he's not a hooker. It was something that worked fine for a couple of games but like McDermott said post Hull "it was always something that had a limited shelf life."

So, you are more or less agreeing that he should NOT be at Leeds. People keep saying that he is worth keeping as a squad player.
My point is that he should be one of the first to go - to me he is never going to improve............so let him go so that our young players can establish themselves.
Instead of using him at hooker, we should have brought Robbie Ward in sooner !

Who are these people still saying it? Admittedly in the past they were, but can't see it now.

TBF we used him at hooker 3 times and twice it worked well, I think ppl have gone a bit OTT with comments after the latter Wigan game about how bad Clarkson did there (not saying he was anything special but he performed admirably on two occasions out of three). It was a stop gap before giving Ward a crack, they were extremely tough games to chuck him into and he was representing England Academy on the Magic Weekend.

If you watch the interview with Ward post match vs Hull he mentioned about how the big difference for him was the speed the game was played at and he was blowing at times.....and the Hull game was nothing really in terms of speed and intensity compared to the previous three.

Clarkson perhaps be moved on if another club comes calling, but if he's happy to be on the fringes then he's one of those level of players you'll probably have in a salary cap. As we saw with BJB, if your fringe player are too good, they'll just go elsewhere.

I dont particularly rate him highly,never have,but he is a hard grafting player who goes about his business with well enough with minimal fuss and can fill a few roles as proved with his stints at hooker.I cant imagine he will be on big bucks so I can see the value in holding onto him as a squad player,you cant have 25 superstars.when we play in the big games with a full 17 I doubt clarkson would figure in it.

Agree with that. A useful squad player if he's happy to be in that role.

I rate him quite highly. Runs great lines and good work horse who cam play nearly anywhere. Do not no why people on here are so quick to bag some of our players like him Kirke bailey etr.
I reminder seeing some truly awful players in my time, but unfortunately when your are successful over a number of years fans have nothing left to moan about.

Truly awful players

Mike forshaw
Dean Clarke
More in Edwards
Shaun wane ( at Leeds)
Ian Scott
Mick worrall
Dave barnhill (at Leeds)

To name but a few

I'd rather have 3-4 plodder squad players who want to wear the shirt than any of the above.

Agree.

It does seem strange he seems to have gone backwards after such initial high hopes. Hard to believe he made his debut on the wing against Wigan......boy we must have been short of outside backs in those days

Pretty unfair on Marvellous Morvin imo. Also Wane wasn't bad at Leeds? Certainly remember far worse.

The best anyone seems to be able to come up with, is that he is a squad player.
Is that why we have lost to Saints & Wigan reserve teams ? Who are full of quick enthusiastic talented players !
I believe that we need to off load several 'average players' in order to give our up & coming talented youngsters a chance to impress !

We also beat both Saints and Wigan btw. But we get it, you're another one with a serious hard on for the academy lads. Have patience and it'll happen (Clarkson was probably the most rushed into the first team Academy lad we've had in the last several years.....how's he doing again?) they can't exactly start stripping apart the squad mid-season......a season we are currently topping the table in btw.

Good god. Clarkson wasn't rushed, he was at least 12 months too late. Had if not being for injuries to team, he would have being gone that year. Said it clearly in his interviews that year. It's just that due to his versatility he was moved around.

As for the player, plain and simple his development stuttered with the coaching appointment. That is not just having a go at McDermott, it is just that was how it panned out.

He is actually a very good player, it's just we have others of the same ilk. The lad gives his all, is reliable, and does have qualities that I think the opening poster is being unfair on.

I am led to believe that actually this year he is one of the first names down for the squad, as McDermott has been very impressed with him and his attitude since preseason training began.

A decent squad player. He works hard in defense. I would not get rid of him but I wouldn't be too sad if he left. With JJB looking more of the pace really I would expect him to be the first back row to move on maybe

I echo Eagle's points. He does easily enough to warrant a place in our 25 man squad. JJB's fitness and how the club decide to progress with Foster may change this going forward. Clarky will be here until we can't offer him regular game time I imagine.

I thought he was very good against Hull last week starting at loose forward - he tackles well down the middle of the field as he has done when playing hooker.