I agree and yet Leeds seem to be able to keep signing/retaining class players .. especially in the pivots and outside (strike) backs where you'd imagine players command the highest salaries

1.Hardaker - International , probably Ratboys understudy
2.Ryan Hall - probably the best winger in SL
3.Kallum Watkins - international centre
4.Joel Moon - top class player who would get in any SL side
5.Tom Briscoe - international winger
6.Danny McGuire - probably past his best now but he'll still be on a top deal
7.Kevin Sinfield - international halfback (like it or not) and captain so wont be playing for peanuts

9. Rob Burrow - International halfback/hooker

Do they have a salary cap ??

Puts our supposed improvements into perspective a little:

Hardaker = Lomax
Hall > Makinson
Watkins > AN Other (Percival?)
Moon > Turner
Briscoe > Swift
McGuire > AN Other (Wheeler? Wilkin?)
Sinfield = Walsh (Hard to judge, who actually plays 7 for Leeds? Is it Sinfield? Walsh is an unknown quantity in SL)

I doubt we'd do all that much better in the pack either.

Disagree about Turner over Moon. I think Moon is a top class centre and should have been Carmonts replacement at Wigan.
You're correct about Peacock, he's been immense this year and should have been man of steel.

Turner over Moon

Hardaker is a classy player. He's also been selected for England ahead of Lomax, which suggests he's better. I've been cautious and clawed that back to equal.

Who would you rather have at fullback for your team?

Lomax but I'd have Hardaker in a second to play left centre for us. He even looks like Keith Seniors love child (with hair)

Is it a situation where all the Saints species would say Lomax, all the Leeds speccies would say Hardaker (and all the Wire fans would say Ratchford)?

They are different players.
Hardaker has more pace and is more of a running threat, Lomax is a better ball player (pivot is todays word) so I suppose it depends on the style of play and needs the of team they are in.

So who would you like out of the 3 to replace Tomkins?
I'd hesitate to call you impartial ( ), but I know you're a big fan of Lomax, so perhaps that will temper your love of winding up our posters when you reply.

Lomax for me is sensational. When we finally got him to oust Wello, he had that wonderful run on games before picking up and injury. At the end of the season, although still effective, the way he moved seemed to suggest he wasn't fully fit.

I know I wouldn't swap him.

They are 2 different types of full back, for what we need I would take Lomax any day of the week over Hardaker. Whilst I agree that when you look at Leeds back line at the moment they are stronger than we are, but I think ours has very good potential. If you take a back line of Lomax (23), Makinson (21), Turner (24), Jones (20), Swift (20), Wheeler (24) & Walsh (26) gives an average age of 22.5 years old, along with 5 home grown players out of the 7. Playing behind a better forward pack in 2014 and having a proper organising 7 in Walsh to lead them around (as well as a world class kicking game) can only be good for them and I think they will all get a lot better over the next few years.

As for the forwards, I would challenge most teams to field as strong a pack as Amor, Roby, LMS, Manu, Soliola, Wilkin then have Masoe, Walmsley, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Clough, Beaumont, Walker, Greenwood fighting for a place on the bench to get in there so think we are looking good really for next year