It seemed clear that he was not suited by the occasion, though the impression first given wasn't helped by him not being able to use the 'silver' mike. Who IS our defensive coach, though? Potter wouldn't say. He just repeated that he is, he takes responsibility for all the coaching, anyone else is just doing what he tells them. So he's no grass, at least

I was surprised to hear Bennett making precisely the same mistake that I detailed in another thread about the pledge, trying to convince the uncommitted to pledge "because it IS great value, it just IS" is a singular waste of time and a bit arrogant too. Yes, for the 6K hard core who would tend to go whatever, indeed it is, Andrew, but they are not the ones who'd make up the last 6K. But the other 6K are NOT committed fans, but people who can take it or leave it as any other way to spend their hard earned and they don't respond, at all, to anything else but what THEY think is value. If they have decided that going to the Bulls isn't likely a good use of their free time, then they won't come even if it cost nothing. We see this for example every time the Challenge Cup starts, but many weirdly seem to not notice.

Interesting stuff about the salary cap and if, as they say it's effectively unpoliceable then somebody needs to put their head above the parapet and call for it to be scrapped as it's bringing the game into disrepute.

The Menzies story sounds strange considering Menzies, Hall and Orford were all contracted in 2010 and presumably within the salary cap but by the end of 2010 when we had released a minibus full of players we couldn't re-sign Menzies because it would have taken us over the cap?

something to do with other new signings we had made at that point?

But if they did that, then it would give free rein to a very wealthy backer to spend, say, £20m on a squad. I don't think this would be in the interests of the competition. Clearly what appears to many to be going on is anti-competitive, but at least IF it was going on, it is a breach, and not a free-for-all. The fact the cap in this area seems very hard to police isn't I think an argument for therefore scrapping it, but I agree they need to find a way.

It sounded very complicated, and is, but basically once player A's contract is finished, the forecast salary spend for the following week does not include him. But that forecast spend is right up to the salary cap, because a club has put in place contracts for other players and aims to be spending at that level. However what if that club is having to continue to pay serious money to an individual which it knows is leaving, and it has to replace, but he won't leave? Somebody else has to be acquired to do that major job. Or at least the fans expect that. His ongoing large wedge continues to take up cap space. The club obviously did not anticipate having to pay what becomes an extra very large wedge for several months (how could it?) and so cannot sign the other player until space is made.

Obviously a major fact must be the large size of the remuneration of players such as Menzies and Awford. Lesser players' wages might be easier to juggle. Whichever way you look at it, having to pay big money wages to two key players who aren't playing for you must be hard to cover. It sort of made sense to me but I am no expert on the fine detail of the cap.

were any mentions given of the ground, how much is it setting us back and what plans are in place to improve it given that OSV is dead in the water ?

www.superleague.co.uk/article/dr ... reau/19409 Something didn't quite sound right last night with me about the Scott Dureau comment. Based on the link above Catalans announced Dureau in August 2010, at which point I don't think the club had any real belief that "he who shall not be named" wasn't returning. So, were we ever in for Scott Dureau..... Also found this on Blake Green www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... Green.html Now, I'm not saying that we weren't offered the opportunity to speak to these guys, but we had no intention of signing them at the point they were available. I think the Duffster may have been streching the truth a tad stating that we "missed out" on Dureau and Green due to Orford. That being the case we missed out on Inglis the time he went to Souths as we couldn't fit him in under the cap at the time....

www.superleague.co.uk/article/dr ... reau/19409 Something didn't quite sound right last night with me about the Scott Dureau comment. Based on the link above Catalans announced Dureau in August 2010, at which point I don't think the club had any real belief that "he who shall not be named" wasn't returning. So, were we ever in for Scott Dureau..... Also found this on Blake Green www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... Green.html Now, I'm not saying that we weren't offered the opportunity to speak to these guys, but we had no intention of signing them at the point they were available. I think the Duffster may have been streching the truth a tad stating that we "missed out" on Dureau and Green due to Orford. That being the case we missed out on Inglis the time he went to Souths as we couldn't fit him in under the cap at the time....

We'll see the effects in the accounts once they are published - Hood didn't totally answer the question (to which I already know the basic answer to). I was hoping he might let slip what our reported loss (as I expect) is actually going to be when it is announced.

When a few people see the numbers there might be a bit of a panic - I may be wrong, we may have made a profit, but very much doubt it.

I was surprised and disappointed with the story of us going into 2010 with only 24 academy players for the season and only one halfback in the U20s and academy put together. We brought in 19 amateurs within 2 weeks of the season started and this really meant the whole year was a write off. Why this happened was not explained.

At least it won't happen in 2012 with 34 signed up already, including 4 halves.

Hood answered my sent-in questions on that. Sort-of, anyway. The questions, for info,
were"Why was the Odsal Sporting Village project cancelled, given the Club's optimism even up to the last fans' forum and in subsequent reports that it was still very much alive as a project";

"What are the Club's current plans and intentions regarding development for Odsal Stadium?"; and

"Can you currently envisage any circumstances where we leave Odsdal Stadium?"[/i

He said that the OSV was not dead, contrary to what he had been reported as saying only a week or so ago! But went on to clarify that any puiblic sector involvement was over, and that any development would be as a private venture. No details were forthcoming at all though. I'd hoped they might have been able to say something about dusting off the earlier plans for a new main stand on the popular side, or whatever. Nothing ventured, though.

On the last point, the answer was an unequivocal "yes". But no expansion on that - other than something about we can all envisage what sort of circumstances those might be. Whether that was a reference to someone like a Parkin buying City and Bulls together, or something else, I don't know. Seemed an honest answer, if a somewhat limited one.

The most discussion was about the bloody scoreboard! Where I'd asked "[iDo you agree the half-working electronic screen above the Coral Stand sends out the wrong impression*, and if so will it be repaired?[/i" (* OK, crap English, it should have been "message"...) Some of what Ryan said on that might have been pertinent though - which IIRC was that they still had plans for improving/developing the ground, and so did not really want to commit to a lot of new exenditure right now.

I got the impression that they would rather wait until they have something a bit more concrete to report, rather than set off any premature speculation with half a tale, but did not folow this up later like i originally intended to.

Exactly. As I said, I'd assumed that was the motive behind your question. if nothing else, Hood's answer seemed to prepare us for a considerably worse reported result than last year. If it isn't a bad one, I'll do a Bullseye and eat my hat while running naked round Odsal wearing nothing but a Leeds shirt (or whatever it was...)

Cheers for the ground update Adey, was rather hoping for some positive news. I know any improvement (roof) would take time, but maybe more "floaters" would return if they werent getting wet through every sunday!

In fairness to Bennett, the very point about timing that you raised WAS specifically asked, in one of the written-in questions. And was answered, to an extent. They said that the timing meant that much of the expenditure, bookings, literature etc had to be commissioned/arranged well in advance. And that, AT THE TIME, they still had every expectation of the club making the play-offs. They did not specifically say that those guys' performances (or lack of) on the park had effectively sabotaged their plans, nor would you expect them to, but I think the message came across?

The other pertinent point on this, I thought, was in response to "[iWhy did the club seek 3,000 fans to pay for their 2012 Memberships so early in the process?[/i" Given your attacks on me earlier, it might surprise you to learn that that was one of mine too? And one I did not expect to be answered, but Bennett did. Basically, IIRC - "We need the cashflow". I suspected that, as you saw from my point yesterday that set off WW3; but its still sobering to hear it confirmed.

I thought Potter's comments on our outside backs were interesting, especially with regard to their decision making in defence. He says that while we were affected by injury some players just aren't good enough.

Maybe the rumour about Platt and Sykes being told they can leave if they want has something in it....

Also our halves weren't good enough last year. No poop Sherlock.

The point about needing the cashflow kinda slipped out and was a bit lost in the hubbub - because there was a lot grumbling and withering going on at the time, with people trying to make points about the Pledge.

But it was definitely said, and is clearly quite worrying. If we're really so hard up that we needed 3000 x £75 in before the end of September, then I wonder how we're going to get through the off season!