Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:11 am  

I think that given the time of the year, many fans are (perhaps rightly) anxious that the available pool of quality players may be too small given the number of important gaps in our squad and the ambitions of our club.

At the very least, other SL clubs have been quicker to make announcements than Leeds. The comments by Smith in the YEP about accommodating Miller and Myler suggest we are still actively looking for half-backs rather than having player(s) 'signed and sealed'. There's still time for the sleeve to deliver, and we're not quite in the bargain bin territory of December, but it does look like the club are taking a major risk by having so many critical positions unfilled at this late stage. I hope I am wrong, and that there are more Miller-esque signings to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Aug 29, 2023 10:32 am  

Exeter Rhino wrote:

I think that given the time of the year, many fans are (perhaps rightly) anxious that the available pool of quality players may be too small given the number of important gaps in our squad and the ambitions of our club.

At the very least, other SL clubs have been quicker to make announcements than Leeds. The comments by Smith in the YEP about accommodating Miller and Myler suggest we are still actively looking for half-backs rather than having player(s) 'signed and sealed'. There's still time for the sleeve to deliver, and we're not quite in the bargain bin territory of December, but it does look like the club are taking a major risk by having so many critical positions unfilled at this late stage. I hope I am wrong, and that there are more Miller-esque signings to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Myler will be 34 years of age just after the start of the 2024 season. If the club has any meaningful ambitions he shouldn’t be in the squad.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:19 pm  

Myler is contracted for 2024 (who made that decision?). That's fine if the plan is for him to give us versatile back-up in several positions, but concerning if he's being given the 6 or 7 shirt.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Aug 29, 2023 1:46 pm  

Exeter Rhino wrote:

Myler is contracted for 2024 (who made that decision?). That's fine if the plan is for him to give us versatile back-up in several positions, but concerning if he's being given the 6 or 7 shirt.

Agree

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Mon Sep 04, 2023 11:57 am  

Have Leeds lost hunger as a club? Yes, definitely. Matt Frawley signing is a great example of that. He's bloody terrible.

If we are that broke that we can't afford to bring in decent quality players, GH should be honest with the fans and say so. Lay out a plan that shows how we will rebuild over 5 years to a team of young local players who will give everything for the club, and a sprinkling of top UK talent from other clubs along with the best available Overseas signings in positions we need to fill. Just like we did to bring through the goldens.

The silence from the club on the strategy for the future is absolutely deafening.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Mon Sep 04, 2023 12:49 pm  

Everyone knows halfbacks are the most important positions in the team. Two quality halves and you can cover the rest of the team being average or worse. Two rubbish halfbacks and you can make world-beaters look like plodders.

Given the Goldens had three quality players to choose from for over a decade, you'd think everyone at Leeds would know this more than anyone. Instead, just have a look at this shower we've signed since McGuire retired:
Myler (2018) - signed as the main man despite being the support act for Briers at Wire. So good he's barely played halfback since 2019.
Lolohea (2019) - shipped off less than a season in due to being awful. And fat.
Lui (2019) - great job in an emergency, but we had to offer him a contract a season too long.
McLelland (2019) - I'd actually forgotten we signed him. Injuries aside lets be honest he didn't look much cop.
Gale (2020) - would have been a good signing in 2018 if he hadn't got injured. A few glimpses of a good player but nobody cried when he left.
Eastmond (2021) - played two whole games before retiring. Waste of time.
Sezer (2022) - kicks a lot. Occasionally runs and looks OK when he does, but mostly looks like he can't be bothered.
Austin (2022) - one good game in five, one shocker and three meh.

Of that whole list only Gale suggests a club looking to sign someone who could make a real difference. Never mind their NRL 'pedigree', lets not forget Sezer's form had fallen away at Hudds and Austin was basically without a club when we signed him.

Frawley doesn't even have the pedigree of Austin or Sezer. He is the definition of a below-average NRL halfback. We'd need to sign Nathan Cleary for signing him to make any sense.

If Frawley is the standard we're at then gawd help us over the next few seasons.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Mon Sep 04, 2023 1:01 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Everyone knows halfbacks are the most important positions in the team. Two quality halves and you can cover the rest of the team being average or worse. Two rubbish halfbacks and you can make world-beaters look like plodders.

Given the Goldens had three quality players to choose from for over a decade, you'd think everyone at Leeds would know this more than anyone. Instead, just have a look at this shower we've signed since McGuire retired:
Myler (2018) - signed as the main man despite being the support act for Briers at Wire. So good he's barely played halfback since 2019.
Lolohea (2019) - shipped off less than a season in due to being awful. And fat.
Lui (2019) - great job in an emergency, but we had to offer him a contract a season too long.
McLelland (2019) - I'd actually forgotten we signed him. Injuries aside lets be honest he didn't look much cop.
Gale (2020) - would have been a good signing in 2018 if he hadn't got injured. A few glimpses of a good player but nobody cried when he left.
Eastmond (2021) - played two whole games before retiring. Waste of time.
Sezer (2022) - kicks a lot. Occasionally runs and looks OK when he does, but mostly looks like he can't be bothered.
Austin (2022) - one good game in five, one shocker and three meh.

Of that whole list only Gale suggests a club looking to sign someone who could make a real difference. Never mind their NRL 'pedigree', lets not forget Sezer's form had fallen away at Hudds and Austin was basically without a club when we signed him.

Frawley doesn't even have the pedigree of Austin or Sezer. He is the definition of a below-average NRL halfback. We'd need to sign Nathan Cleary for signing him to make any sense.

If Frawley is the standard we're at then gawd help us over the next few seasons.

Excellent posting, likewise I had forgotten about Mclelland. Don’t suppose Sezer will be committed in the remaining games, he won’t want to pick up any injuries before returning home. I am trying to look on the bright side with potential new signings (with great difficulty) it certainly looks like we seem to be in the bargain basement league.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Sep 05, 2023 12:28 pm  

Nicked from someone on twitter far more eloquent than me, this seems to hit the nail on the head re our current plight..

"It’s a successful business model. Very NFL. Win just often enough to quell fan revolt and keep the ground fullish without spending money you can’t afford on match winners. I assume it’s deliberate. If not it’s woeful recruitment and management"

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:34 pm  

Given this season it felt like the club just had to make a statement about not accepting being rubbish any more. When we signed Miller I thought we were going to go big at halfback. Then Frawley. Its pretty damning when Peter Smith's comments are basically about giving Frawley a chance. Oh, and he's played 50 NRL games.

The criticism on here and elsewhere has been growing and its really hard to feel excited for next season. One thing's for sure, I doubt Rohan will treat the off-season and pre-season games as a glorified Its a Knockout. If we don't come out of the blocks strong I think he'll be in all sorts, even if its mostly down to the club not being willing/able to spend.

Re: Have Leeds lost hunger, as a club? : Tue Sep 05, 2023 2:56 pm  

I'd swap excitement now for results next year. Not saying it's going to happen, but we've been here so many times with exciting sides on paper only for them to disappoint.