Tyke's/Rhinos No. 1 Fan wrote:
GH has now been managing us since 1996.
In that time, I can think of only two players we let go because they 'weren't good enough' where GH & the coach have been wrong. Nick Fozzard, Luke Burgess & Garreth Carvell.
I don't think Nick Fozzard was let go because he wasnt good enough, I think it had more to do with the much needed transfer fee Leeds received from Hudddersfield coupled with a group of props available in the shape of McDermott, Masella, Mathiou, Field with Leatham and Carvell coming through to 1st grade. Who's to know whether that money wouldn't later in the season be used to help/pillage Keighley and bring two future stalwarts into the Headingley camp one of which would fill the prop position with great distinction.
Luke Burgess was intent on leaving at the season end come what may so Leeds hastened his departure when the toys sailed out of the pram. Wish he'd have stayed but he wasn't going to so that's basically that then.
Carvell only became a loss years after he'd left and as a committed watcher of the junior grades back then I entirely understood why Leeds were non-plussed at his
half-arsed departure.
Tyke's/Rhinos No. 1 Fan wrote:
But for the record, I've cobbled together a side of the 'loved and lost'-the decisions the sleeve undoubtedly got right
1. Richie Mathers (Wakefield)
2. Gareth Raynor (Featherstone)
3. Lee Smith (Wakefield)
4. Ashley Gibson (Salford)
5. Jodie Broughton (Salford)
6. Scott Murrell (Hull KR)
7. Jordan Tansey (Castleford)
8. Nick Scruton (Bradford)
9. Matt Diskin (Bradford)
10. Jamie Thackray (Workington)
11. Simon Worrall (Toulouse)
12.Danny Ward (Harlequins, now ret.)
13. Danny Allan (Hunslet)
the moral of the story? If we don't keep Amor, I'm prepared to wager GH & B-Mac have the right call.
The first two of those should have been retained as they had more to offer than the tired incumbants blocking their path to 1st grade at the time. Raynor one on one came back to haunt Leeds time and time again. Diskin (post Buderus) is still superior to anything we've got this season for the starting hooking role. Diskin was under contract but allowed to leave as at the time the superior Buderus was signed up for two further seasons. Had they both known then what we all knew slightly after, would Diskin have left .... I wonder?