Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:48 pm  

He’s more than played his part, he’s agitated for a move since GH didn’t put a 2 year deal on the table. We are right to let him go, but my god it’s been handled badly to get to this stage when we now only have 1 senior halfback at the club.

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:50 pm  

christopher wrote:

Nah, I think you’re letting the emotions of the Austin thing clouding your judgement a bit, we were in a far worse position when Bradford beat us in the cup.

The context is the additional 3 years since then and the 'investment' in a plan to turn the club around. To be where we are now 7 games to go is just awful progress.

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:52 pm  

batleyrhino wrote:

He’s more than played his part, he’s agitated for a move since GH didn’t put a 2 year deal on the table. We are right to let him go, but my god it’s been handled badly to get to this stage when we now only have 1 senior halfback at the club.

Absolutely, I don't care about Austin now he's gone. But it should be alarming to everyone how all this has been managed. And that's where my fear of more of the same next year comes from because GH is still here.

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:53 pm  

christopher wrote:

I don’t think this Austin situation was in any way planned for, it seems to me Austins agent got a speculative call from Cas, Austin has gone to see GH about it snd they’ve had a bust up, this isn’t all down to GH, Austin has played his part

You are Nostradamus , collect £10 on your way out

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:57 pm  

To be honest RS seems to have sympathy with Austin in his interview. It appears they had made no decisions on whether they would offer him a contract or not for next season and that 'he was still an option' how can that be at this stage and with players needing some certainty on their personal futures. Blake youre still an option until we can find better, but they're turning up nothing on their search for a half back, and now he's made the call on his own.

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 5:06 pm  

Seth wrote:

The context is the additional 3 years since then and the 'investment' in a plan to turn the club around. To be where we are now 7 games to go is just awful progress.

Maybe so but to say it’s as bad as that situation is IMO over egging it.

Since then weve win a CC final, got to a GF and been in a GF Semi.

This year has been disappointing but we are not in as bad a position as we were then. We have some good young olayers in the team and sime coming through back then it looked like a lost cause totally and ended up in a relegation scrap that year.

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 5:08 pm  

"I hadn't explicitly told him that he wouldn't be getting a contract," Smith added.

It's just not a good way to look after players. They should have given some clarity by this stage and I cant blame austin for making things happen for next year. Though I'm sure the video played it's part in the loan.

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 5:09 pm  

having you thought of working in PR christopher? you'd be fantastic at it

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 5:12 pm  

Seth wrote:

To be honest RS seems to have sympathy with Austin in his interview. It appears they had made no decisions on whether they would offer him a contract or not for next season and that 'he was still an option' how can that be at this stage and with players needing some certainty on their personal futures. Blake youre still an option until we can find better, but they're turning up nothing on their search for a half back, and now he's made the call on his own.

Austin and his agent could have sorted himself a deal elsewhere for next year, hes had that option for a while

Re: RD 21 | Leigh Leopards (A) : Thu Aug 03, 2023 5:15 pm  

He has, though he also stated he wanted to stay at leeds so I'm sure left it as long as he could. Why haven't leeds made a decision on their halves and whether they'd want Austin as part of that next year with only 7 games of this year to go? It's madness.