: Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:30 pm  

One thing I would like to say, especially concerning the news on the T&A today, is that somethings been addressed which I've believed has been the problem for a significant period of time.

Basil Richards and Lee St.Hilaire are far too inexperienced to coach at this level, in my opinion. I can't imagine Steve Mac being too confident turning to them in his hour of need for inspiration. Similarly, I can't forsee the likes of Burgess, Morrison and Lynch taking on board what they have to see, I could see a total lack of respect.

Steve Mac isn't a bad coach (I'm not opening that can of worms here however!), I just think he needed a more experienced no.2 to turn to. Jimmy Lowes certainly is more experienced than those 2 that appear to be leaving, and I only see that as a positive move for the club.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:35 pm  

AaronBull wrote:

One thing I would like to say, especially concerning the news on the T&A today, is that somethings been addressed which I've believed has been the problem for a significant period of time.

Basil Richards and Lee St.Hilaire are far too inexperienced to coach at this level, in my opinion. I can't imagine Steve Mac being too confident turning to them in his hour of need for inspiration. Similarly, I can't forsee the likes of Burgess, Morrison and Lynch taking on board what they have to see, I could see a total lack of respect.

Steve Mac isn't a bad coach (I'm not opening that can of worms here however!), I just think he needed a more experienced no.2 to turn to. Jimmy Lowes certainly is more experienced than those 2 that appear to be leaving, and I only see that as a positive move for the club.

Here here.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:35 pm  

AaronBull wrote:

Steve Mac isn't a bad coach (I'm not opening that can of worms here however!), I just think he needed a more experienced no.2 to turn to.

Not sure I buy that argument. Francis Cummins has been an assistant at Leeds for sometime and what experience does he have? Also, Wigan have a backroom full of experience but this hasn't amounted to anything for them.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:54 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

How many teams have shown a dramatic improvement in performance the following year, after a wholesale clearout on the same budget? Given it takes a team a fair while to gel and the most successful teams tend to be those who make only modest personnel changes each year?

And of course having paid God knows what to terminate a load of contracts, which will blow your salary cap out of the water anyway?

Not a practicable option, unfortunately. Looks like we are probably anyway going to head as close to that as IS practicable (Deacon excepted, obviously...)

Castleford this season are a perfect example of this.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:57 pm  

AaronBull wrote:

One thing I would like to say, especially concerning the news on the T&A today, is that somethings been addressed which I've believed has been the problem for a significant period of time.

Basil Richards and Lee St.Hilaire are far too inexperienced to coach at this level, in my opinion. I can't imagine Steve Mac being too confident turning to them in his hour of need for inspiration. Similarly, I can't forsee the likes of Burgess, Morrison and Lynch taking on board what they have to see, I could see a total lack of respect.

Steve Mac isn't a bad coach (I'm not opening that can of worms here however!), I just think he needed a more experienced no.2 to turn to. Jimmy Lowes certainly is more experienced than those 2 that appear to be leaving, and I only see that as a positive move for the club.

St Hilaire was an assistant for 3 years at Huddersfield before coming here.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 2:02 pm  

redeverready wrote:

Castleford this season are a perfect example of this.

Will you stop putting up irrefutable bloody arguments! Its most distracting!

The situation - recently-promoted team that struggled to put together a SL-quality playing squad in time - gets act together after first year ensuring SL survival and licence - was a bit different. But, that aside, yes it shows that there are exceptions, and Cas' outstanding performance this season shows them to be an excellent example I'd agree.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 2:13 pm  

Honestly I haven't a clue what will happen next year.

Let me say that I will reserve judgement on the team until recruitment has finished.

Also, if Macca is in charge again next year can we all sign up to giving him a break until 10 games into the season which is the customary time to make further judgements on these matters. This time I'll get Eddie to promise - cheeky rascal!

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 2:23 pm  

redeverready wrote:

St Hilaire was an assistant for 3 years at Huddersfield before coming here.

And they've improved haven't they ?

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 2:34 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

Snake Eater's always a wind up artist when it concerns the Bulls.

Who me?

Unless bradford get a welathhy backer they are doomed.

: Tue Aug 04, 2009 3:32 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

How many teams have shown a dramatic improvement in performance the following year, after a wholesale clearout on the same budget? Given it takes a team a fair while to gel and the most successful teams tend to be those who make only modest personnel changes each year?

And of course having paid God knows what to terminate a load of contracts, which will blow your salary cap out of the water anyway?

Not a practicable option, unfortunately. Looks like we are probably anyway going to head as close to that as IS practicable (Deacon excepted, obviously...)

Leeds were quite a bit better in '98 than '97 and '97 compared to '96. Both seasons were massed with changes and only a handful stayed over those 3 seasons. We went to from bankrupt with a bad team to a top half team to grand finalists. Pretty good building blocks is some scenarios.