Gotcha I've noticed before you don't rate Harvey Spence and your more than entitled to your opinions, but he has represented England, and also been a regular part of a very good unbeaten u16s side, to claim his possible deal with the Rhinos is an inside job seems harsh. Remember these are young lads who are trying to get their foot in the door at the same time as the pressure of Gcses or whatever they are called now.

Who said I didn't rate him? And I never said anything about an inside job. I however don't think he is as good as a lot of players and has got where he as through people he knows, which others don't get that chance. That doesn't mean I don't rate him, just I think there is better.

It's just that you don't think he'll become a first team player so for me it's the same thing. As I say your opinion is as valid as anyone's and maybe inside job was the wrong phrase. I just think all these lads should be positively encouraged not accused of cronyism.

There is a lot of players who get opportunities that others don't due to who they know. That is not reserved for Spence, whom happens to be much better than others who get by with contacts. However, I still don't think he would have got as far without it. Good luck to him though, if he kicks on from it.

I remember him at under 12/13 and although my memory is not great, I think he might have been a fullback then. He was very good in that age group. But when I look at people with contacts, I also look a the scrum half whom I have also mentioned previously, Scrimshaw. He was in the best junior team in the game, but he wasn't that good really. Leeds chose him over a super half who was at East Leeds and ended up going to Bradford instead, and that was done because of contacts and bait to catch something else.

Who is the half who went to Bradford mate ?

The kid has earned it he's come on in spades since playing regurlarly at this level & his England selection shows that imo.

I can't remember his full name, so might be guessing a bit, but I believe he has just been offered a contract for their under 19's. Think it is Luke Littlewood, or something very similar to that. Was at East Leeds, and was miles better than Scrimshaw.

i player open age at Lock lane and we had a cracking under 18 side, there were some superb players in that side 4-5 looked destined to be excellent pro players and 1-2 of them did have some pro club time, but a skinny slightly spotty kid who had had guts and a good engine ended but who was not one of the star players ended up being picked up by wakey and ended up being a super star, Gareth Ellis.

you cant judge who is good at 13-15-17, they aren't always the ones who make it.

I think you are missing the point that was made above mate. And if you had been posting on here long enough, you certainly wouldn't need to preach to me about Gareth Ellis going to Wakefield, and he was more than a skinny spotty kid.

Gotcha re Spence he's always played so. The lad at fb for stanningley was lucas pearson who was possibly the quickest kid I've ever seen.

Good point, and you are right that is probably the kid I was thinking of back at under 12's/13's. He was a very quick kid, looked untouchable then. You are obviously linked with Stanningley, what happened to him?

He suffered a bad knee injury but I think he was named in the u16s squad last wknd.

I believe Billy Jowitt has too. Leeds have offered contracts earlier this year, to try and get tied up before other clubs can approach.

Luke has signed for our U19s. Very very happy as he has looked the real deal from what I've seen in his performances for the Scholarship. Don't be too disheartened as in 12 months we will have our regular off field melt down and our young stars that John Bastian & co have developed and nurtured will be snapped up. Hope we finally have the off-field stability for our academy (which IMO has always been top draw despite all off-field rubbish)

McGuire - Comfirmed as leaving
Burrow - Believed to be retiring
JJB - Wants another year
Sutcliffe - hopefully stays
Handley - Would let go
Lilley - Signed new deal
Baldwinson - hopefully stays
Hallas - believed to have signed for Bradford permanent
Walters - would let go
Smith - hopefully stays.

Look to offload Briscoe too.

Jack Walker is also OOC

Technically he's not, he's still on an under 19s contract but is able to sign a full time if available.

Sutcliffe is OOC next season.

1 Golding, 2 Briscoe, 3 Watkins (C), 4 Moon, 5 Hall, 6 Lilley, 7 Myler, 8 Galloway, 9 Parcell, 10 Cuthbertson, 11 Ablett, 12 JJB, 13 Ward (VC), 14 Sutcliffe, 15 Delaney, 16 Singleton, 17 Garbutt, 18 Keinhorst, 19 Ferres, 20 Mullally, 21 Baldwinson, 22 Ormondroyd, 23 Oledzki, 24 Smith, 25 Walker, 26 Aston, 27 Bentley, 28 Jordan-Roberts, 29 A Sutcliffe, 30 Holroyd.

Plenty of young potential in that squad for the future but fear we need some more quality signings to remain in the hunt for trophies

I wouldn't hesitate to give Stevie Ward the captaincy. Whether or not he'd want the responsibility is another matter though.

Watkins has admitted he is a shy person and that in my opinion shyness would inhibit a captain

Good news, Hep Cahill has signed on at Widnes for 2 more years. That was a close escape...

Hep Hep hooray

.......I'll get my coat.