That was the year that was...not!

As the year draws to a close Leeds fans everywhere will be breathing a sigh of relief. 2011 - good riddance! This was the year that has seen the club relegated, lost most of the senior players again, had the "sugar daddy" factor removed and been reliant on young players to find our level in a tough competitive league.

Anyone who still thinks that we will bounce straight back into the AP is deluding themselves. As things stand we are shaping up to finish 6th which will enable us to progress to the promotion play-offs. Our current form suggests that we will struggle to get past the semi-finals. Our development this season has been erratic to say the least. At least our defence is improving. However it is the failings in attack that are causing concern to many fans. Will we get any better before the play-offs? Possibly. Can we rely on players coming back from injury? No. So what you see at the moment is pretty much what we will have going into the play-offs.

2011 has seen realism hit the club and it's fans big style. 2012 will not be any different!

Sale call the shots!

I was quite excited when I heard this week that we were signing a couple of new players - two more young 'uns from Sale Sharks. I was somewhat nonplussed by the news that Andy Titterrell was going to Edgeley Park until the end of January. This means that he will miss key Championship games against Doncaster and Bedford.

If Sale contacted Leeds and asked if they could borrow a hooker why did Diccon not offer them Phil Neilsen or Scott Freer, both of whom could do a job for them in the AP? Unless Steve Diamond rang up and said we want to borrow Andy Titterrell. If so Diccon should have said he is not available. Unless Andy had already told Diamond that he wanted to do it, leaving Diccon with no real choice. Andy has said that he still holds ambitions to play in the AP. Perhaps he did not mean "with Leeds"!

It seems to me that Sale hold all the aces in this arrangement. It may well turn out to be a great arrangement as far as we are concerned but I have a nagging doubt now about Andy's commitment to the cause - our cause.

The Corsairs are Coming!

This weekend the Leeds Carnegie players have to pick themselves up, dust off the remnants of last week's defeat at the Mem' and get ready to face the sons of Kernow in the  fixture where they can avenge the drubbing at The Mennaye back in September.

Getting 50 points put past you is bad enough but it must have been a real eye opener for Diccon Edwards and his coaching team. Since that black September day the 'Neegs have won 7 games without showing any real consistency. They are 7th in the league, 7 points behind Rotherham and are in danger of staying in that position.

A win against the Pirates is possible, unlikely but possible. Diccon has named a strong team - all they need to do is play to their capability and it could be very close. Leeds to win by 3!