Looking back since Feb, i feel that Leeds have been rather poor. I cannot remember a game which we have dominated for the whole game. The side is clearly weaker than last year. No replacement for Ellis, nor Toopi, nor Scruton. Looks like the side will be even weaker next year with no Smith and Peacock and Senior getting older. I believe we have a good chance to get to the Grand Final because of the team spirit. But next year worries me. You just cannot keep replacing quality with youth. We need to strenghten the squard otherwise we could join Northern at the bottom

Go on then where's peacock next year?

Bad English, meant to say Peacok and Senior a year older

Huddersfield - Away. But to be fair...that's about it.

Deal with it.

The competition is much tougher so much less walkovers and more tight arm wrestles. It'll be even more so next year.

No other team in the league is winning easily.

Teams have really got stronger in the pack and in defence.

The days when leeds could go into games and get on top and punch ratholes in the opposition with champgne rugby are pretty much gone. You'll always get the occasional blowout.

Why is the competition stronger, is it because Leeds and Saints are worse than previous years, or is it because everyone else has improved to our level?

I think I know which it is, but I'm interested to see what others think.

What difference does it make if parity is being achieved?

Personally, its' been an enjoyable season. Its' nice to turn up to games expecting a 30 point win. No longer can games against nearly all the teams in the league be considered as certain wins and wins have to be earned.

I guess its' a personal thing but I quite like that.

Can I suggest that this season has been no different to either of the past two seasons and that you'll all change your tune if you win at OT again.

I agree mate!!

Our fans are terrible mate.

Friday you guys pulled off a great win. You get deserved credit and earn a reputation of never knowing when you;re beaten.

We do it (as we have do a few times this year) and OUR OWN fans bemoan that we haven't blown a team away and that such wins are papering over the cracks.

Despite this being a golden era for the club we've had posters slating the players, the management and the recruitment policies (which have mirrored your clubs - yet they laud Saints).

We've even had posters pointing to Hull and Huddersfield as example we should follow!

You're right though, if we win the GF many tunes will be changed.

I don't disagree that fundamentally a league in which every game is a challenge and the outcome is unknown until the last 10 minutes, is a good thing. However I am firmly of the opinion that this season is closer than others due to the lack of quality and consistency in the performances of Leeds and Saints.

The reason that I see this as a bad thing is that if "top" players get used to performing at a lower level then this impacts on the GB/England team as players are unable to raise their performances when we play NZ or the Aussies. This is witnessed by our poor performances in the WC, when in truth most of the players there were either exhausted by a long season (Saints in CC and Leeds in WCC) or are playing in teams that are unable to sustain an intensity in league games that is required to prepare for International matches.

For me improvement across the board is required, and the top two teams have both gone significant backwards, into the chasing pack. This, IMHO, is not progress.

Dsiagree.

Firstly, this quality point you make is intangible and unprovable either way.

However, I maintain it doesn;'t matter.

If our players are exposed to games each week where the outcome is uncertain they will improve.

I'd point to the Leeds Academy from the mid nineties. Won everything, every week and were champions about 8 or 9 years in a row. Very few made it to the first team (or struggled badly when they did) because they'd never been tested.

Oh, and despite what you say about Leeds and Saints being dragged to the pack who is one and two ? There's every chance the honours this year could be the same as last.