This Saturday the curtain comes down on a very disappointing season for Leeds Carnegie when they take on Cornish Pirates in their final game of the Championship season.Only a few weeks ago, Leeds gained a very creditable draw down in Penzance in the first of their play off games, and hopes were high we could progress through the group stages, to qualify at least for the semi final play off games.Sadly, results and performances since, have decreed otherwise, and this weeks’ fixture has become a fairly meaningless game. Much has been said, unofficially, about the internal problems at HC, but whether they are true or otherwise, Saturday gives the players a chance to end the season in style. Many will be pulling on a Leeds shirt for the last time, so we can only hope they will go out to prove a point, and give us a winning finale
I don’t think anybody would doubt, that on their day, the current Leeds squad are a match for anybody in this league, but inconsistency has been their downfall, and not only have Leeds failed to gain promotion, but in some ways the whole future of the team we support has been thrown into doubt.
Players, who were outstanding in the Premiership, have not been the foundation we had hoped this time around, while others, who struggled last season have looked completely at home playing at this level. How many of these will be here next season remains to be seen.
What happens to Leeds as a club may become clearer next week, but whoever is selected on Saturday must show the fans they care about the club. My hope is that Diccon Edwards knows who these players are, and selects them in his team, regardless of whether they are staying at Leeds or not.
The result on Saturday will have no bearing on where either side plays next season, but I want to see a Leeds side committed to the cause, and end the season with a bang.
If I was picking the side, and they were all fit, then I would go for, Mac., Plug. Denman, Dents, Pendelbury, Beck, Walker, Rowan, Hampson, Ford, Stevo, Barrow, Bell, Blackett, and McColl. I’d have Freer, Lockwood, Mo, Danny, Hohneck, Cliff, and Davies on the bench, and hope we would see a performance filled with pride, regardless of the result.
I know that would not be everybody’s choice, but it would give players who have given 100% to Leeds Carnegie a chance to say farewell. I would like to thank them for their efforts, and say they will be missed.
I'd like everyone of them to get at least 40 minutes on the pitch to say there farewells. It will be an emotional day for all of those players, whether they are signed up for Leeds or saying goodbye to their team mates and supporters before moving on.
If we had more than 22 places available, with all the talented young men on our books who have come to us through the Academy, local yorkshire clubs, and the 4 corners of the world I would have included a few more names too.
Just a couple that come to mind are Tinks, Dan White and Phil Swainston.
But taking history, injuries and some continuity in mind I don't think Haxby has made a bad choice.
A fitting farewell then, what a pity Phil Daly couldn't even get the names of the 3 players who led the team on to the field correct in his report. Scott Barrow must be well chuffed!!
Yet another instance that shows how good our 'media' department are! Disgraceful.
COME ON LEEDS.
We've been through it all together.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:04:22:21:09:13 by Haxbytyke.
And he got the player who made the final offload to Steve for the first try yesterday wrong. It was Richard Beck not Chris Walker. As one wears a scrum cap and the other doesnt a pretty poor effort.
I started a thread the other week about how supporters, rightly or wrongly, will turn a blind eye to things off the field when their team are winning. However once a team goes on a losing run, everything about the club comes under scrutiny, and sad to say, our media department is shocking. And that is being kind!
COME ON LEEDS.
We've been through it all together.
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