It seemed a bizarre move.....would rather McShane had more [ilogically[/i started with Burrow off the bench. Was McDermott right ??

Did it? I didn't see the game.

Prior to kick off I would have thought that it was bat crazy to start Burrow at hooker, but how did it work?

I did think Burrow played quite well, but we weren't able to see the best of either player. In the end McShane was only on the field for just over 10 minutes I think. It seemed a strange decision to bring him on when defending our own line with 2 mins of the first half left to play.

burrow played well but for me it didn't work with him on from the start.
it did seem odd to bring mcshane on in the 38th minute and sub him 12 minutes into the second half

Might be a different story once Liam Hood is fit. Alot of our plays are built up round having hookers that play in spellls

Personally i thought RB played well but i would of preffered him at 7 and Mcshane given the time and chance to play more at 9.
Again i agree with TP seemed pointless bringing him on(macca) for 2 minutes then only giving him 10 of the 2nd half.

No it didnt work for me.

Most of the first half we lacked the direction and control which a good AHB gives a team.

The AHBs job early doors is to direct the team around the pitch working out of defence and getting the play to a certain position so that pressure can be put on the opposition either to put players in a scoring position or if not to at least get a repeat set.

Burrow`s style works well once the opposition is tiring in the later stages of the game but we had no platform set in the first half and it showed.

I was interested in what would happen at AHB now Buderus has gone and I was far from impressed and against stiffer opponents next week I must say I am a bit concerned.

I see yer point DA but also i thought the Rovers line speed in defence was very sharp and they contained any kind of momentum we tried to build very well in the 1st half at least.

Agree with this. Burrow was decent in first half but excellent in his second spell, coming on just as the game got into the last quarter.

I think it probably helped that HKRs forwards had gone hell for leather from the start and I suspect had 'played themselves out' a bit coming towards the end.

It didn't seem to really work but then our forwards were poor from the start and didn't really get going til the second half and KR were holding down so much, so maybe he'd be better when the forwards are more dominant. But it would still seem to make more sense to start with McShane and bring Burrow off the bench.

It didn't work. Could be a downfall this season trying to accommodate starting him outside of half back. Should have been sub. A hooker defending out wide is also a waste.

But thought our rotation of the forwards full stop was disappointing. Bailey and Peacock were not effective enough for that much game time.

Burrow starting in the hooking role suggests to me that our contingent of players isn't all it should be (unless McShane was carrying some sort of knock).

The rotation wasn't helped with the injury to JJB and only having 10 replacements will take some adjusting too.

On the Burrow start, whilst McShane didn't get much game time he didn't shine during his time on the pitch - it is too early to say how this will work until McShane has been given a start and more game time.

I know the Diskin apologists think that the success of the side was inspire of Buderus was lucky to play with the likes of Sinfield etc. If last night is anything to go by replacing Buderus could be a challenge for the coaching staff if the standards shown at the end of last season are to be maintained.

On another matter the likes of Hall and Watkins seem to have been doing considerable weight training!!

We missed Buderus

Given the conditions it might just have been a very late change to the game plan or at least I hope so.

Early doors Burrow at AHB was just spinnig wide passes wide to our 1st Receivers and with HKR playing a borderline offside fast line defence we struggled and failed to establish any platform first.

Compare this to their inital phase in which they regularly reached our red zone and we wre on the back foot for a while and lucky to go in 10-8 in front without ever dominating the game in terms of possession or field position.

I think basically the squad "looks" OK on paper but the AHB role is a worry has is the back line defence.

Next week will add to the pictue and maybe the coach has one eye on the WCC and is playing his cards close to his chest at this stage.

Hooker is the most important position in modern rugby league. Buderus was a world-class hooker. McShane is not a world-class hooker. Burrow is not a hooker. It doesn't take a genius to realise this squad is going to have to compensate elsewhere on the pitch if we're to reach the heights of the end of last season.

We are far stronger with them on the field. Control the middle much better with them on.

Then Kylie's introduction either side of half time was an effective use of his time, we dropped on as well as he was there to make some high velocity returns from a couple of drop-outs.

Did Griffin get injured as he only got very limited game time - 15 mins in one stint? I noted from him 1 decent drive, solid tackling and a silly lazy arm tackle that was penalised. Or maybe he is just filling Kirkes game time allowance.

for me sinny was very poor on attack and defence, rob and danny as half backs for me sinny at loose and after pre seasons games moore should have been on bench not griffin also lets see what happens when hood back.

Agree Burrow starting at Hooker did not work.
If he is going to fill in at hooker bring him on as interchange.
Burrow and McGuire at half back sinny LF for me.
I actually think Hood would have made the 17 along with McShane if fit.
McDermott said all the players in the squad will get a game in the next 4 to 6 weeks so maybe he is not sure yet himself what his 17 is going to be.
Does anyone know how bad JJB`s injury is?

Show some faith, the CEO said Buderus wouldn't be needlessly released unless a player of equal status was acquired first. There again he also said Leeds would be spending the full salary cap allowance again this season and implied the SouthStand would fall down if it wasn't replaced.

I agree Burrow starting did not work, however when McShane came of the bench he looked like a duck out of water

I was surprised to see Burrow start.
But when McShane came on I thought he struggled & was substituted pretty sharpish after his greedy one man effort to score from dummy half that ended with him conceding possession after he was bundled over the dead in goal line.
Burrow's return against a by then rapidly tiring big HKR pack sparked us back into life.

Surprised you mention that OF especially as RB tried it twice when we were set for a kick and also got nowhere.

I agree. I still have doubts regarding McShane. IMO he often suffers from that "greedy one man effort" stuff ...a bit reminiscent of Tansey in that respect.

Maybe McShane was not fully fit or perhaps with the WCC coming up the coach didn't want to lose our only hooker to injury.