It looked like we needed a match thread.



[url=http://www.therhinos.co.uk/matchdaytv/?play=media&id=15774#.UcLa1tjNlPcPre match Brian Mcdermott interview[/url

Worth a watch especially regarding the comments relating to the youngsters.

Looking at the table this will have a fairly big impact on where we finish up. Its another big test for the squad and huddersfield seem to have it over us at the moment.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Moon out, it was rumoured that Ablett could come back.

One other point Kallum Watkins is recovering well 2 weeks ahead of schedule.

They do seem to have something over us at present.. maybe the forced team shake up will do us some good.

Leeds by 1. Brad Singleton DG.

In the past three encounters with Hudds, Brough has kicked the shizer out of us while our forwards have been unable to cope with their's.

TBH I can see that being any different on Sunday.

Who knows? having some eager youngster willing to pressure the kicker may make some difference. as may having some forwards with some drive in their legs and halves with an unknown quality about them

I'm not so sure the comment about the forwards is correct. The last two meetings, haven't we beaten them on metres gained by some considerable distance on both occassions. And the forwards have more than held their own.

For me the last two defeats were down to Brough's kicking, and our how poor our own halfbacks were.

Singleton is a doubt - dead leg according to McDermott. From the interview it seems Jimmy Keinhorst might still be in the reckoning - despite Monday's iffy performance - which is good.

Yep, it's gonna be a toughie but if the team improves and plays as a whole a little more there's no reason to think rhinos can't win it. Hopefully we have a definite game plan for the first half, preferably lower risk and a good kick play on the end of sets and see what that brings.

I wouldn't mind some more of McShane's kicks to the corner.

Our failure to turn the ball over in good positions/panic plays have cost us dearly in previous games against the Giants. As mentioned above I don't fear for our forwards, so if we can get the field position let's make them work for it - and you never know, prevent Brough's kicking and we have more than a chance.

Huddersfield have figured out Leeds's condensed defence. They're not afraid to go wide early in the tackle count and force defenders to work hard to get across.

Blitz up as a line, and they'll just kick wide and short in behind the winger.

Leeds need to defend with more space between defenders to counter that, but that will have the effect of preventing them piling numbers into the tackle to cut down the offloads from Crabtree et al.

It's a difficult balance to strike, and one of the reasons Huddersfield are going so well. They can hurt you when they have the ball in a number of different ways, and closing down one can open you up to the other.

one of our tactics is to kick early in the tackle count...so you will make more yards that way.

This feels like a low pressure game. I mean, we could really do with 2 points (unless you subscribe to the targetting 5th theory, which I don't). But we're short of some key players, fielding a lot of talented but inexperienced players and realistically we'll be expected to get a thumping.

With that in mind, the lads can go out and have a go with nothing much to lose. Teams that do that can be very dangerous. So Hudds will clearly be big favourites, but who knows what could happen?

Is ablett back? We will need his defensive efforts in the centre with moon missing.

Leeds have lost the last four straight V Huddersfield in All Comps. McDermott's Leeds have won only two from seven meetings and yet they also have a three wins from five record at the McAlpine/Galpharm/John Smith Stadium under this coach.

As Gilder pointed out Huddersfield have the game to get around Leeds' condensed defence which leaves the halves, centres and wingers on either side vulnerable to attacks in a variety of ways. It's a problem Leeds had under the previous Huddersfield coach and it appears one that remains under their current coach.

Added to that the lame effort at times up the middle V Widnes and it's looking a forgone conclusion without Huddersfield are reduced to ten or eleven men rather than their customary twelve.

Tend to agree. I guess BM will have been working on our defence around the ruck area and a plan for Brough's kicking. But like you said as underdogs for this one the pressure is off the youngsters who could be able to show us what they've got. Maybe its our turn to catch them on an offday.

Not one to usually write off Leeds' chances completely in games but this game doesn't look promising, our best hope might be Hudds taking the teamsheet we put out too lightly but considering they've had 2 weeks since their last game (which they disappointingly lost vs KR) then I think they'll be adequately up for this one. Maybe though Brough, without that nasty fella keeping him out of the national team, opposite him might lose some of that 'i'll prove a point and show them' attitude he seems to be playing with this year.

For the first time this year i'll say its not really about getting the 2 points but how some of the younger guys show up against a step up in opposition and away from Headingley too. McShane vs Lunt a contest to look out for especially.

I think there was some mention of keinhorst not being 100% on Monday due to being ill so would be harsh to oust him as I think he can offer alot if only strong squad support in times like this...we can't have 25 "first" choice players in the squad, the salary cap for one doesn't allow it. I hope he can give himself a showing, like wise maybe with Minns that we have cover in the backs and don't need to chase bigger names and wages when the forward pack needs a new lease of players this next 1-2yrs

Little concerned about how BMac is going to use Sutcliffe in defence, it was a very poor display of bringing the defensive lineup together or not as we saw.....if he can tidy that up, his attack I think can be seen and with more experience he will be confident of playing to his full potential.

The pack will get a brusing encounter on Sunday and will need to stop the likes of Crabby-tree from stretching his legs to much and will be interesting how we match up with Cudjoe, he was a thorn last time we played them and that was lining up v Moon.

As always looking forward to it and with the injuries sticking with the younger players in my mind is best even if we see some errors like last week....we need to keep these players as upbeat as possible.

Cudjoe looks a real class act this year - has always had the tools but looks to be adding more quality as time goes on.

With any good strike player the key is to stifle their supply of ball in dangerous areas. If he can come onto the ball with space to run and the defence stretched then he'll cause problems. Winning the ruck and the biff up the middle will be crucial to beating Huddersfield.

I hate to say this but i think that we're gonna bet a number done on us this Sunday, i think the Giants will fully take advantage of our depleted squad and if we don't sort our ruck area out then Lunt will rip us to bits

Got to agree. We weren't brilliant against one of the poorer sides. And we struggle with Hudds when we have a full compliment.

I envisage a bit of an embarrassment in the next game. Sorry to say, but anything better than that is a bonus.

Well I think we can win, and if not then I expect us to be at least be competitive with the team we are putting out.

*shrug*

I agree LeedsDave but for me its all about the younger lads getting game-time and experience now results are secondry to that at the moment it will pay off long term imo just as it did in 02/03.

Absolutely - just thought i'd counter some of the negative expectations with some optimism

If we get most of our top performers back for the business end of the season, then maybe this period of bad luck will benefit the young players that don't get a chance with Mac. Others have suffered and bounced back this season (Hull FC) and so can we.
I have to agree with most about Hudds though. If Brough can slaughter a fully fit Rhinos I hate to see what he will do to our youngsters. Keeping the scores close would be a tremendous achievement by our lads.

not much confidence on here, Giants to cover -8 on the handicap must be a stonking bet eh

The Rhinos are without Joel Moon through suspension and will also be without nine other first team players through injury. Kevin Sinfield (thumb), Ryan Bailey (thumb), Kallum Watkins (ankle), Kylie Leuluai (knee), Liam Hood (ankle), Joe Vickery (knee), Brett Delaney (knee), Stevie Ward (shoulder) and Danny McGuire (leg) are all currently out. Brad Singleton will face a late fitness test on a dead leg injury suffered in the Widnes victory last Monday.

The 19 man squad is entirely made up of players eligible to play for England and includes 15 players from the club's academy structure with only Mitch Achurch, Jamie Peacock, Ian Kirke and Zak Hardaker not developed by the Rhinos. The average age of the 19 man squad to face the Giants is just 24 and, if selected, Minchella would become the first Leeds player to appear for the club who was born in the Super League era.

The squad in full is:
1. Zak Hardaker
2. Ben Jones-Bishop
5. Ryan Hall
7. Rob Burrow
9. Paul McShane
10. Jamie Peacock (c)
11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan
12. Carl Ablett
17. Ian Kirke
18. Chris Clarkson
19. Mitch Achurch
21. Richard Moore
22. Jimmy Keinhorst
23.Brad Singleton
26. Liam Sutcliffe
27. Thomas Minns
28. Jordan Baldwinson
30. Alex Foster
31. Elliot Minchella