I am really excited about this match and believe we can progress to the GF. If JJB and Delaney are not fit I would bring in a couple of the young guns, Singleton being one and tell them to tackle everything above the grass. I would not play the pies with any crocked players.
I cannot see shudders getting past the Wire, due to their serial winging!!

Yep, Singo and Clarkson in for JJB and Delaney if needed, hoping maybe Delaney will be fit though.

Big game needed from Achurch - needs to prove he has a future in this team.

People were very OTT over his try other week, he has some room to go.

I know he knocked on with a simple carry against Saints, but he made a couple of hearty drives. Bumped Wilkin off.....but then again who didn't?

Agreed, he did had an alright spell on Friday, but he needs to move up to the next level against Wigan.

Singleton is the other obvious man to step up. Clarkson can be brilliant on his day but not often enough. This season he has had game where he has hit some brilliant lines and caused some damage, he need to be doing that on Friday if JJB and/or Delaney pull out.

Anyhow I think JJB and Delaney will be fit.

T'would be nice but I can't see it myself.
JJB just possibly after a week's rest (as he was saying he wanted to go back on against Saints) but not Delaney, he was strapped-up anyway before they'd even kicked-off.

Tomkins departure expected to be announced at 3pm. I hope and pray we can absolutely ruin his night on Friday and give him a right good old Yorkshire sending off!

It would be the "cherry" on the cake!

JJB was running up and down the touchline in the second half, obviously that doesn't mean to can handle the impact, but the Rhinos medical staff have worked miracles this year already.

Is Delaney injury a leg injury? He was walking alright after the game if so. If its upper body then nothing will stop him taking to the field. Hull away he looked to be playing with broken bones but still put in an outstanding shift.

Groin injury

As others say, I think if the medical staff say JJB and/or Delaney are fit to play, they should play.

Otherwise I'd bring in Singleton first and Clarkson if both are out. Although I'd be tempted to consider putting Singleton in ahead of Achurch anyway.

Ah that explains why he didn't have any leg support on. He had both groins operated on in pre season. Obviously carried the injury in the last playoff series.

If JJB/Delaney are ok, I would deffo run out with the back spine of JJB/Frog/Ablett. Instead of the third prop at loose. Bails/Kirke hit the ground running from the bench, so if he and co can replicate that again happy days.

Singleton or Achurch is an interesting one.

I think Singleton is more of a grafter, i.e. strong on defence, gets through a lot of work and takes the hard yards. However, he is very young, and as we saw at Warrington he can get caught out with his inexperience. It might be a bit risky playing both him and Sutcliffe in a play-off game, as there's no margin for error.

Achurch, I feel, has more impact, as in he's quicker, has a decent offload and is strong in the tackle. This season, and certainly on Friday, I think he's played OK, and had some strong games, but it always looks like he's 10% away from being a quality player. But he does look like he can come off the bench and make something happen. Then again, he's not exactly experienced at this level either.

In the end, I think it's more about how Mac wants to play it, whether he wants five props to graft and combat Wigan's pack, or wants to have players who can come on and do something unexpected to take us round Wigan. Would we really need five props if Bailey and Kirke continue their front row form from Friday night?

Either way, I have faith in Mac to make the right call.

Just heard on the radio that Tomkins is leaving Wigan for a 3 year contract with NZ Warriors - well there's a surprise!!

Why have they just announced something that the RL community has known about for months?

Because its official now , and wasn't before .

I think McDermott would like to pick JJB if it's realistic. He along with Sinfield & Peacock is one of our main leaders and he brings more than just what he can do physically. I don't think we'll see Delaney unfortunately so I'd have a straight swap with Singleton at loose (although I think BMc would pick him on the bench and promote Bailey to loose instead).

Looking at the stats. I wouldn't put full confidence in opta, but if I did, 43 missed tackles by Leeds on Friday does not highlight the high intensity defence performance that appeared, or more importantly needed going forward.

Hopefully not, thought he made a good impact from the bench and made some good yards. If Delaney is out, i'd happily see Clarkson at Loose and keep the bench the same. That's assuming JJB isn't injured.

Err, but isn't only official now because they've announced it?

Assuming Delaney is out (He tweeted the other day that he has no luck, sounded like he's a goner) I reckon we'll go;

Hardaker
Jones-Bishop
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Sinfield
McGuire
Leuluai
Burrow
Peacock
Abblett
Jones-Buchannan
Bailey

Kirke
Sutcliffe
Achurch
Clarkson

On the stats, how many mistackles is Wilkins credited for? As from watching must be nearly 10?

They would have announced it last week had Hudds beat them in PO week 1 because last weekend would have been his last home game. As it is, this Friday will be his last home game so it makes sense that the "official" announcement comes this week as I would expect he will get quite a send off come Friday night.

It shows as 7. Thought Wilkin had a great game at the time, didn't realise the missed tackles.

Don't know if you are saying Opta might be undervaluing the missed tackles though, but if so would put an even worse slant on Leeds defence.

I think people have got carried away with a very close tense match, I did too. I watched it again yesterday though, obviously knowing the result this time, and you could see the performance was not great, but I still didn't realise there was that many missed tackles. For me Saints were poor, yet still looked capable of grabbing a try given an opportunity. For 50 minutes Leeds completely dominated that game, and were not tested, yet they only one by one point in the end, which would have been different had Saints scored their goal kick opportunity. Saints also made 33 missed tackles in that game, so that is 76 missed tackles between them. Yet between them, there were only 10 clean breaks in the match.

In the game againts Warrington where Leeds performance was deemed not good, and rightly so, Leeds made 50% less missed tackles, and Warrington missed 50% less tackles than Saints did on Friday, yet the same number of clean breaks were made, and Leeds ended up with 40 points againts them and scored 20 points themselves.

Friday it would appear was a great game for a neutral in how even and tense it was. But in reality both teams were not that great, and would probably have been beaten by the other teams left now in the comp. It needs much needed improvement for this week.

76 missed tackles but an 11-10 scoreline???


absolute rubbish

What the stats dont show is how desperate BOTH teams were to win and how both scrambled back and recovered from clean breaks etc etc.
The numbers dont change my view in that it was a tough entertaining intense sudden death play off game.
Also Gotcha this "would be different IF ST's had kicked their goal" what about Sinfields miss and the Mags no try under the sticks?
Coulda woulda shoulda along with ifs buts and maybes dont/didn't count i enjoyed the game and thought both teams ran their nadgers off and no numbers on paper change that.