Assuming Watkins is fit again

1. Hardaker
27. Handley
3. Watkins
12. Ablett
4. Moon
18. Sutcliffe
6. McGuire
19. Singleton
9. Aiton
10. Peacock
15. Delaney
14. Ward
13. Sinfield

7. Burrow
16. Achurch
17. Cuthbertson
22. Yates

Moon to the wing, Golding isn't a winger and we lose a lot more than we gain by moving Hardaker to the wing to accommodate him. Start Singo & Delaney so we've got some strong runners to counter the Saints pack, with Burrow, Cutho & Mitch to come off the bench once the game starts to open up.

For the argument of playing Golding on the wing....Moon isn't a winger in a month of Sundays.

Golding made some uncertain errors at FB today but I'd still stick him on the wing for Friday, the chopping and changing between him and Hardaker at FB wasn't ideal.

Can only see Watkins returning from the absentees so

Hardaker
Handley
Watkins
Moon
Golding
Sutcliffe
McGuire
Cuthbertson
Aiton
Peacock
Albert
Ward
Sinfield

Burrow
Delaney
Singleton
Yates

If Delaney is the substitute back rower then I don't care for Achurch on the bench as a substitute front rower and would give Yates another go (Achurch can offload yes, but away to Saints, we probably don't need that)

Agree with the above but change Yates for Achurch. However anyone of Achurch / Yates / Milton could take that last spot.

Still without JJB, Leuluai, Briscoe, Hall, Walters and R Ward. We are starting to show the depth that people desired. I hope we don't go with McGuire Burrow HB partnership again next week as it's not the same as it use to be.

Assuming Watkins is available.

Hardaker
Handley
Watkins
Moon
Golding
Sutcliffe
McGuire
Cuthbertson
Aiton
Peacock
Ward
Albett
Sinfield

Burrow
Singleton
Yates
Delaney

I think the difference between Centre and Wing is a lot less than the difference between fullback and wing. Moon has the speed and size to be useful on the wing, especially positioned outside Ablett. Handley has also aquitted himself really well under the high ball and in defense over on the right, so if we do play Golding out there it's clear that Saints will spend all match targeting him.

Our attack this year has been far more focused on attacking through the centre off the back of good forward work and defensive solidity than spreading it wide and getting the wingers into tight finishes. For that reason I'd much rather have Moon outside Ablett on the left (which after all is the usual left-side centre-second row partnership just moved out one place further) than Golding outside of Moon.

From what has been said about Golding I would look to bring in Keinhorst on the wing and keep everyone else, Moon and Hardaker at centre and FB.
Sutcliffe at 6 alongside McGuire with Burrow on the bench.
I hear Masoe was binned today for Saints.
Could that result in a ban maybe?

Sounds a possibility from what I heard but you never know with the disciplinary. Could view it as sin-binning being sufficient.

It is when you have a centre such as Watkins or Lee Smith or Chev Walker. When you have a centre such as Moon, Senior or Delaney then a centre to wing doesn't sound so great. Golding's errors came at FB in the middle in a game with very windy conditions....I reckon on the wing in a match with 'normal' weather he'd be fine.

Probably end up citing JP for not scoring a hat trick.

Hardaker
Handley
Watkins
Moon
Golding/Jones
Sutcliffe
McGuire
Peacock
Aiton
Singleton
Ablett
Ward
Cuthbertson

Yates
Achurch
Delaney
Burrow

Saints, whatever their injury problems, are a big side. The additional size of Sutcliffe means you can shift him into the back row if you need to. Three props from the start to negate Amor and Walmsley down the middle.

Think you need Sinfields kicking game against Saints. They don't have a great kicking game themselves and rely on a big set of forwards bulldozing through the centre. Sinfields long kicking game can keep them pinned down away from the leeds try line. Saints aren't a team built on going 80 yards for a try so pin them back and get their big forwards turning.

Burrow should have a field day against the likes of Mosoe and Vea

No sinfield?

Not a cat in hells chance Sinfield won't be in the 17 if he's fit.

1. Hardaker
2. Handley
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Golding
6. Sutcliffe
7. McGuire
8. Cuthbertson
9. Aiton
10. Peacock
11. Ward
12. Ablett
13. Sinfield

14. Burrow
15. Singleton
16. Delaney
17. Achurch

Vea has been out injured for a couple of weeks now and won't be playing on Friday. It's also likely that Masoe could be banned after getting sinbinned for a high shot against Hudds. Greenwood is missing too so that'll be a fair bit of size and endeavour missing!

As for the kicking game, Burns and Walsh both made their return today so I don't see it being too bad.

Will be an interesting game, even seeing the lineups will be fairly interesting. Could really do with a win here but I think you will probably take it, we don't really have a specialist fullback playing atm and Sinfield usually has a field day against Wellens so I worry about what he'll do to (probably) Hohaia! Can't wait though.

This is the team i would go with.Show a bit of faith in Golding,if he truly has the talent this game time he is getting now will serve him and us well in the long run,besides i don't see too many better options aside from shuffling players from their settled positions.

I would probably go with this. Goldings errors yesterday came from fullback, not the wing. He really is not ready for fullback, but I don't see the issue in him learning from the wing.

I don't think we get enough out of Delaney, who to be frank is quite pedestrian, and not really the dominant defender he was. However, I am not sure what other options we have, as I don't think much of Yates either.

Agree with that, we've got to accept Golding will make mistakes and I'd rather show some faith in him and give him time. And as you say where else can he learn other than on the wing.

Agree on Delaney too, though I think he does a bit of the unglamorous work of taking a drive against set defences. It was a toss up between him, Achurch and Yates for 2 bench spots and I went with Achurch because of his size and speed plus he's not bad at looking for an offload and then it was just really 50\50 between Delaney and Yates.

If he was available I'd have been tempted to go for Walters ahead of them.

Yates looks nowhere near big enough to me, he's got tiny legs for a prop, I'd give Mulhearn a chance as he looks more capable of holding his at this level physically.

no charges this week so Masoa could face us unless he picks up injury

Can't believe your all scared of Masoe?

Probable line up for Saints

Hohaia
Makinson
Turner
Jones
Swift
Burns
Walsh/Wilkin
Walmsley
Roby
Amor
Thompson
Wilkin/Flanagan
LMS

Mose
Richards
Walsh
Flanagan

Savelio (had a blinder against you last year)
Another

(Injuries to Wello,Greenwood,Lomax,Vea,Percival,Dawson)

How lovely to see two halves in a saints team!

We're missing some strike players but Leeds have absentees too and I think it's going to be a great game.

Interesting to see how Leeds compete in the middle of the field this week. Saints will fancy it in the forwards and will probably run with six props. Big challenge for this Leeds group. Gonna be a great game.

Expect something like.....

Hohaia
Makinson
Jones
Turner
Swift
Burns
Walsh
Amor
Roby
Walmsley
Wilkin
LMS
Thompson

Masoe
Richards
Flanagan
Savelio

I don't think Achurch warrants a place at the moment. Shame Walters is injured. I think the experience of playing at Saints would do Handley & Golding the world of good. Same goes for Sutcliffe & Yates.

Watkins and Keinhorst in the 19.
1. Zak Hardaker
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Joel Moon
6. Danny McGuire
7. Rob Burrow
9. Paul Aiton
10. Jamie Peacock
12. Carl Ablett
13. Kevin Sinfield
14. Stevie Ward
15. Brett Delaney
16. Mitch Achurch
17. Adam Cuthbertson
18. Liam Sutcliffe
19. Brad Singleton
20. Jimmy Keinhorst
22. Andy Yates
26. Ashton Golding
27. Ash Handley

Yates and Golding to miss out for me.