McShane ran the show for the U20's yesterday

he put in a great performance

Brian Mac has a habit of not playing certain players when they fall out of favour

Good Luck next week - I'll be there cheering for you

I'd rather go Hardaker than Smith. Completeley against the grain but the lad does seem to have a rugby brain and has pace. Smith doesn't deserve a go IMO.

Funny you should mention Hardaker BR because he's switched to RC in recent weeks for the U20's.

I had read that about Hardaker somewhere else. Its a big ask for the kid but from what I've seen he looks a class player in the making. If Smith were fit and in form I'd have no problem with him there, but he seems likely to be more of a liability than Hardaker ATM.

I totally agree Brisbane. Zak can play centre just fibne. Its just whether such a big occassion gets to him. If both Watkins and Ablett are out then Id be tempted to go with Smith and Zak. If you have Delaney in the squad which I think is prob a given then if things to go bad you can always move him into the centre.

The key is to give ourselves options off the bench.

Hardakre would repeatedly get pushed aside by Carmont/Tomkins. I'd go for Smith and Delaney.

Playing devils advocate to a point here but ....

Whilst I agree Hardaker is still a bit light, his pace could cause real problems and his hands arent bad either.

Some good, some bad with a big call like this.

I think that one of Ablett or Watkins will pull through and start at Wembley, probably the former. In that case, I'd move Delaney to centre. Smith might be more of an attacking threat but he's not had a consistent run in the first team. Also, there are worse things that could happen than us having Delaney defending against Carmont instead of Watkins.

If Ablett and Watkins are both ruled out then our backline will need to be selloptaped together. I've never been one for experimenting in big games so I suppose we'd have to run with Webb/BJB/Delaney/Smith/Hall.

Those suggesting Smith to left centre... Are you really suggesting he would perform any better than Hardaker when up against J. Tomkins ? You need a big daft lad to do that... So Delaney it is then at left centre. Unless of course Senior makes a surprise top secret recovery.

If Watkins doesn't make it I would rather Hardaker partners BJB on the right... Not sure who would be better at centre to the other playing wing.... B U T def Hardaker over Smith for me please.

The biggest problem with that is neither Hardaker nor BJB have, to my knowldge at least, played centre at this level.

Wembley is not the place to hand them such a positional debut.

I know you have it in for Smith but at least he has experience of playing centre. Let's not forget he wore the no. 3 shirt all 2009 and ended up playing there for England that year. Surely that has to be better than throwing Hardaker or BJB in at the deep end?

EDIT: I'm not suggesting that Smith is the Messiah and I know he is out of form. However he is a utility back for a reason, that reason being he is competent at this level across the entire threequarter line, including centre.

Kirkstaller BjB played a few games at Centre for Quinns when the selected Melling at FB.

Don't know where you get the idea I "have it in" for Smith... If you read other posts you will see I would rather Smith be retained and Webb released.

My point here is that I would not put him at left centre against Wigan's big daft right centre ( remember how easily he swatted off McGuire recently ). Right centre maybe ... But then I think will he perform any better and does he deserve a place more than Hardaker ? I really do think Hardaker has more than proven he can handle the pressures of SL. His composure is first rate. Admittedly Wembley is a big step up again, but I believe he will rise to the challenge and be a match winner.... Probably on right wing with BJB inside him....but equally I would be comfortable with him at RC and BJB kept on the wing.

I think you are wrong - Hardaker has shown himself to be a solid defender when he has played in the first team - Carmont might have too much experience/know how, Tomkins will not run over him that is for sure.

On the other side he might actually be too quick for Carmont and too bright for Tomkins. I would have no hesitation in playing him, he is playing centre in the academy now.

Smith is, in all fairness, much stronger in defence than MCGuire. I wouldn't worry about him physically up against J. Tomkins, who at least is less likely to burn him for pace.

For once, however, I think I'd go with your option if we need to and pair BJB and Hardaker. It would be the high risk option, but I'm not sure what we have to lose.

I agree that Smith should only be considered for the right centre position. This makes a lot of sense after all as he has played on that side for most of his career. The big question I guess is just how effective could Delaney be on the left?

I've seen nothing from Hardaker to suggest that he is a centre. Winger, full back, stand-off - maybe, but not a centre.

Just FYI folks, centres very rarely defend against their opposite number these days. Most teams defend their halfbacks one in from the wing.

So if Leeds go with McGuire and Burrow from the start, they'll be defending against Tomkins and Carmont respectively. Cause for optimism there - no, really...

Id back Burrow against anybody when it comes to tackling. Mags still has a habit of sliding off it, a bit like Jessica Simpson in the Dukes of Hazard doing her washing the car routine.

I would seriously consider finding a way to put Burrow on S. Tomkins watch. He has enough foot speed and tackling technique to keep the shackles on him. The trouble is, because Tomkins joins the attack from full back, it's a bit hard to predict where he'll pop up... I have an impression that he has a particular liking for getting outside a defender on Wigan's right, I haven't studied enough footage to know whether that's a correct impression.

I think it's wrong to say that if you stop Tomkins you stop Wigan. It would help though.

I think Zak is well equipped to deal with anything thrown at him in the centres. He is a good defender and has shown composure at SL level. Plus he has pace to burn. He is gathering experience there in Academy. Admittedly it is risky chucking him in at Wembley, but he has never looked like the deer in headlights in the past.

Is Watkin's very doubtful for Saturday? I won't try to pick centres if both Ablett and Watkin's are out because McDermott will pick the total opposite. I think Leeds need to avoid kicking to Tomkin's and if they do, then he needs to be hit as soon as he catches the ball. Tomkin's chimes into the line often as third receiver, normally through behind balls. Leeds need to utilise an umbrella D in my opinion. To force them down the middle as Carmont is also a large threat.

In the NRL you'll generally see centres outside halfbacks in defence. If not it says a lot about some players' tackling.

While you are correct to point that out Mr Gilder, it's also worth pointing out that the half back in the centre position will take their position based on the centre, if that positioning and spacing is wrong and poor decisions made by the centre then it leads to a whole host of problems.

If Tomkins loops round the back of the line like he is liable to do and joins in around third man in, then whoever plays centre needs to be really on the ball and be watching him joining in to the line! If they don't, then Tomkins, the centre and winger will all have a field day!

I know the final is not the time or place but do Leeds not have any good up and coming Centres in the youth system???

Surely we could have given game time to these during this SL campain, against Salford, etc etc

Or are we and Old first team with no qualilty in the youth system for back up ??

And for the record, for me Smith has to play, he's proven time and time again that he can play in the big games and on the big stage!!

Don't get me started.



Looking at Delaney's most recent stats I don't know how we can manage in the forwards without him

Hardaker AND Wilson to centre then