Pretty much how I saw it too.

Dare I say it, are they finally turning the corner?

After those 3 horror shows against cas wigan and warrington, they have pushed a good Catalans team all the way, beaten salford and wakefield, just lost to widnes and have beaten the (before the game) LL away from home.

Depends by what scale we are judging hull. in the context of 'table toppers' they are probably a poor side. Not overly creative, outside backs big and fast rather than skillful, run through rather than past or around sides.

In the context of this year, they are a undoubtedly a good side, fantastic kicking game, big strong pack, good defence.

In SL at the moment a team which does the basics very well and keeps a bit of pressure is good enough to win most games. I don't know if they will be lifting any silverware this year (not least because largely you have needed to lose one to win one) but nobody will be wanting a game against them.

Thought we did well, committed defence, players pushing up with the ball carrier, limited errors. Watkins had a very good game imo, the pack as a whole did well, though Galloway always seems to be on for a set too long and this costs us penalties and breaks, Sutty player very well at FB, Handley continues to make the big money Briscoe signing look a little short-sighted.

Segayaro i think looked a little rocks and diamonds. That pass on our own twenty just after we scored was unacceptable, he got pinged for a pointless forward pass too and looked a little lost at times in defence. He also looked a strong, nuggety player, good speed around the ruck, generally got the ball away early and accurately, and his pass out of half for Watkins to barge over was something we have missed since Buderus.

On Lilley, yeah he made mistakes, yeah his execution was hit and miss, but ill tell you what encouraged me, in a close, tight game, for a struggling side against a big tough side full of confidence he didnt shy away one bit. He became more involved and executed better when the game was on the line.

imo, Watkins had a much improved game having to do less defending than he has been doing but still shown as a little weak defensively. Garbut easily MoM and probably player of the season. Segeyaro looks like he will be good given that he has only had 3 days to train with the team and learn team systems. Lilly did look a little confused as to where to be at times but again i think this is a systems issue being only called in at fairly late notice. the point is at last we won a tight one, it's all about building on this and gaining a bit of momentum to avoid playing the MPG

The wayward pass Segeyaro put out on his own twenty was because he wasn't sure who he was supposed to be passing to. The nearest Leeds player was fifteen yards away and nobody was putting their hands up to take a carry, which in that part of the pitch is absolutely unacceptable.

He made some errors and his timing looked a bit off, but the threat he posed when he could get out from dummy half coupled with his distribution (the double miss to hit Watkins for the try was a terrific read) showed there's plenty to come. No coincidence the defence looked much better and able to get numbers in the tackle with a proper 9 in the middle unit.

Hull were undoubtedly hampered by in-game injuries leaving them short of interchanges in the second half and without Pritchard they miss a dynamic runner on the edges. Thought Minichiello was quiet when he was on, wonder if he was either carrying a knock going into the game or is starting to run out of gas a bit as the season goes on.

Plenty of positives for Leeds to take from that. Looking at the attitude after going behind compared to earlier in the season, I wonder whether some people are starting to revise their opinion on who the leaders in the side actually are. Maybe senior pros like Hall and Ablett for example have more of a voice than the supposed leaders within the group?

agree with most except the handley/Briscoe thing. Briscoe has been our best winger by a distance in the last year

Handley has done well but Briscoe offers us much more. I recall a few saying we couldn't count Hall as a miss because he was playing poorly before his injury but he's shown since he came back what a difference he makes and I think Briscoe will be the same.

Regarding Achurch. I think he's performed solidly the last month and he's been almost an ever present since Easter and I do wonder if we have the Cap space available if we might decide to offer him a deal for next year after all, especially if Ablett does retire.

Obviously on less money, whether he'd accept, but I don't think any club will be offering him that sort of money again anyway.

Well played last night. Best team won, although we didn't help ourselves with some poor efforts. Would be very happy if you could now win all your remaining games, especially against the pies.

Apart from the first 5 games of last season, and the CC, I'm not sure how you come to that conclusion.

I wonder if he will stay on over here at another club since he's opened a a Gym ?

Think last I heard he was undecided. On one hand he has his gym business over here, on the other hand I think his girlfriend and child still live in Australia.

Even if it's not us I can't see any SL club offering him anywhere near his rumoured current high wage so depends what he might be prepared to accept wage wise if he stays in England.

Please god no. He has overall been a disaster and in no way deserves a new deal even on less money imo.

Excellent performance last night. Seemed well up for the fight even after going behind. Garbutt my MOM but strong displays by Watkins,Moon,Hall and even though I was never a fan of Sutty at half back I think he's now found his home and will improve with confidence. Segayaro good first game, hope we can hold onto him as I feel he'd be the star of 2017 for us. With Briscoe Ferres and Ward still to return things look good with the only downside for me is the lack of a leader at half back who can control the game alongside McGuire.

Not at Hardaker levels but I think it's ok. A full pre-season knowing that's going to be his position will hopefully improve him more in that department. He already though looks more of a threat in attack from the FB position than Hardaker ever did.

That's my view on him last night (and previously) too. All HB's have games when nothing works for them but for me the ones who keep trying, keep being vocal, keep putting their hand up like Lilley does are the ones I think have a better future for them. It's what Sutcliffe lacked at HB but looks like he'll get away with as a FB.

I like the look of sutcliffe at fullback. It gives us that halfbacky type edge that we haven't had from there since Webb. Hopefully it can give the team more balance in attack going forward. Sutcliffe seems better when he can drift in to add his input, rather than having the onus on him constantly in the centre.

It does mean though, that now the need for a class signing at halfback is even greater than it was before. Lilley is still young and learning, for now he needs to be an 'off the bench and intermittent starting' player to develop well. Then with a class act alongside him Mcguire can hopefully see out his final seasons doing what he does best.

Assuming segeyaro stays (

), sorting something out at halfback needs to be the number one priority. Backline is fine, pack is fine, hooker is hopefully sorted, halfback is the main area of deficiency now.

Just thought i'd post a link so you can re watch the match if you wish to www.rlawaydays.com/blog/45924743 ... s/10809530

Just thought i'd post a link so you can re watch the match if you wish to www.rlawaydays.com/blog/45924743 ... s/10809530

I just dont see anything in Lilley at all im sorry to say. Hes so slow, his tactical kicking is in the main terrible and although he defended well on Fri im far from convinced in him defensively also.

I appreciate hes young, and i love to see kids making it thru ranks, but hes played a high number of games this year but how many tries has he created?? 2??? 1 in 1st game and 1 at Hudds in cup.

In last minute Fri he had a clear run to line 20m out and got caught.

I hope im proved wrong. I really do.

He didn't get caught, he passed. Had he just dived he would have scored. I don't dissagree with your general feeling, but do think he is worth persevering with to develop, as a back up.

On the other hand I have the same feelings with Sutcliffe, who in comparison should be much further ahead in development with all the games he has under his belt. With the ball in hand, I thought he looked good Friday night, and I like that extra link. But his pace , and inability to be in position, is a massive risk to take on someone playing that position. He might improve it, but that is a might, and you only go with one out and out fullback. Hull exploited his positioning Friday, and every other team will watch that and do the same. All the best fullbacks have like a magnetic effect to a ball, and always seem to be there catching when a kick is put in. He however constantly seems to be turning around. Not sure how they will improve that. Like I have said many times as a squad utility back he is a great asset, but as a first choice position I just can't see one. Unless of course they do improve that positioning massively. It seems to have worked for Gaskell though, his like for like.

Sutty can and will improve his positioning and general full back play the more he plays the position. Whether he is the answer to that position tho im not 100% convinced. I do think Sutty is a talented player and is a Super League player im just not sure where. I would like to see him take on more tactical kicking duties.

Lilley, for me, just not good enough but we have no cover at halves and nobody really in 19s to slot in as back up so will have to stay there. Yeah he passed at death but he only passed cos Hull player caught him. For me Lilley is going to end up a decent Championship scrum half at best.

I will start this post by saying I'm a Zak fan.

I wouldn't right off Zak being our number 1 next season. Without being totally $hite on his full debut (at fullback), Zak was miles off the pace. He looked knackered and like a rabbit in the headlights. He will need to be a $hit load better to get a contract down here.

Unimpressive.

Thanks Biff ,
Correct Achurch has been a disaster and a couple of decent performances (when he is probably looking for a contract somewhere) do not make up for many lack luster performances .
Regarding Sutty , well yes much improved at full back although his positioning left alot to be desired so i am still in the doubting camp on him and god knows why he is kicking goals when Lilley is playing .

As for my comments that Hull are not a good side , i never said they do not deserve to be up in the top 2 , i just think they are one of the best of a really bad bunch .

I dont really mean it as a criticism of Briscoe, he is a very good player imo and would be knocking on the door for England selection bar injuries. But in an SC league, especially one with such a low one as SL, can we afford to have two highly paid wingers when we have Handley in reserve.

Or looked at another way, if we didnt have Briscoe and he was coming off contract at Hull at the end of this year, would you argue spending money there was a priority for this side?

The thing is, Lilley is far ahead of the likes of Gale, Sneyd, etc were at his age. Gale was playing in League 2 at this age and Sneyd wasnt really playing more than game here and there for Salford. Matty Smith didnt really make a position his own until he was about 22.

I dont think there is a 19 year old scrum half in the country who is 'good enough' to be playing week in week out for an SL side, i dont think there has been one for a while. Danny Mcguire was wasnt, Matty Smith wasnt, Sean Long wasnt, Danny Brough wasnt.