Wrong again. Wakey game. They were missing B.Tupou, Gibson, Owen, England, A.Tupou. We were missing Hall, McGuire, Galloway, Ablett and Ward.
1-13 Hull KR were missing Mantellato and Kelly. Also, Salter. But would he play ahead of Cockayne? No. We were missing Briscoe, Hall, Ward.

I think you need to check your facts on Wakey and Hull KR rather than playing the big I am. You are totally wrong with the statement above.

It may well be flawed but it's simple to understand and is at least an attempt to quantify how far each team is away from their optimum selection when injury free.

If you are describing a method that introduces subjective opinion where you weight one players worth against another, one players importance to his team over another players importance to their team we both know that is never going to happen or be accepted if it did.

Campese lasted 10 minutes, add in Minns, Larroyer, Boudebza and Lawler. So I would think our starting halves, two centres (one is back up), a winger and both interchange hookers out weigh a couple of wingers.

What I would agree with is that no team has been as badly affected as Leeds as other teams have simply dealt with it better.

The difference being that since Wigan have only been making up numbers for the past few seasons, there isn't as much determination to beat them. As treble winners Leeds is the first fixture most opponents look out for. The injuries are an excuse, but not the excuse - as discussed elsewhere there are several reasons we've been gash this year.

Ouch!

Can't beat selectively ignored facts which don't fit the "Mac is Great" narrative



I guess the usual suspects had better place the injuries excuse to one side and dredge up SPOTY, Kiwis and the floods again.

How else are you going to absolve McDermott from any blame for a record of 3 wins and 16 defeats this season?

Just don't dredge up mindsets of unconscious complacency again, because the fault for that could reasonably be laid at McDermott's door.

It is the right time for McDermott to go, no doubt about that. Half season of being cr@p shouldn't blur people's judgement of what McDermott has achieved though.

Mac has been heavily criticized even in midst of massive success. So alot weren't convinced by him. Selections, use of the bench etc.

This season was the year where his coaching credentials would get massively examined and he hasn't passed the test for me. And he continues to come up with any kind of answers where you can see the season turning round. we're in free fall.

Nonsense. Can't speak for all other teams, but our "first one we look at" is Saints, by some considerable distance, as it is with them.

Just spoke with Ryan Hall tonight. Didn't say when he would be back, was still limping. Slimmed down has the lad though, probably to reduce the weight on ankle I would suspect.

so he's still limping and he's thin? It's going to be a donkeys years before he's back.

Wife looked happy though, if any consolation.

Who knows, Ablett was meant to definitely be playing vs Catalans last week and didn't even make the 19.

He said last week that he was targeting the Wakey game for his comeback

Limping in his flip flops tonight, I would doubt that. Unless they inject or something, but who knows. He was struggling carrying the baby.

As Printer rightly points out, Ablett reckoned he would be back for Catalans, so who knows.

Who's in charge of getting these players back to fitness?

Please don't say Ian Kirke.

Given his handling errors before he got injured that doesn't come as a shock.

I was talking about the ankle though.

Whose baby?

On leaving the club last night, somebody else did say that he had said last night Wakey game he would be back. Will have to sort out his limping though.

Interesting quote from Galloway in the YEP, saying that "The intensity was up last week ahead of the Catalans game and you could see how much effort went into that game." Seems odd. I thought they were working hard - if nothing else - all year.

They haven't been working hard with tackling bags, that's for sure.

Did the increase in effort and improved performance coincide with Hardaker not playing and placed on the transfer list. The thought certainly crossed my mind.

Its possible. Regardless of the cause, if others know he is taking the p*ss on the field I'd expect it to have an effect on the effort of the rest of the team.

For all the criticism aimed at him, I think kirke would improve our team right now. What we are crying out for is someone who can defend and is mobile, and slows the play the ball down.