If you believe that, I have a money tree you can buy.

He had to make the 2 inter-chances to accomodate the additional 2,000 fans that arrived for the last 10 minutes - according to the announcer, when it was later chanced from 7K to 9K

Ok. I'll pay 200 sickles for it.

That is exactly what I said when someone started piping up behind me, Who would you have wanted to take off to squeeze them in? For me, Lunt has to start to be effective.

I thought Clarkson looked a lot better in attack in the short time he was on which is good, albeit against an already well beaten Wakefield side.

Less of Lunt worked for me.

I'm starting to think we might as well not have him on the bench next week and add Kirke to the 17 that played against Wakey. Start with him and get him out of the way after 25-30 mins or not at all. Usually Leeds start clicking in games from 30 mins onwards so at no point after that is it then a good idea to bring on a steady hooker in place of a match winner Burrow, or have him fill some other role. He isn't going to sub Burrow off during playoff games so i see no point of a interchange hooker, if Burrow picked up an injury mid-game we'd just have to plug the gap by switching Ward to 6 and Sinfield to 9, a pretty decent Plan B.

Leeds stacking bench with 4 forwards has worked well before.

We have options as you highlight.

2nd half against Wakie we did 2 simple things well: won the ruck with good quick PTB's and an improved general kicking game. 2 areas we have struggled with for some reason this year. They are simple staples of the game. Just need to couple that with some 80 minute defending.

When Leeds do that they give themselves a much better chance and foot hold in games and can be hard to beat.

I like this option - especially against the Frenchies. If we were to pick up an injury we just about have every position covered with the players that are already out there.

I think a big bench would be the way to go on Friday.

Agree we do need some size on the bench against the french

Or a fresh interchange dummy-half to run around the tired marker defence from the thirty minute mark onwards?

You could have Usain Bolt at dummy half, if you're not winning the collision it makes not a jot of difference.

Maybe B-Mac may use Keinhorst on the bench again...similar to our last game there as it would in theory give us the option of 4 forwards with Ablett able to swap in after the opening 20-25. Keinhorst and Hall had a strong game last time in france on the left and it is known as a tough place to play.

To be honest, lots of options with Ward, Keinhorst, Kirk, Bailey and obviously the decision with Kylie will also impact the selection and interchange options.

Could be an interesting one.... I think we will nick it in the last 10 minutes......looking forward to a good game

would go with a bench of Ward, Griffin, Kirke & Clarkson

Ward certainly has the goods, big fan of the young guns coming through, but with McGuire, Burrows and Sinny, do we need another player that is mainly a playmaker, would we not be better off v Catalan to look at 4 forwards or the option with Ablett and Keinhorst for more go forward.

As the season has worn on I've been less and less impressed and can see why Huddersfield loaned him out.

Distinctly average after a promising start.

totally agree. supurb in his first game. distinctly average now

Not necessarily disagreeing with you.....but maybe that superb debut was 'coached' out of the lad, compounded by his subjection to player power. Burrow was out injured, but when fit again he [uhad[/u to be accomodated as a starter ......

Like Buderus before him, perhaps it's more to do with him being mis-used as an interchange hooker [uIF[/u he's lucky that is. These days he tends to make a cameo appearance only.

You see what Burrow did Saturday to release Watkins and finish off his breaks? Lunt can't do that, not many can. THAT is why Burrow plays.

I'm with G on this one Burrow gave Watkins the quality ball and supported him superbly.
Wahtever arguments are about his best position Burrow is still very much an X-factor player and can still win games on his own also be a game-breaker.

Lunt will be one of the main players playing for his Leeds future during the Play Offs. Leeds would presumably still have to pay something to get him away from Hudds if they want to, and if the choice is between that and McShane who has done well at Widnes, then its up to Lunt to show why he deserves Leeds to make a move for him.

He also made McGuire's in a way that not many others, if any, could replicate. He is devastating and at his best jumping out of dummy half. He simply [uHAS[/u to feature in the 17 as one of the [ifirst[/i names on the team sheet, but where ??

For me, playing the traditional hooker alongside Burrow, who is free to jump into dummy half as much as he likes works best. I think the last time this option was implemented was in the WCC ?? And before that, the 2011 GF run in ?? Hmmmm





Defensively, Leeds undeniably suffer with Burrow as 80 min hooker.

If Burrow is unhappy in the effective game changing off-the-bench role, then perhaps it might be considered prudent to play Sinfield at LF ?? The team would [ualso[/u improve defensively ......Now wouldn't that be an idea ....?

There are two major aspects to a player's game. It's a little disingenuous to only focus on one of those which there is an ovious danger to do when Burrow starts as hooker.

?

Are you referring to Burrow's defence? has there been any problems with that at all. The major problem is the coaches scheme which has to accommodate Sinfield, Burrow and Mcguire out wide in the centre positions.

These days, of those three, Sinfield appears to be the weakest defender in that position, by some margin.

Is it disingenuous to talk about what an exciting talent Tomkins is without also mentioning his frailties as a specialist full back?

very true. but never a hooker in a million years

He may not tick all the boxes of a traditional 9, but he's put in some match winning displays playing there for a couple of years now.