We are without Ah Van, Gerrard, Houston, Runciman,and Dudson, that's 5 first teamers.

I just thought I'd get our excuse in early!

I think you will find we will have a few more out than that plus factoring in the jet lag when some players only landed Monday might still tip it your way.
Like you say just getting our excuses in early too mate.

You forgot the plastic pitch

Leeds are also without their best player...Chris Houston! The guy is a penalty machine and an absolute liability whenever I watch him play. Shame he is banned.

True the plastic pitch is another good one. Forgot about that

Your team as it stands and if correct is player for player better than the Widnes team that will play Sunday.
Taking into account your injuries,jetlag and us being coached by Coco the clown I expect the rhinos to win by at minimum 10-20.

Golding
Briscoe Watkins Keinhorst Hall
Sutcliffe Myler
Singleton Parcell Cuthbertson
Ablett Delaney
JJB

Dwyer Ormondroyd Garbutt if fit Ferres if fit or any of the following/Walters/JJR/Smith
My worry is if any of the backs get injured who covers for them?

I predict at least one long term ankle / knee injury, probably someone with quick feet. I'll take a guess at Keinhorst.

Cuthbertson out for 8 weeks with a hand injury. Ward ruled out 4-6 weeks with his calf injury.

Worrying injuries now starting to take their tole with Cuthbertson & Ward. Hopefully Garbutt and Oledzki make the game as suggested by the club, if they don’t, then we really are to the bare bones in the front row.

Golding
Briscoe Watkins Sutcliffe Hall
Moon Myler
Singleton Parcell Garbutt
Ablett JJB
Delaney

Dwyer Oledzki Keinhorst Ormondroyd

Walters Jordan-Roberts

All these injuries are quite long term as well it's not just missing a weeks or two it's a month or two, wouldn't be surprised if we looked at bringing in a prop on loaun or something for a month but knowing the Rhinos well probably just try and ride out the injury crisis, wonder if we'd be tempted into dual reging a forward from Featherstone?

Maybe Workington will let us have Bailey



Seriously though this is exactly why I didn't want us to go to Australia as I could see this happening. The league is far more important than one game that we were never going to win. Hope we don't go back there anytime soon.

Think most of us knew this game COULD be a "throwbe"
Injuries/tiredness/deflated plus 4 points in the bag equals feet up for next Friday. Hope I'm wrong.

Cuthbertson - 8 weeks
Ward - 4-6 weeks
Garbutt - potential return
Mullally - 12 weeks
Ferres - 4 weeks
Galloway - 6-8 weeks
Peteru - 11 weeks
Walker - 3 weeks
Oledzki - potential return
A Sutcliffe - 12 weeks

Cuthbertson out is a massive blow.

That's a bit misleading though because Garbutt, Galloway, Ferres and Oledzki and A.Sutcliffe haven't played a game yet. Suggesting that the injury list is particularly related to the WCC is a bit odd given that those 5 plus Peteru and Mullally didn't go to Australia.

It's responsible for around a 1/3rd of it with the most costly absentees. They and the rest of the team could've been resting last week, looking back at what they did right and wrong in the opening 2 games, working on that and really setting themselves up for the next 4/5 games which could put us in a strong position early doors for top 4.

Printer was against the WCC trip and is just trying to support his original view - that's where the discussion is at.

We live in a modern age - these players travelled pampered not cattle and have had over a week off since the WCC - that should be plenty.

If Leeds can't beat Widnes that is more squad depth/conditioning than it is a one-off game in Australia.

As Leeds have shown numerous times this time of year doesn't matter in determining who is going to win the GF.

Wasn`t Moon carrying an injury that might force him to miss this weeks game?
I would be tempted to put Handley on the wing Briscoe to centre and Keinhorst in the forwards this week.

We lost players in the KR game, we'll lose players in other games this season including in training. Just because the WCC wasn't for 2 points doesn't make it any less important. We complain about the game struggling to progress, games like the WCC are needed to raise its profile. I'm sure that if you asked the players, including those injured, if it was worth playing Melbourne they'd say yes.

Based on who we think is fit

Goulding
Briscoe
Watkins
Jimmy
Hall
Myler
Lilley
Singleton
Parcel
Jjb
Ablett
Delaney
Sutcliffe

Dwyer
?
?
?

Widnes have injuries too. Runciman, AH Van, White, Dudson, Gerrard, Houston banned and Ryan Ince. You still have top players and will be a close game.

Leeds Rhinos: from Golding, Briscoe, Watkins, Sutcliffe, Hall, Moon, Myler, Parcell, Singleton, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Dwyer, Delaney, Garbutt, Keinhorst, Handley, Ormondroyd, Oledzki, Walters.

With a bit of luck both Moon and Garbutt will make the 17.

Is Lilley injured too?