How confident are the "Leeds will finish top" brigade now? Putting money on it?

2014 repeating itself, except it's started earlier. Falling in a massive hole with players in decline and a coach who has absolutely no idea how to use his interchanges.

I'd love to see those bagging Watkins try to play centre with Burrow, McGuire and Ablett constantly dragging defences into your space with clueless sideways runs. He's at serious risk of not realising his potential and needs to get to the NRL as soon as he can.

Need our back 3 back. Handley's done well but is struggling now. Even if you classify the last try as one of those that can happen, the other Cas try in the 2nd half he came in when he really shouldn't have. Can't help but think Hardaker would've stopped the first try whereas Sutcliffe put in a tame tackle attempt (also pretty poor when conceding that 40/20).

As for subs, yeah one unused but doubt Walters would've made any difference really. The big sub issue isn't so much that Sinfield was on the bench, but that when he came on it was for Aiton and not Burrow. Just too many errors in the end, knock ons and forced passes. After we tied it up and should've looked to be the ones to win it Cuthbertson knocks on and we never really see the ball again for the remainder of the match in a meaningful position.

I know they said they didn't want to ask for a fixture change as it should be Wakefield's choice as the home team but was a really unwise choice in the end.

I agree I thought he did well.

On another note, Ablett has always looked better imo when playing on the left side and I thought Ward was playing well when on the right. They've changed it around and I don't know why or that it's the right move.

Fair hit! His shoulder makes contact with the lads jaw!

I don't understand benching Sinfield to start McGuire and Burrow in the halves. Neither has a kicking game and if McDermott could cast his mind back to pre-2011 he'd realise we always did worse when Kev wasn't playing at 13 to complement Mags and Burrow at 6 and 7. Plus taking Aiton off (who was again outstanding) meant Burrow's defensive hole still needed filling while we lost Aiton's ability out of DH.

On the plus side I thought Kylie & Keinhorst both played really well - JK looked like he might actually make a SL standard yet.

Moon & Sinfield to start next week for Keinhorst & Burrow with both dropping to the bench for Sinfield & Walters.

Also Yates needs game time - got on for what seemed around 5 minutes, nowhere near enough if he's going to prove himself.

There's only Burrow who does that. And that's because his instinct is to look for the gap for himself to exploit. McGuire looks to draw defenders in to make space for players to run off him.

People are always making excuses for Watkins. He's a liability at times. I think it was the run in & play offs in 2013 where he made mistake after mistake. Any other player would have been slaughtered but the excuses on here were that he MUST be carrying an injury. Well, he went on to play every minute of every game for England end of season 4 Nations.
If anybody came in with a decent offer I'd cash in

For some reason, McDermott decided he wanted his two least mobile props on in the last ten minutes when we were chasing the game.

Although in Peacock's case, he probably decided he was going back on himself.

Seriously, if you think that selling Watkins would in some way improve Leeds' chances, you're ready for the padded room.

And buy whom?

The new marquee signing allowance has created opportunity. If there was the possibility of signing a quality centre from the NRL I'd definitely cash in. Perhaps not under any other circumstances.

Aiton start the rot - the number of forward passes he throws is getting silly and his attempt at a tackle on Millington was nothing short of laughable.

Burrow looks a spent force at this level - another two years seems a crazy decision based on what we are currently seeing

Agree re Keinhorst and Kylie - Handley needs a rest and some game time at a lower level whilst he gains a little more craft - once again he bombed another certain try. His drop at the end can happen to anyone it is part and parcel of developing young players.

Cas played well and were good value for their victory - the lack of depth in the squad showed tonight and Leeds need to improve and get some players back or the end of the season could be very tough.

The games against Saints and Wigan have huge importance in the standings prior to the split - finishing third will make getting to the GF tough.

To be fair to Aiton he does jump out of dummy half and try to draw in the markers. It could
be argued that it was Peacock who overran him twice.

To be fair, although I wouldn't cash in, he is poorly coached. Someone really needs to kick up his . He is a supremely gifted player, but with a poor attitude, and seems to believe his own hype. However, it is for a coach to get the best out of him.

Perhaps, if it was the first time he'd done it, but it's become a very bad habit, he gets pinged at least once a game, and to be honest it could be more.

Tonight's game was always going to be difficult with a short turnaround from Sunday.
What did concern me was our sloppy unprofessional play and attitude. Burrow was poor tonight crabbing across the field looking for a gap. Unfortunately he no longer has the pace to go through any gap that occurs.
Our forwards tackling is not aggressive enough . Cas deserved the win good luck to them.

One thing that people surely can't have missed, is the amount of stick zak has had on here all season about no passing in attacking situations, well after watching that, I can only assume that that's a Brian Mac instruction, because sutcliffe didn't pass in those situations either.

He passed once, to put Handley away IIRC off a kick return. But, I'm not sure it is instruction, even when he plays 6 his first instinct is to run, and I thought he bombed at least 1 chance to create a try by dropping the shoulder instead of releasing the runners on the outside.

Too many big errors! Some very average defence. We don't deserve to be top.

I thought Cas were very average, but we were simply $hit.

To be fair he was up against one of the best defensive centres in super league tonight (Shenton) but I'd take him at Cas any day.

Still confident and i've already got money on it. In fact i'm so confident i'll be happy to make a second bet, whenever you're ready.

I still think Leeds will finish top. Leeds first 15 tonight was atrocious. How many handling errors in their own 20!? Respect the footy! I was confident Cas would play well tonight as we have found form and we are a warm weather team (compare to good Friday) but it ain't often Leeds will find themselves 18-0 down at home. Don't think McDermott's use of sub's helped your cause either. But still once hardacker moon JJB Delaney ward etc return I do think you are pound for pound the best team in the league. (Just not the best coach though).

And to be fair, I wouldn't have made the comment after one match, it is a continuous thing.

I do worry about Hanley confidence, two games with more errors in Wigan and gas games. looked distraught at the end. Good to see the senior players having a word with him trying to pick him up. When Sinny was talking to him he looked near tears

While it is valid to consider the four day turnaround and use of the bench these were not the seasons for losing this game. It was the crucial errors committed by the players that gave away possession and 18 points in the first half when we were fresh. Having got ourselves back into the game it was further player errors that gave Cas the game.

Handley cost us tries at both ends not for the first time recently and he needs a rest now. Watkins for all his natural skills continues to make silly errors. You could argue that Sinny should not have gone for the penalty when we had momentum and with Cas beginning to fray.

It was unfortunate that so many of our errors cost us tries at both ends but this highlights the importance of player errors. I do not believe bringing on Yates earlier or an out of form Walters would have reduced these errors as the mistakes were made by players they would not have replaced.

Leeds played with virtually 15 players. Walters sub not used. Yates brief, pointless, stint.

With 20 mins left, Cas rolled 3 props on - Lynch, Millington and Boyle. Who had been effectively rested. Work load shared, they were better equipped for the last quarter and got the win. Whilst we still had the old guard on chugging around.