Much as Tony Smith saw through Matt Adamson...

I admire your faith in McLennan, but given his much longer working relationship with Eastwood before the player arrived at Leeds I'm not as convinced.

Coin flip for reasons both ways methinks. Interesting that Adamsons attitude legacy is greater than his playing one.

Eastwood has gone from hero to zero pretty rapidly, based on his attitude (lack of) rather than any lack of ability. Harsh call to bag Bluey for selecting him based on an old pals act. It seems Monsieur Cummins and Poching have made their stance pretty clear on said situation and handling of, given they are no more likely to be a head coach in SL for 2011 than either Mick Gledhill or Damo on 'ere.

It didn't do McGuire or Sinfield any long term damage being dropped for a cup final after impressing in the run up.

Eastwood is a match winner, same with Ali, and they are the sorts of player you want to bring off the bench to change a game.

Clarkson is a good solid player and has been impressive, but is more in the mould of JJB and Ablett as a solid hard working player.

It would be harsh to drop the lad, but Bluey must pick the team to win the cup, not do what is right by a young lad

Leeds have plenty of creative players running around in the key positions of 1,6,7,9 and 13.

They need grafters to set the platform for them, and that's where Clarkson comes in IMO. Personally I would rather have him in the 17 at the moment than the increasingly fragile and unreliable Lauitiiti.

Quote ="leicester_rhino"It didn't do McGuire or Sinfield any long term damage being dropped for a cup final after impressing in the run up. Eastwood is a match winner, same with Ali, and they are the sorts of player you want to bring off the bench to change a game. Clarkson is a good solid player and has been impressive, but is more in the mould of JJB and Ablett as a solid hard working player. It would be harsh to drop the lad, but Bluey must pick the team to win the cup, not do what is right by a young lad'" Which would be all fair and well if not for the complexity of selection of Eastwood based on his screaming for Mum policy rather than pure ability. Hardly a great message to anyone to put back in a player who has p!ssed off the club, teamates and fans. Would have been a much easier decision if he had actually done anything of value of Saturday to warrant his inclusion. Fact is, he nearly cost his side the game with some magnificent brainfarts. This contradictory piece does nothing in his attempt to obtain redemption: www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... 6466097.jp But then we will see the extent of his new found faith at Wheldon Road next week, if he can be bothered/is beamed live to Australia.

Quote ="leicester_rhino"It didn't do McGuire or Sinfield any long term damage being dropped for a cup final after impressing in the run up. Eastwood is a match winner, same with Ali, and they are the sorts of player you want to bring off the bench to change a game. Clarkson is a good solid player and has been impressive, but is more in the mould of JJB and Ablett as a solid hard working player. It would be harsh to drop the lad, but Bluey must pick the team to win the cup, not do what is right by a young lad'" Which would be all fair and well if not for the complexity of selection of Eastwood based on his screaming for Mum policy rather than pure ability. Hardly a great message to anyone to put back in a player who has p!ssed off the club, teamates and fans. Would have been a much easier decision if he had actually done anything of value of Saturday to warrant his inclusion. Fact is, he nearly cost his side the game with some magnificent brainfarts. This contradictory piece does nothing in his attempt to obtain redemption: www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... 6466097.jp But then we will see the extent of his new found faith at Wheldon Road next week, if he can be bothered/is beamed live to Australia.

Clarkson gets in on merit imo and i was of the same opinion when it came to Mcguire and Sinfield in past finals.
Eastwood has talent no doubts but he's not in the form of Clarkson,Ablett or Jjb and IF Ali does get fit he has more impact and threat than Eastwood also.
Smith showed faith with Jjb in 04 and Scruton for the 05 CC and imo Bluey should show the same faith in Clarkson.

Well he's only played once since his injury to be fair. Let's see how they all go in the next 2 games first.

On current ability I'd have Ali over Clarkson every time. But like you I would worry about his tendency to succumb to an injury during the game if he's only just back from his latest knock.

For me it is down to Ali and Eastwood proving their fitness over the next 2 games. If they can prove that then as I said before Clarkson will no doubt miss out and not on form but on the reputation of the others.
Afterall they are both class international prospects and match winners.
He could however play Clarkson and drop Diskin using Sinfield as replacement hooker to spare Buderus with Clarkson covering Sinny.
Just a thought!!

No qualms with that mate but my point is that Eastwood has to earn his place as Clarkson and co are easily in posession of the shirt on merit.

It didn't do Leeds any favours either as they went on to lose both cup finals.

You pick the best players in the best form. Clarkson > Eastwood easily and Saturday did nothing to change that opinion.

I too fear Bluey's relationship with Eastwood might hand him a cup final jersey I, for one, would rather be given to someone who has earned it/wants it.

You have doubts that a Leeds squad player would want it?

I agree they should go to the best 17 players who have earned it.

If Keiron Cunningham had run over Greg Eastwood to score as easily as he he did Chris Clarkson, then Christ knows what would happen on this forum.

This is nothing against Clarkson, Cunningham's run over plenty of others in his time, just pointing out a bit of selective vision. As it happens, when Cunningham *did* run at Eastwood, he was stopped dead.

Cunningham has done it to better players than a young back-rower and if we are going by that reckoning Clarkson did'nt try a stupid flick off load without looking into a Saints players mits which cost us to be 10 pts down at half time.
Just to add Burrow was as culpable for the try as Clarkson.

I did say it was nothing against Clarkson, and I'll add that it's pretty daft positioning having your smallest player and least experienced player defending the ruck together with KC at dummy-half a yard out. I was just saying that if it *was* Eastwood not Clarkson we'd be hearing a lot more about about it given the agendas it suits.

Mate Eastwood has made this himself no-one else it's not about agendas he does'nt want to be here,played ordinary in a semi-final and people are saying someone like Clarkson should miss out who's had a great 1st year,is in form and is committed to the club.
FWIW all the squad have had various criticisim at some point this year in terms of their performances so it's hardly a witch hunt.

Just to clarify, I'd pick Clarkson over either Ali or Eastwood at the moment.

All this debate around who we should play in the final is fairly irrelevent until we find out who is fit and available the week before. Given our track record this year there may be a no brainer in selection as we pick the only 17 fit guys we have.

But having said that, for me if Ali and Eastwood are fit they play. They are internationals who have shown up as such during the times they have been fit this year. Ali was by far our most dangerous attacking player at the start of the season and was putting himslef about in dfence as well and Eastwood has looked the business as well when at full fitness. There is no better 2nd row in the competition at turning a big game than Ali. If he gets a couple of games in before the final and comes through well then he's got to play. Sentimentality is pointless if you lose, but likewise selecting on reputation rather than fitness can also be disasterous.
I think Clarkson and even Ambler could both hold up their hands for a spot and I don't think either would let us down, Clarkson looks a tremendous prospect and on Ablett's form I think he is the one who should be worried about his place.

I agree it is selective, but exceptions are often made for young players that try their guts out.

Eastwoods most memorable contributions in that game were giving a try on a plate to saints then knocking on in the 2nd half.

You might even say it's a pointless thread at this time.

Yeah but we also know he can 'destroy' forwards (Bradford) and both he and Ali can change a game off the bench. Tough on Clarkson AND Ambler who I rate highly....BUT their time will come.
However, as I think others have stated, it's all irrelevant now because anything could happen between now and the CC final date.

Given his size, running over or around Greg Eastwood is pretty time consuming, even standing on "one leg" he is effective as a roadblock for the opposition

I agree it would be difficult to leave him out if he does that.

Not sure on Clarkson's game-time on Saturday but I think he played the first 40 straight for starters. That would be more than Lauitiiti has managed in the last couple of months combined and that's a worry.

And how do you do that when the game is played at such speed, there is no time to start moving defenders about when you are on your own line.

I think you are barking up the wrong tree to be honest, Clarkson or Burrow do not have the size to defend the line against Cunningham but they would bust a gut trying too.

Ali and eastwood should play as much as fitness allows prior to the final. My preference would be to pick one of them, depending on the form they show in the meantime. I accept that both have the ability to change a game; my worry is that neither has sufficient mobility or stamina to restrict Warrington's attacking style if that's what's needed. Picking both would be too much of a gamble IMO.