Indeed.

He'll certainly get plenty of chances at 13 when Sinfield is injured or playing in the halves so he will get his opportunity to show he can improve the team by playing there.

Excellent news this is.

Cheers Yoda.

For me if he can move into the 13 position as easily as Sinfield moves into the 6 position when required then that has to be a benefit to the team. That will not happen without some exposure to the position and its demands.

Surely if he's that much of a natural he should be able to adapt fairly readily? It seems a bit OTT to disrupt the team to the extent of dropping Sinfield or McGuire to engineer opportunities for him to play LF.

Seems stragely out of place given recent contract policy so I assume it is a good deal money wise for the club
Ablett is a solid player and I would say not a first 17 player but because of the salary cap and the limited squad size it is the sort of player you need

Plus there's really no reason to do so, when there are plenty of opportunities to get his hands on the ball in attack from 2nd row. The line-up on the team-sheet doesn't always have to reflect the way the team lines up for every tackle of every set.

Did you watch Leeds at all last year?

Given that he's only missed 6 games in the last 2 seasons I would say he is part of the first 17.

Beat me to it.

I am not suggesting dropping anyone - no matter how natural you are fitting into a team pattern takes time even for the greatest players.

Not for me it didn't. At all my clubs my coaches realised how I could best contribute to the teams' success and I took to it immediatley and without issue.

Sitting at the bar with a pie and a pint watching the talented lads play came very easy to me.

it is 2010 , i dont think he is first 17 in the current squad

That's because he's injured you dope!

Who has displaced him?

FWIW, I do think he's 1st 17. For me, the starting 2nd row is JJB and Ablett and, on form, JJB's place is more under threat from Eastwood than Abletts as JJB has not reached the heights he did under Smith since Mclennan took charge.

Kirke is also way behind Ablett in the pecking order, IMO.

You couldn't be more wrong

From those at the club last year I would pick JJB and Kirke with Ali off the bench as my three second rowers, I havnt seen eastwood play enough to know if he is best at front or second row so he may be in the mix aswell,

would be happy to change my opinion based on performance throughout the season though

Fair enough and its' all about opinions but mine is that on last seasons' form he was better than JJB. On any seasons form he was considerably better than Kirke.

Were you one of the ones who

a) Didnt rate JJB.
b) Slagged the team, club, coach, mascot off in April of last year

There is no way Kirke is ahead of Ablett nor is JJB - both need to up their game if they are to feature on a regular basis.

I see Kirke more as a prop and as part of the rotational policy

Ablett would be in any starting 17 I picked

I would have Kirke down as a prop in any case. Only 2nd row in an emergency.

I don't rate Ablett plus he thinks he is better than what he is.

4 years is a bit much he is an average work horse at best like JJB.

0/10

He's no Gareth Hock. Still, at least he has the sense not be be a coke fuelled w[iank[/ier.

Unfortunately playing for Leeds he can't afford the drugs - although he could melt down his three gold rings