Not for the tiniest of split seconds.



From another SL club but more likely to come from the NRL being the cheaper option for a short term fix.



Perhaps it's my changed view on life recently or maybe it's the time of season and it's always been like this but I'm finding SL truly uninspiring at the moment. It's probably just me though.

I think the game is changing. The big change being no relegation. Teams dont have to worry about winning every match and spend time developing rising stars. Yes they make more mistakes but you can also give them to get more game time to develop their skills.

Because I reckon anyone half decent can play hooker these days to a decent standard. Roby is considered one of the best hookers in the league but all he is really is a failed half back who's quick out of dummy half. Same goes for Scott Moore, Craig Wing, Ryan Hudson, Mick Monaghan (in his Manly days) New Zealand won a world cup with Thomas Lulueai (sp) playing hooker, and they even won a Tri-Nations with Motu Tony at hooker.

What was your pie count Gareth?

I'd be thrilled if Gibson and Watkins prove you 100% correct this year. Especially Gibson who showed soem really classy touches (I actually feel pretty bad saying the kids crocked - I would love to be proved 100% wrong on this as well).
If you want a reason why we should sign a top quality centre (and I mean "top" quality), if one is available and if we can afford him, then this is it. With that amount of posession and that opposition, with Senior and another player of his attacking class on the other side of the pitch, we should have scored over 50. Also when Smith moved to right centre late on he was well out of position for Hock's try.
Not a convincing argument after such a good team display. And I fully agree that we don't need to sign a player like Carmont etc. when we have those two kids available.

BTW, what the hell are Wigan doing recruiting wise? They seem to have bought an empty NRL barrell and scraped the bottom of it simply to fill spaces in their senior academy? Baffling.

I think this thread demonstrates the folly of mixing cheap red wine with what looks like an excess of e numbers in Wilson's Pies!

Our first half performance last night was excellent and more of the same against Saints will go down very well. The younger guys performed well and the Team's future is looking good.

That said, as the Manley game proved, you can never have too much talent, or that we can thumb our noses at the NRL.

Thank feck it's Gary who is Chief Exec. and not some of our more irascible fans.

Regrettably low. In fact, nil. As was the pint count.

Got a swollen gland and on anti-bio-tics so was feeling very ropey at match. In fact, nearly went hone to watch on telly. Also had the s[ihi[/its. Might've been the four packets of oreo's I ate after a lunchtime trip to Costco.

On the plus side, the swollen glands got me my testicles felt when I visited the Dr's in the morning. Granted, Mr Hassan is not usually my cup of tea but I got some action nonetheless.

Now, what were we discussing?

No shag. I'd felt like that up to the WCC. I enjoyed the WCC and I enjoyed last night.

Remember, it all gets better in July so don't go making any hasty Judgments.

Talk about your feeder line...

I suspect another defeat or two last night and Noble will have all the excuse he needs to drop Ainscough and Tomkins and put Phelps and Smith back in the team.

Surprised you didn't grasp it...........the line not the gland.

And Mathers.

Because rugby league is a squad game and Leeds could benefit from the extra depth. Watkins is still only 17 and it wouldn't do any harm to have him as a squad player for a couple of seasons, he would still get a lot of games.

When Kevin Penny came through at Warrington a lot of people were complaining that we had signed Chris Hicks, saying why would we need to bring him in when we had a better player coming through the ranks, but now Penny has gone through a sticky patch I'm glad we've got Hicks, it takes the pressure off so now Tony Smith can work with him behind the scenes and bring him back into the side at the right pace rather than exposing him every week.

Your point looks valid in the context of last night but Leeds will have to beat better sides than Wigan, if they get a couple of injuries in the outside backs and have fresh Academy lads in there then Saints beat you with Gidley and Gardner doing damage, people will come right back on saying we need to sign another NRL outside back.

Not trying to argue against the Leeds approach to bringing talent through, which is a shining beacon for English sport never mind Super League, but it wouldn't do any harm to get one quality NRL back in...Joel Monaghan, Justin Hodges etc.

With the greatest of respect there is nothing Warrington can teach us about assembling a squad.

Not many better sides. Last year Wigan were 3rd. Last year we beat Saints in the GF with the threequarters currently at our disposal. What has changed in the threequarters in the league to make us panic now?

Like you did with Matt King? That calibre of player?

Gibson and Watkins play down the right hand side dont they?

That would mean them facing Gilmour and Armstrong. In all honesty, I dont see that being much of a test for your youngsters.

No mate gibson right watkins left


Expect to see senior back though to wrap up gidley

Only if the centres double team, like in union, so no not really.

So Gibson and Watkins are going to be Leeds' centres next week?

I highly doubt that, Senior will come back to face Gidley and then someone will face Gilmour down the left.

Well they have been in the last two matches.



You may be right, we'll have to wait and see with Senior. I think Leeds are wrapping him in cotton wool and saving him for the tough games, so it depends if St Helens away in the SL Regular Rds falls into that category.

On the evidence of the last two seasons, probably not.

Hold the phone.

If Saints and Wigan aren't going to provide a test for our young centres than I am now even more confused as to why our speccies are clamouring for us to sign a centre from the NRL 9or elsewhere).

well said sally. lovely this common sense stuff ain't it.

Likewise to lowes, got put in the seat too early. Now he has a chance to do what Brian McDermott did and learn from a very good coach in Smith.

Development is key stage in any early career and to rush it when you don't have to is needless.

Can anyone remember a Leeds team attacking as deep as they did last night in recent times? To me this is why Burrow and McGuire played so well because they had more room to operate in.

Noticed that myself.

Leeds are attacking slightly different to previous years. Evidently coming from much, much deeper.

It's the position teams are tending to want their best player at nowadays, which shows how influential it is.
It's changed, that's all. Ten of fifteen years ago, in those circumstances, we probably would have put JJB at acting half. What is needed from the role nowadays is speed off the mark, then passing, then defence, although out use of the fullback in the role took away the defensive workload.

did he not turn 18 on Thursday?