My comments if you check back are not meant to be condescending at all far from it.
In fact I have tried to reel in some of our fans stating we will win by 40 or 50 points.
I have said on paper we should win comfortably but we aint playing you on paper.
I am sure you will give as good as you get and I personally think it will be much closer than some think.
If we don`t win by 50 the team will be slated by many on here.
For me a win is all that matters even by a bad call by the ref giving us a 1 point win in injury time will do me

it's a team of part timers we are playing not Wigan. course Fev will give it a go but if Leeds don't win by 30 it will be a major shock

As others have said I'd expect a tough game for 40-60 minutes, especially if Fev get on the board early, with Leeds pulling away towards the end.

This game aside I hope Fev go well in the 8s, same with Batley, they've certainly had to work harder than Leigh and London to be involved in the first place and deserve something for that.

We're quite good at major shocks. Our history is littered with them.

But you are correct, anything but a comfortable Leeds win is not going to happen.

Shame it's not at Headingley, I've never seen us lose (to Leeds) there.

Not so sure about us fading towards the end. We haven't done so against any other full time opposition this year.

I think we could really do with a convincing win/performance though. We're the first game of the weekend and on tv, could really send a message to the other teams that we mean business. Limp over the line (or even a loss) and the other sides will start smelling blood.

Looking at the other fixtures I think it's important for Salford to beat Hudds this week but that's a close game to call. In Round 2 they go away to Leigh and if Salford go there on the back of a defeat then Leigh will see that as a great opportunity for themselves to leave a SL club with an 0-2 record and improve their chances massively so the pressure would be on.

Leeds started to find form at the right/wrong time depending on your perspective.
Leeds will finish top of the pile, 100% record in the 8's for me

Yes you are absolutely spot on Printer.
Don`t get me wrong my heart tells me one thing and my head tells me something else especially how this season has panned out.
There`s no reason why we shouldn`t put 30 on Fev but they have proved in the past they can push full time SL teams all the way and with 3 Leeds players in the team along with one or two ex players they will want to prove a point.
38-12 is my prediction but would not be surprised to see 26-16 in favour of Leeds of course.

We're in the Middle 8's. even if we won every game 60-0, there's no real glory. so whether we win by 1 or 60, the clear objective is finish in the top 3. secure SL status, then un-pick this diabolical season and rectify for next season.

Not sure about the 100% record because Hudds away is never an easy game and is usually a very tight affair. They are the unknown really in this Middle 8's because their coach has only just come in 2 games ago and not sure if they'll hit the ground running or take time to get going.

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Another issue with regards to the potential scoreline is points difference. I might get some accusations of cockiness or condescension but the truth is that points difference could well be crucial. In such a short league format their's a good chance you could finish level on points with someone and if the difference between finishing 3rd or 4th is points difference then I'd rather be on the right side of it, and i don't want to only notice it by Round 6/7 that "oh our points difference is worst than theirs".

It's the reason why we won the LLS last year, the reason why even if we'd have beaten Widnes the other month and finished level on 18 points we'd wouldn't have made the top 8, it's the reason why last year's Million Pound Game took place at Belle Vue instead of Odsal.

Granted we've got to get the win first, but if the opportunity/momentum is their during the game, particularly in the final 20 mins to score a decent chunk of points I hope we're ruthless with it.

I believe so too, its frustrating we couldn't get this form together a bit earlier and have still been a shot at top 4 as we could have had a crack imo , but it would be a massive shock to see anything other than a stroll in the park for middle 8s now,still have to get the job done of course.

Cup final? I don't think so, the Batley and London games are much more important to Fev, if we win those then we are likely to get 6th in the middle 8s - 750k compared to 450k for finishing 8th.

Personally I couldn't give a rats ar$e if Fev win this game or if Leeds win this game by 1pt or 60pts as long as we can beat London and Batley.

Cup final? Nope. Good day out? Yep.

Dave speaking on the positive thread, if we all think this is a way forward to reach the terminus on the front of the 8's then make it more positive and show what could happen, I for one will know it can be enjoyed.

I'd have thought that its quite possible that the first week could well be the toughest against all the Championship sides, as they'll all be up for it. It is like a cup game so they'll go all out. After a couple of games (or based on last year just one for some teams - I'm looking at you Leigh) the effort of playing tougher games every week will tell.

I wouldn't be surprised at a very close game. Back in the day Fev used to beat us quite a lot - often when form said they shouldn't IIRC.

It's all about speed and precision, like an experienced assassin leeds need to kill this game and the middle 8's dead quickly. No fuss, get off to a ruthless start at 100mph. Because if they dilly dally eith mistakes and penalties fev will grow in confidence and it will become a titanic tussle. The same goes for the middle 8's as a whole.

Charlie,

Potentially anything could happen, as you know I'd written us off ages ago. A win against Leeds would be awesome, but not our cup final.

Agreed, we need to be in a guaranteed SL position before Leigh do us in the final round.

Moon, McGuire and Delaney added to the 17 which played at Hull KR, Lilley misses out altogether.

Presumably Achurch and Golding miss out, with Keinhorst dropping to the bench and Delaney starting there.

I think Lilley is injured or at least looked like he had aggrievated his shoulder against HKR.
But if McGuire is fit I doubt Lilley would get into the 17 anyway.
The coaches choice not mine.

So now Lilley, Handley and Mullally could be named in the Featherstone 19 and not be available for us again this season.

This.

Depressingly so infact.

The players can talk the talk, making the right noises about how difficult it will be and how much they respect these teams. But talking, and actually being in that mental space where they can go out there and perform like it's a playoff series for the grand final are 2 completely different things. But that's what they are going to need to do if they want to blow this thing out of the water before it's squeaky bum time.

That's why Featherstone away is the perfect first game for us, if any of our players are under the delusion that the Championship teams are just going to roll over Featherstone will quickly knock some sense into them. And quite honestly if any player goes into the middle eights half d with their job on the line we should be looking at moving them on.

They haven't been though and won't be for any of Fev's other games.

Baldwinson, L.Briscoe and Walters all named in Fev's 19.

I don't think they will at all. After the Middle 8's were confirmed with the defeat against Widnes the players could've gone through the motions the last three games and save themselves for the Middle 8's and take whatever fixtures came their way....but despite a tough schedule they rolled their sleeves up the last three games and got themselves up to 9th and that extra home game.

My one concern if we get off to two wins from two is that when we go to London in week 3 we might have half an eye on Salford at Headingley the following week. But this first game with a week off to prepare.....not an issue IMO.