Surprised people are preferring a centre in the back row rather than promoting Clarkson and having Luke Burgess on the bench.

I'd go with

Webb
Donald
Delaney
Smith
Hall
Sinfield
McGuire
Leuluai
Buderus
Peacock
Jones-Buchanan
Senior
Clarkson

Bailey
Burrow
Burgess
Diskin

A little lightweight on the bench, but it has lots of options, and is no lighter a 17 than we would go with, just different people in different starting positions. Senior in 2nd row helps him get on the ball more, and reduces his recent poor defence.

Plus Senior has mentioned in this weeks interviews that he is looking forward to working with Burrow again as he plays on his side. That won't change much if Senior operates at second row but if Senior stays centre it could re-ignite the left hand side strike.

Gotta fit the old guy in somewhere.

Senior and McClennan already stated he will play more in the back row, and with Smiths inclusion, this would bring this chance.

Burrow has to start! McGuire and Sinfield have simply died of death as a half back partnership. You'd be better off playing Lealuai and Ambler in the halves!

Is he a better back rower than Clarkson though or is he just being crowbarred in because he's Keith Senior?

Mm probably the latter.

Although, time will tell.

Leeds have to the start the strongest line up they can, even if this leaves the bench a bit light and inexperienced. Go out there and blast Saints off the pitch. JP and JJB will play a full 80 if it was upto them. You just cannot let Saints settle and get a couple of tries early on.

Leeds couldn't blast a crisp packet off the pitch at the moment.

At the risk of sounding like AP - Saints by plenty.

I’ve got a feeling Leeds will dismantle saints like a Lego set that’s getting put away.

Saturday will be a different day.Hopefully with a team looking a far better one that we saw on Friday.

Thats been said too many times this season. We're still making the same errors and still arn't playing to anywhere near our best.

Although I can see the merits of having Delaney and/or Senior in the second row I don't think this is the game to make such an experiment ...save that for next season....defence is critical.IMO we should go:

1 Webb
2 Hall
3 Delaney (to better contain the threat of Meli)
4 Senior
5 Donald (hopefully to get more running chances)
6 McGuire
7 Burrow
8 Kylie
9 Buderus
10 Peacock
11 JJB
12 Ali (Clarkson)
13 Sinfield

bench

Smith (game changer)
Bailey
Burgess
Ambler (alll three big lads which we will def need)

No Diskin?

No chance IMO. The only teams we beat by plenty are ones that give up - Leeds don't do that.

If we do win it will be by the narrowest of margins but if I was betting I'd say Leeds by 8.

I get the feeling that McClennan has targeted the cup and Leeds have been keeping their powder dry so to speak.

I would have in at the expense of Burgess.....but think we're gonna need big bench for this one and Smith gets the nod over Diskin for me. (we know Burrow and Sinfield can spell for Buderus if need be)

32-14 to Saints IMHO.

They will destroy us around the ruck all day. Short passes from dummy half to the likes of Graham and Wilkin with an offload from them. They destroyed Warrington that way and I don't rate our marker defence much. I just hope McClennen picked up on this because they have beaten us this way many times before.

But you'd like to think sooner or later we will do the business, could be doubtful but im hanging onto hope.



You could be right. They we're very strong around the ruck against Warrington. I just hope 1-17 for Leeds run their blood to water. That means the markers must work hard, win the wrestle and control the ptb.

Where did they destroy Warrington? It wasn't on the score board.

It'll be all on the day. Both sides mixing and matching. Most likely decided by discipline or lack thereof and making unforced errors.

St Helens going in as slight favourites for me but that'll count for little come kick-off time.

Never said they destroyed them on the scoreboard though did I my old bean



I said they destroyed them around the ruck area which they did, and I can see them doing the same against us. There is nothing wrong with that though. Saints are the best team in the league IMO and if they win they deserve to. I agree its all about the day though and if we win I wont celebrate any less.

Now that saints have Meli and Gardner on the same side of the pitch you should just bomb them two every time they couldn't catch a cold also flannery didn't look too comfortable at centre on saturday

Sadly though Flannery had his best game iv seen him play at centre against us earlier this season. I agree with the Meli & Gardner thing though. 2 of the worst good wingers in the league on the same side can only be good for us

Meli has been brilliant this season and has had a couple of top games at centre.

He plays better for Leeds tho! Does he still think he has some sort of debt to pay Leeds?