What are the scores, George Dawes?

He's a baby, he's a baby.

Welcome to Shooting Stars.

Well you'd be wrong then wouldn't you!

JJB on Rhinos webstie: [i"When people say we're not going to win anything it inspires me. When people write us off and doubt us is sometimes when we are at our strongest. You'd be mad to write a lot of these lads off. Don't get me wrong there are some good teams out there who are playing some great rugby, but we've still got some good lads in our side and a few tricks up our sleeves so there's still a lot to play for."[/i

Just a coincidence? I don't think so.

When will JJB start to show that he is inspired? How much more writing off does the team need to start to show what they are capable of? All I see is the same poor performances week after week.

Fanatical supporters (I used to be one once - when I had little else to occupy my time) wonder why others pick and choose their matches !!

It's obvious the players are largely picking and choosing which matches they want to 'attend' this season...so why should the supporters not do the same ? No doubt they will be there for the CC semi....so I will be there too. However, they might not all turn up for the Wigan match this Friday, so I might choose not to be there either.

The general lack of form over the whole season and the inability to stick together a run of good performances on the bounce suggest to me we'll have a good shot at the CC but not the GF this year. Having said that, the team may well surprise me again. Which wouldn't upset me very much.

4th in the league and the CC semi coming up in a couple of weeks - I think you're setting your expectations a little high don't you?

Do you really expect us to be topping the league year in year out?

That's the remarkable thing....because nobody can deny Leeds' patchy form this season (admittedly at least [ipartly[/i down to the crippling squad testing injuries) .

They are doing just enough, but for me to part with my money I would of course ideally like to see more than that.... especially when I am trying to convert my step-son from the Union he was brought up on.

I’m a Rugby League fan who follows Leeds – I pay my money to watch 80 minutes of rugby. I don’t pay to watch Leeds win each week and nor do I expect them to. In fact it’d become boring if they did.

The fact that we’ve been successful this past few years is fantastic but its not the be all and end all, its just a bonus.

Expecting the lads to put a top draw performance week in week out is unrealistic and over-expectant.

Why can’t Leeds fans just be happy that we’re not Bradford – remember it was only a handful of years ago that they were winning everything.

I also think that to be 4th position and in the CC semi is remarkable given our injuries and form this season which is credit in part to youngsters and the mental toughness of the whole squad to grind out wins when sometime we have not been the best side on the day.

Of course the odds are against us retaining the Champions title but don't write off our chances come the playoffs. If we can get our best side out for the big games then we are more than capable of winning from 4th or 5th or any other position.

Truth is, I couldn't give a toss about topping the league. But I can't excuse poor performances. The quality is awful. This is the worst team to watch we have had since 2002, whether we end up been successful or not.

It must be more pleasing been an huddersfield fan this year than a leeds fan. At least they have produced quality attacking rugby, while at the same time are not as soft in the defensive performance as us.

All I want to see is some of the quality I know the team as in them, rather than the lacklustre half hearted displays I keep seeing. If we do that and lose, so be it. Maybe I should just go to less matches, and that way it would not be so apparent, that it is consistently poor.

Well said. Everyone wants their team to win but its not alwyas possible. Of more importance for me is the entertainment value. To watch good rugby and regularly see outstanding quality tries and have a team that never throws in the towel. We have all that with this Leeds side and we should allow them a few off days.

I think what you have to look at for Friday is. Are Leeds going to put out as full a strength squad as they can and risk key players getting injured for the CC semi?
Or are they going to play it safe so they can put a full strength squad out against Saints the week after.
You must also conceder this with Saints and Warrington CC semi is a big game for all clubs and i know what i would be doing as head coach.

Think Saints and Warrington will field most of there under 20s but hope i am wrong on that would love to see Leeds at Wembley got my tickets already.

I personally don't think we'll be resting players on Friday. Injuries happen, if that happens on Friday we just get on with it and go in to the semi with what we've got.

Were you at the Willows yesterday?

Bad weekend shag?

I can't see it to be honest. If we wanted to give players a rest we'd have done it yesterday.

Most of our players need match practice rather than rests!

But yesterday was not the week before a CC semi we will see hope everyone turns out as full a strength team as possible but can not see it somehow we will see later in the week

Just as well after Friday.

I'd certainly be tempted to give Pryce, Puletua and Graham the week off, but I think they'll all play.

I agree with all of that.

Also, although too many of the Leeds performances this year have been below par, we've been treated to some thrilling rugby league. Bradford at home, Wakefield at MM and Huddersfield at home have all had me on the edge of my seat. Truly exciting stuff. That's what I pay my money for.

i think a win on friday puts down a big marker against the pretenders to our throne. i doubt we'll take it too easy

Leeds will be out to beat Wigan (again) the clue was that they rested Peacock and Senior against the reds.

I hope that we play well & that the result isn't down to contentious or plainly incorrect refereeing decisions.
If we lose, so be it, if we win, great.
The ideal would be another seat of the edge thriller with us just edging it, since a blow-out win for us (the absolute best result) is IMV extremely unlikely.
I would also like to see that we come through unscathed, with a full complement avaliable to face Saints a week on Saturday.
There, that's not too much to hope for is it?

IMO when you play 100% you are less likely to pick up injuries than going in half hearted. You also keep your confidence up and are mentally in the right frame of mind. Once you start resting too many players it sends the wrong message to the ones that are picked to play.

I hope you do field a full strength side i really do but i just have the feeling you wont

Reasons behind my thinking is the CC would mean a lot to the Leeds club its the only one they have not won over the last few years. If you were to loose 2 or 3 of you big game players to injury on Friday that would most probably end the CC run.
With 4 games to play and being 9pts behind Wigan top spot is out at best you could finish second but i think 3rd is the more realistic place you would finish.
Plus a top 4 finish would give you a very good chance to defend your crown.
Any way see you all Friday and hope for a good game either way.