Full squad :

1 Brent Webb
2 Scott Donald
3 Brett Delaney
4 Keith Senior
8 Kylie Leuluai
9 Danny Buderus
11 Jamie Jones-Buchanan
14 Matt Diskin
15 Greg Eastwood
16 Ryan Bailey
17 Ian Kirke
18 Carl Ablett
20 Jay Pitts
21 Kyle Amor
24 Luke Ambler
25 Paul McShane
26 Tom Bush
27 Chris Clarkson
28 Lee Smith

still no Ali or Burgess

Id go with

Smith
Doanld
Delaney
Senior
Bush
Webb
McShane
Peacock
Buderus
Bailey
Kirke
Jones-Buchanan
Ablett

Diskin
Bailey
Pitts
Ambler


McShane & Webb to be open play kickers, Smith for the goals.

3 hookers, its the new saints way

How did I miss Eastwood? Oh year, I included Peacock.

Pitts into Second Row then, Kirke prop, Eastwood bench.

Simples

28. L Smith
2 Scott Donald
3 Brett Delaney
4 Keith Senior
26 Tom Bush
1 Brent Webb
9 Danny Buderus
8 Kylie Leuluai
14 Matt Diskin
16 Ryan Bailey
11 Jamie Jones-Buchanan
18 Carl Ablett
27 Chris Clarkson

17 Ian Kirke
20 Jay Pitts
25 Paul McShane
15 Greg Eastwood

Id go with that, Chris Clarkson has experience playing the full 80 minutes with Leeds first team squad at Loose FWIR.

I'll take credit for that one.

We show a good "carrott" for promotion to first team dont' we. I mean you only have to play pish poor and get beat 52-0 to warrant a spot now. Well done to Amor, Clarkson, Bush, and Ambler, for filling that criteria.

I understand the point you are trying to make, but unless we postpone the game (leading to fixture pile up) what other option do the coaching staff have? Play with no subs? They have to pick at least 4 players to cover the call ups/injuries, which other players would you pick?

Rather than giving them sarcastic praise, surely we should be applauding the fact that these young lads are there to rely on in our hour of need. Will you still have the sarcastic praise for them if we pull off a win on Saturday? (and I actually think we may still do that)

I'd have to agree with Ted, what else can we do Gotcha?

I'll be honest with you, I actually expected more of a bite, so I was been naughty. I have to be further honest and say I don't have the answer.

But I don't like at all to see players play pish poor one week and yet not only keep their place in a side, but actually get promoted (accepted through exceptional circumstances). What I would have expected was that knowing there was a few places up for grabs for this game, that in last weeks academy match players would have pushed themselves in order to get that spot. That it did not happen is a bad sign for me. IMO it highlights that maybe form is not high up on the agenda when picking players.

It was one of those games when everything fell into place for Wakey and our lot couldn't get going.
It's happened at 1st team level in the past yet they all get picked again and as has been pointed out there's no choice but to put them in this week and tbh i think they'll be fine.
It doesn't highlight anything re-selection other than needs must.

That's a much more reasoned answer. And I agree with the fact that you would like to think that there would have been a lift in performance as the players knew there were positions up for grabs with the 1st team the following week.

However, that lift in performance didn't materialise, and that leaves the coaching staff with a choice. Keeping in mind that the team is already going to be lacking a lot of experienced players, do they choose youngsters who have 1st team experience and know what to expect/have stood up to the physical aspects of 1st team rugby (although not always 100% effectively), or do they choose some other youngsters who played in just as bad reserve team, who have no experience of 1st team rugby, and who may not be up to it physically yet.

For me it's a no-brainer. Finger crossed for a performance like we gave against Cas the other year. I am still confident we can pull of a victory, may even look to have a punt dependant on how the bookies set the handicaps.

You're being bloody thick.

But that is not quite true is it. I watched that game and for the first part Leeds were matching quite comfortably, but none of the players selected for this week were pushing themselves at all.

Macintosh, Carvill, and Stott had excellent games for the academy last week, regardless of the final score or their team mates around them. Two of those play half back by the way, and the other a forward.

Like I said earlier, knowing a first team spot was there for the taking for this week, I would have expected more players to have proved something in that game to take the spot. The players selected did not, so I can only presume they were complacent enough to believe they had the spot anyway.

Being.

Me, Bite, Never


He can only pick who he thinks will do the best job in the first team for that position from what's available, who else is "on form" that he did not pick?

I think what's more important is that those lads chosen make the most of their first team opportunity.

It's a no-brainer for everyone, including Gotcha.

However, in that specific regard he starts from an advantageous position.

Is Burgess injured and if so what's the injury?

I'd go with:

FB Lee Smith
W Scott Donald
C Brett Delaney
C Keith Senior
W Tom Bush
SO Brent Webb
SH Paul McShane
P Kylie Leuluai
H Danny Buderus
P Ian Kirke
SR Carl Ablett
SR Jones-Buchanan
LF Chris Clarkson

Subs
Matt Diskin
Jamie Peacock
Greg Eastwood
Luke Ambler

Pitts and Amor to drop out.

It will be interesting too see how the half backs combine whoever they are.
As it was only kicking that decided who won last week against wakey lets not hope its the same this week, I still still believe we half more than enough to beat an up and down Quins side.

Not sure it would be a good idea playing JP in that team!!

Ankle injury 5 mins after he came on in the bulls game!

Yea bit of a brain fart there I would have Pitts in instead of JP, dont know what i was quite thinking there!!

Delaney can kick goals as well.

Wading through concrete as much as he does must play havoc with the ankles.

I think he's actually improved this aspect of his game this season, but understand that once a player gets a label, its hard for him to shake off, regardless of actual performance