we had a great performance against Salford City Reds, where-as our next opponents, St Helens, were beaten by Harlequins RL. Hoping that we have a few players back for next week, I hope that Luke Burgess and Lee Smith will be returning, but McDermott did say that it is most likely to be the week after. We are going to be very short all around against Saints, but they have injuries aswell, Leon Pryce is out for about 2 months, and Sia Soliola is out for about 4 weeks.

For next week I would give Lee and Luke until game-day to find out if they are able to play, and stick with the same 19 as last week, BJB replaced by Ben Cross. If Luke and Lee are not fit, then we have our 17.

Webb
Watkins
Ablett
Senior
Hall
Sinfield
Burrow
Cross
Buderus
Kirke
Jones-Buchanan
Lauitiiti
Clarkson

Pitts
Singleton
McShane
Hauraki

Smith
Burgess

I thought Watkins looked far more assured on the wing last night. I would like to see him have a run there

Definitely out for next week for us: Leon Pryce (2 months), Sia Soliola (2 weeks) and Jon Wilkin (4-6 weeks). AWOL: Kyle Eastmond (permanently). Possibly out for us: LMS (he missed Friday, don't know whether he's fit yet), Lomax (was injured on Friday) and Wello (who is playing on injections at present but he didn't look well on Friday).

We can't attack and we can't defend so you should have a field day!

Given Saints result against Salford the other week, it would appear there are reasons for genuine concern there. Leeds result against Salford OTOH appears to be an indicator of a vast improvement in performance, along with further evidence (if any was needed) of the existence of one of the all time greats of Rugby League.

Luke Patten

Completely manhandled Broughton on a couple of occasions, especially for Ablett's 2nd try I think when it looked like a man against a boy.

You'd almost think you were desperate to prove yourself right......do you have many other insecurities ?

Am I wrong?

I suspect we differ on what constitutes complete manhandling.

Now this is a good example of a Super League Man Of Steel being [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_f5Rr93v_QCOMPLETELY MANHANDLED![/url

The one where Broughton had put Watkins to ground (and into touch) although Watkins had done well to get the ball away first.

Not sure what you would call Watkins manhandling Broughton on that occasion as both players appeared to have done a good job.

Yes that one. Watkins stood tall and strong in that failed tackle and managed to get his arm free comfortably for an offload he should never have been allowed to make. He should have been in touch on first contact.

Last week you were congratulating Broughton for chasing back but not stopping a try, Now you're congratulating him on not making a tackle and not stopping a try scoring offload.

You're doing a Stevo. You've claimed this kid is great and now you must make stuff up to prove your statement is correct.

What have I invented?

I praised Broughton's attempt to make a cover tackle on the Salford right side defence while he was playing on the left wing. Reminiscent of the days Calderwood also had to cover Cummins wing as well as his own on down field breakaways by the opposition. Obviously you'll have noted whose absence Broughton was attempting to cover at right centre.

Watkins did well (as it turned out) as did Broughton to first cover Ablett's break and then turn, line Watkins up, put him to ground and into touch short of the try-line in a one on one tackle, Watkins knew he was going out to the textbook tackle hence the desperate offload.

I imagine you'll also wish to comment on Broughton hauling down Burrow when he looked all over a scorer in the second half. You can do it just beside a similar effort you'll have praised Watkins for earlier in the match.

Ref - P Bentham, Video - R Silverwood

Oh well, it could have been an exciting, free flowing spectacle of a game.

Still, it'll give plenty of time between play the balls to get some other stuff done while the game is on.

TBF for 2 average teams we have received an average ref. We were never going to get Ganson or Silverwood with Warrington/Quins and Hudds/Wigan on the same weekend. (btw im assuming those are the games they have got. I havent seen the list)

I think this will be close, two injury ravaged sides who haven't hit anything like top form so far. I can see this being a pretty dull game if I honest if past form of these sides is to go by and probably a knock-on-athon. However, we have have started to click a bit better in attack and managed to keep abliet a poor Salford side pointless for 40 minutes. I think if Kirke, Ablett and JJB can carry on from last week we will win, but with our forwards so understrength if they do not perform we could be in trouble. I think our backs even with the injuries have too much pace for saints so we can cause damage on the wings.

You don't need to. We like to cause damage on our own wings, thanks. Meli did a splendid run into touch last Friday night. It would have made an under 11 player's heart beat with pride!

Don't worry on current Leeds performances we are bound to 'play you into form' by being so awful that you will collectively click and give us a walloping. I've seen us do that plenty of times in the bad old days...days to which we appear to be returning

If Leeds pick up from where they left off 20 mins in against Salford and continue to look after the ball a bit better we can turn Saints over. Saints will have the bigger pack, but Leeds have the backs. If Leeds turn over cheap possession it will be hard to break Saints down over the 80 mins.

I don't think Saints can score against Leeds from our their half - they don't wont have the speed to strike anywhere on the pitch like Leeds can. Cut the errors, penalties and restrict the number of times Saints are on our line then we'll be onto a winner. But unfortunately that has only happened once this season.

Of course you'd know all about that!

Hey! We have Robes, Eastmond (who?), Shenton, Wheeler (if he plays), Gaskell and (if he actually plays for more than the final 10 minutes) Foster. All of these have pace. As does LMS if he plays. So I'll have you know that we are not now totally a team of carthorses, only partly a team of carthorses.

Of course, all you really need to do is kick to either wing and it's highly likely you'll score every time. But then you already know that as it's a template you've been following for years!

I think you are right. It will all be about field position IMO, as you say we need to keep them off our line and outside our 20 when ever possible. I think if we give them good field position by either poor kicking, errors or penalties then they will score tries in our half. I suspect one of two people are going to come back and say, 'well of course, that is the point of the game' but what I mean is I would like to see us kick early if it keeps them in their half and look to get good deep kicks away on the fourth or fifth and not chance our arm with an attacking kick or power play on the 5th. Equally, we need to push the ball out wide earlier in the tackle count and try and use our superior pace in the backs.

Really !! No BJB, Smith or McGuire......probably Ablett at centre and Sinfield at stand off



Both good players of course (Ablett is better there than Delaney, the latter at long last recognised as the superior second rower)....but "pacy" ??

Granted we've got the edge in pace at FB

...but [ithroughout[/i the backs ?? Senior and Hall aint that quick either ya knows.

Should be a good competitive match

Well, if either defences meet the superb standards of our respective matches so far, it could be the highest scoring match in the season to date!