IF Watkinsa and Ablett dont make it whats plan C

Smith And Deleaney ??

Or gamable with Ben Jones ?

were doomed !

Also Sinfield at 6 or 13 ??

Surely back to loose forward and start with Mags and Burrow ????

JJB and leave Delany in the pack?

I think if Ablett can hobble on to pitch he will play just hope its not a repeat of Cardiff and we play an unfit centre.

off all players to need a rest yesterday surely it had to be Ablett, last few weeks he had dumps cuts and not to mention a broken noise should have given him the week of for his body to rest before the big game....

If Ablett and Watkins dont make it, I would go with Delaney and reluctantly BJB, because I dont think Smithy is anywhere near on good enough form at the moment to deserve a place in the starting line-up for the final. And for gawds sake Mac, please do the right thing and start with Mags and Burrow in the halves, and Sinny at Loose. Thats where they play, and thats where they should be from the off next week.

but that would mean either Buderus plays the full 80 or he has to have McShane on the bench which, for reasons known only to the dynamic duo, they have been reluctant to do in recent weeks.

Needs must in this case, and to be honest, if Mac has been watching McShane in the U20s recently he will know that Macca has been playing solid rugby league football for weeks, and if anyone deserves a bench spot for the final if needs be, then we could do a lot worse. This is the kid, who will, after all be our No1 hooker if Bedsy goes home so why not.

IF Ablett and Watkins don't make it then it's Smithy and Delaney for me and i'd also have Burrow and Mags at 6 +7.
Next week is a "one off" huge game form won't really matter individually Smithy thrives on those situations and should get the nod.

Both Watkins and Ablett will make it, no worries.

The medical team at Leeds need to get a grip of what is going with Watkins - he struggles to put 4/5 games together without sustaining a serious injury.

McShane ran the show for the U20's yesterday

he put in a great performance

Brian Mac has a habit of not playing certain players when they fall out of favour

Good Luck next week - I'll be there cheering for you

I'd rather go Hardaker than Smith. Completeley against the grain but the lad does seem to have a rugby brain and has pace. Smith doesn't deserve a go IMO.

Funny you should mention Hardaker BR because he's switched to RC in recent weeks for the U20's.

I had read that about Hardaker somewhere else. Its a big ask for the kid but from what I've seen he looks a class player in the making. If Smith were fit and in form I'd have no problem with him there, but he seems likely to be more of a liability than Hardaker ATM.

I totally agree Brisbane. Zak can play centre just fibne. Its just whether such a big occassion gets to him. If both Watkins and Ablett are out then Id be tempted to go with Smith and Zak. If you have Delaney in the squad which I think is prob a given then if things to go bad you can always move him into the centre.

The key is to give ourselves options off the bench.

Hardakre would repeatedly get pushed aside by Carmont/Tomkins. I'd go for Smith and Delaney.

Playing devils advocate to a point here but ....

Whilst I agree Hardaker is still a bit light, his pace could cause real problems and his hands arent bad either.

Some good, some bad with a big call like this.

I think that one of Ablett or Watkins will pull through and start at Wembley, probably the former. In that case, I'd move Delaney to centre. Smith might be more of an attacking threat but he's not had a consistent run in the first team. Also, there are worse things that could happen than us having Delaney defending against Carmont instead of Watkins.

If Ablett and Watkins are both ruled out then our backline will need to be selloptaped together. I've never been one for experimenting in big games so I suppose we'd have to run with Webb/BJB/Delaney/Smith/Hall.

Those suggesting Smith to left centre... Are you really suggesting he would perform any better than Hardaker when up against J. Tomkins ? You need a big daft lad to do that... So Delaney it is then at left centre. Unless of course Senior makes a surprise top secret recovery.

If Watkins doesn't make it I would rather Hardaker partners BJB on the right... Not sure who would be better at centre to the other playing wing.... B U T def Hardaker over Smith for me please.

The biggest problem with that is neither Hardaker nor BJB have, to my knowldge at least, played centre at this level.

Wembley is not the place to hand them such a positional debut.

I know you have it in for Smith but at least he has experience of playing centre. Let's not forget he wore the no. 3 shirt all 2009 and ended up playing there for England that year. Surely that has to be better than throwing Hardaker or BJB in at the deep end?

EDIT: I'm not suggesting that Smith is the Messiah and I know he is out of form. However he is a utility back for a reason, that reason being he is competent at this level across the entire threequarter line, including centre.

Kirkstaller BjB played a few games at Centre for Quinns when the selected Melling at FB.

Don't know where you get the idea I "have it in" for Smith... If you read other posts you will see I would rather Smith be retained and Webb released.

My point here is that I would not put him at left centre against Wigan's big daft right centre ( remember how easily he swatted off McGuire recently ). Right centre maybe ... But then I think will he perform any better and does he deserve a place more than Hardaker ? I really do think Hardaker has more than proven he can handle the pressures of SL. His composure is first rate. Admittedly Wembley is a big step up again, but I believe he will rise to the challenge and be a match winner.... Probably on right wing with BJB inside him....but equally I would be comfortable with him at RC and BJB kept on the wing.

I think you are wrong - Hardaker has shown himself to be a solid defender when he has played in the first team - Carmont might have too much experience/know how, Tomkins will not run over him that is for sure.

On the other side he might actually be too quick for Carmont and too bright for Tomkins. I would have no hesitation in playing him, he is playing centre in the academy now.

Smith is, in all fairness, much stronger in defence than MCGuire. I wouldn't worry about him physically up against J. Tomkins, who at least is less likely to burn him for pace.

For once, however, I think I'd go with your option if we need to and pair BJB and Hardaker. It would be the high risk option, but I'm not sure what we have to lose.

I agree that Smith should only be considered for the right centre position. This makes a lot of sense after all as he has played on that side for most of his career. The big question I guess is just how effective could Delaney be on the left?

I've seen nothing from Hardaker to suggest that he is a centre. Winger, full back, stand-off - maybe, but not a centre.