2. Ben Jones-Bishop
3. Kallum Watkins
4. Zak Hardaker
5. Ryan Hall
6. Danny McGuire
7. Rob Burrow
8. Kylie Leuluai
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan
12. Carl Ablett
13. Kevin Sinfield (c)
15. Brett Delaney
16. Ryan Bailey
17. Ian Kirke
18. Chris Clarkson
19. Weller Hauraki
20. Darrell Griffin
25. Stevie Ward
31. Shaun Lunt

Why on earth bother picking Hauraki in the 19 when he is leaving next year?
Why not put Moore in the 19?
He must have done something pretty bad in training to be left out again.
Kirke in there too after he was knocked out the week before. Hopefully he is fully recovered.
Well at least JP will be fresh after only doing 80 minutes last week

Totally agree re-Hauraki and Kirke CL another head scratcher from our leader!.

think this will be the team come saturday
4. Zak Hardaker
2. Ben Jones-Bishop
3. Kallum Watkins
12. Carl Ablett
5. Ryan Hall
13. Kevin Sinfield(c)
7. Rob Burrow
8. Kylie Leuluai
31. Shaun Lunt
10. Jamie Peacock
11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan
15. Brett Delaney
25. Stevie Ward
sub
16. Ryan Bailey
18. Chris Clarkson
20. Darrell Griffin
6. Danny McGuire
to miss out 17. Ian Kirke 19. Weller Hauraki

Probably but swap McGuire for Burrow and if fit (god knows how) Kirke for Clarkson.

...as a Leeds supporter I actually hope we lose this Saturday IF it means the start of the probably now overdue cull and clearout.......starting from the senior coach

I dont, I want us to win the GF this year!! Why would any fan not want there team to be champions?

Hoping for a defeat in advance of the game is crazy talk.

If there was an understanding that a loss to Wakefield would cause the club to act differently to beating Wakefield then I could perhaps accept the notion when the game is beyond winning.

The Leeds management will continue to do whatever it is they were planning to do. I'm sure if Leeds lose we'll hear plenty about form, eight in a row, Wakefield being the best team results wise since the Magic weekend etc those type of noises despite everyone knowing they're a two Smith one-man team.

If McGuire is fit to start then 1-12 will be be quite obvious, with Burrow ahead of Lunt at 9. The questions are who will start at 13 between Ward and Bailey (if he's no longer on the naughty step), maybe even Clarkson will win a recall there but I doubt it. If Kirke isn't risked then Bailey should start on the bench as the 4th and final prop and not switch there after a 30 mins spell at loose first. Would go for Kirke (shouldn't be risked) and Hauraki (though I expect it to be to Clarkson) to miss out. Think he's done the right thing having Ablett back at centre.

Hardaker
BJB, Watkins, Ablett, Hall
Sinfield, McGuire
Leuluai, Burrow, Peacock
JJB, Delaney
Ward/Bailey

Bailey/Ward, Griffin, Lunt, Hauraki (although I'd prefer Clarkson)

As far as hoping for a lost, not at all, I want us to still win the GF. However if we are to lose sometime in the playoffs perhaps an early first round home defeat against Wakey would have more of an impact than a narrow plucky defeat in the GF or final eliminator against one of the top 2.

I did state 'IF' ...............

To be honest I'm not even sure I'm bothered about watching the match live on Sky this week (that'll be the first time ever) ....and worse still, it will be usurped by me and the boys watching x factor with the wife and step daughter

. Things must be bluddy bad.....

I know you did but do you think the result will make one jot of difference?



I'm over my flirtations with X-Factor now, American Idol is much better.

No ....and ....really ?!?

You a big Britney fan ?

Wish I still possessed a video recorder .....could have reminisced with all my old RIAT airshow videos.

peacock didn't do 80 mins

I didn`t go to the game as I was working.
But Barry Mac I think said on Sky that JP had done 80 minutes .

Back in the day perhaps. Not so much now though and she's signed up for American X-Factor not American Idol - two completely different shows. Probably still watch it - although I find the huge audience auditions has destroyed the format.

American Idol has stayed true to it's roots, less gimmicky. I've no dea who the judges are going to be although it appears Lopex and Tyler have left the building - Tyler will be missed. If it's true that Carey has confirmed I could be having a season off - although I'll give it a shot and see first.



That settles it then. He can't have - although if Kirke shared the full game with Peacock he'll have done 79+

Peacock did get subbed off on Sunday. Went off for Griffin around the 50 mins mark, Griffin's first involvement in game (leaving a prop on the bench for 50 mins when you've already seen one carried off is inspired btw).
May of been missed by some as he was subbed back on for Leuluai less than 5 mins later, so he will of done at least 75 mins at Huddersfield.

What is the logic of starting with Burrow at 9? I just don't see it!

Build a platform with a workman like pack for 30 mins, then introduce Burrow to find some gaps. It works!

I wouldn't bring next year into that decision.

Just look how he plays. Garbage. Can't keep hold of the ball.

I've said on another thread that i would have Burrow starting on the bench and have Lunt give us a steady more traditional hooker stint for the first 30 mins (i also had Griffin starting with Leuluai on the bench) but i can't see either happening and the team i listed above was what i expect to see not what i'd go for.

Burrow might get out of the blocks quickly and produce one of his runs early on IF Wakey are slow out of the blocks. However it's more likely that they'll be well up for the game and very eager and be very hard to break down early on. I also don't see what Lunt offers coming off the bench or what position he'll play as Burrow nor McGuire will be subbed off allowing him to play his normal role at 9.

Start Lunt, get him out of the way.

I've given up hope of McDermott using his interchanges wisely. At Huddersfield i know he was reduced to only 2 fit subs by half time but he still made a pig's ear of it.

13mins - Kirke on for Leuluai (Kirke usually comes on for Peacock but fair do's probably earned more mins on recent performances, and only 13 mins for a starting stint from Leuluai is shocking)

15mins - Ward on for Kirke (Ward goes to 2nd row with JJB switching to prop, why not bring Griffin on as a straight swap?)

28mins - Hauraki on for Hood (obvious swap really

, now Ward has to switch to 7 as Burrow has to move to hooker and Hauraki is now 2nd row, why didn't he just bring Hauraki on for Kirke and Ward a straight swap for Hood?)

30 odd mins - Leuluai on for Delaney (Delaney injured, so now JJB has to switch back to the 2nd row, still no Griffin against a 12 man team)

47mins - Griffin on for Peacock (finally uses a prop after nearly 50 mins) (i believe Griffin may have come back off again later on for Leuluai but not 100% on that one, if correct then obviously 33 mins is too much for Griffin)

About 3 mins later - Peacock on for Leuluai (after a massive breather JP thrown back into the action as Leuluai can't do much more than 10 mins even after half time break)

Rest of the game - Hood doesn't get back on so we effectively play the last 50 mins with 14 men, rumour is he tried to bring Hood on but Ablett wouldn't come off (presumed this would of meant yet another position change for Ward up to loose), IF true and if i was coach i'd of marched onto the pitch and dragged any player that refused to come off onto the sidelines, not just accept it.

If you like brain teasers then trying to follow McDermott's thinking with his subsitutions is fun, if you're trying to play and win a game of rugby then you're screwed.

The mins the forwards did are roughly
Ablett and JJB - 80 mins
Peacock - 75 mins
Hauraki - 52 mins straight
Griffin - about 20 mins
Leulaui - three approximately 15 mins spells
Hood - 28 mins
Ward - 13 mins in the back row before 52 mins at half back

With the way our squad has played this season I can't see anything bar a clear out being a positive step forward for the future.

The only silver lining for the season for me would be to end Wakefields season.....and if not then for the good of the club McDermott has to go.

I cant see a grand final appearence, simply a damp squib of an end either tonight or next week sadly