Sad to relate but the ref for this one is James Child.

The first time he's had a Leeds game in SL since the incident with Hardaker at Warrington last year, I believe? Entirely coincidental...

The RFL has not indicated the names of the lip readers they've appointed.

Mulhern in for Yates I think

Only change to the 19. Which means assuming the back line stays the same he will play with Keinhorst and Golding missing out.

Just a thought, might it be worth shifting Watkins back into the centre to try and get at Toby King, or is the expectation that Atkins will be recovered from injury and back at left centre?

Hardaker
Watkins
Ablett
Moon
Handley
Sutcliffe
McGuire
Cuthbertson
Aiton
Peacock
Ward
Delaney
Sinfield

Singleton
Mulhern
Achurch
Burrow

Would move Sinfield back to starting loose otherwise if Singleton starts then we're a bit bare on the bench with front row options (that he'll use properly). Achurch shouldn't be playing front row and Mulhern won't get big minutes if selected so we could do with Singleton starting the game on the bench.

Atkins not named, so yeah, just replace Yates with Mulhern.

Going on the sequence of at least the last 5 with them we're due a win......

If only it was that simple

You will have the game won by half time.. Our defence is awful out wide, your backs will fill their boots..

I just hope our guys don't think this way.

I'm not sure about starting Sinfield. I wouldn't want to lose the improved fluidity that the McGuire/Sutcliffe combo is providing. I think Sinfield simply being there from the start would upset the momentum and lead to our halves negating responsibility slightly of being the main pivots/ball handlers.
Plus, Warrington's pack have in the past regularly got on top of ours. Losing a forward capable of getting us metres won't help matters.

When Sinfeld came on vs Saints he didn't seem to take over and McGuire and Sutcliffe were still able to do their thing. If he's named at 13 and knows he'll be defending in and around the middle (higher tackle count) I can't see him overtaking things in attack.

Whilst Wire have big forwards, they do what Tony Smith teams like to do and that is play 1-13 not just relay on the forwards (which is Saints' bread and butter ATM especially with the injuries to their backs).

Also whilst Singleton would offer some advantages starting at loose, you'd lose them around the 20/30 mins mark when the substitutions have to start being made. You'd be looking again at the bench consisting of Burrow, Sinfield, Achurch and Mulhern. We know the latter won't get on for long and until the 2nd half probably, that'd leave you taking off Cuthbertson and Singleton for Sinfield and Achurch around the same time and you set yourself back in the forwards at another point in the game shortly before and after halftime. Singleton coming on for Cuthbertson/Peacock after 25 mins sounds a good change to me and keeps things going nicely.

South Stand sold out again. Omfg

Big game for us this week. I think. Great time to have such a test. Wire aren't afraid to play and they had a great game against Wigan last week even if they lost.

Winning this one will show us backing it up after a relatively tough run. After this we have 3 winnable games away to widnes and hudds and home to hull kr. Win those four and I think top spot is sewn up going in to magic weekend.

Here's a preview you guys might be interested in, predicting a Leeds win www.nothingbutleague.com/super-l ... on-wolves/

Here's a preview you guys might be interested in, predicting a Leeds win www.nothingbutleague.com/super-l ... on-wolves/

Last time out, Wire did a great job down the middle against Leeds. if you get that dominance again, wouldn't be surprised if you turned us over again.

Thing about wire is they will put points on the board. We have run away with a few games this year and out teams out of sight in 15/20 min spells. Wire will attack for 80mins so we need to put in an 80min performance.

James Child , anything can happen and probably will . Sufficient to say he will ruin the game as he nearly always does

Whilst I have a concern with regards the hole Child dug himself last season over Hardakers comments, I am not too bothered about him as a referee. I think he has improved a hell of a lot over last couple of years, and I would certainly prefer him to Bentham or Silverwood.

Agree with that Gotcha
I hope Thaler is getting considered for the big games now instead of the two muppets who always seem to get the gigs.

There has never been as big a gap between refs as we see today with Thaler. He is far far far superior to Silverwood and Bentham. How those two jokers continue to get games I do not know.

For me Child is next in line to Thaler.

With the long gap between when he last reffed Leeds it does seem like a genuine attempt was made to keep he and Leeds apart for a while after the incident......which then makes it strange that they'd make his first game since AT Headingley and against the same opposition stirring up memories, live on Sky. Why didn't they give him us vs Salford away and not on tv. Because I think we all know they will be certain sections of the crowd who will give him some abuse, and if he makes a dodgy call against us then it's just going to get worst.

I also agree that Thaler is the best by a large margin ATM. Not just his calls and decision making but his communication and relationship with the players is so very far ahead of the other refs.

Communication is where - IMO - most of the current match officials fall down. While Ganson had his days where he decided he was above having a rapport with the players, most of the time he would work with them during games in the same way Thaler does.

Bentham, Child and in particular Silverwood lack the basic game management skills to get the players to work with them and make it a better game to watch and play in for all concerned. Much too interested in going off on their own little ego trips.

I agree.Time for Thaler to get the big games this year he has proved himself to be the best by a margin.

Ben Thaler is by far the best ref in SL and that has been the case for a couple of years now IMO