Tough game v Castleford coming up. McD says nobody to return to the squad and it’s unlikely that Watkins & Golding will play after the head knocks they received. I’m hopeful of Watkins returning.

Walker
Briscoe/Newman Watkins/Briscoe Handley Hall
Moon Myler
Mullally Parcell Singleton
JJB Ablett
Delaney

Dwyer Oledzki Smith Walters/Ormondroyd

There's not exactly many options, is there? Cas getting a week off as well will probably furst stack the odds in their favour. I think the'll be pretty close to full strength too.

Cas' lack of games adds a factor. By Friday they'll have only played 1 game in 27 days and 2 in the last 40 days. Could be a fine line between being fresh and being undercooked especially this early in the season.

Watts still suspended from his head butt whilst at Hull. Oliver Holmes was meant to serve a 1 match ban vs Wigan so guess he now misses Friday instead?

Tough one again. All you can ask for is the same effort shown on Friday. would be nice to see us get close to Cas for once in regular season games after plenty of white flag waving efforts over the last couple of years.

Correct he misses Friday instead.

No Holmes Watts Eden Wardle (shenton wouldn't have played today) so we won't be at full strength but I appreciate it's probably only half as many missing as you lot. Hopefully it will be a decent entertaining game as there hasn't been many quality games served up so far. The putrid weather and heavy pitches haven't helped like.

CAS can't manage to get a huge fixture with Wigan on but 6 mile down the road at Fev they manage to host York v swinton.

You are aware you lot had to call off a game 2 weeks ago ? Also there was probably about 200 people to consider at POR today not 9,000. Cas lock lane played their game yesterday but wakefield didn't. Derby County (an aspiring premiership side had to call a game off today). Fairly easy to understand that loads of sporting events have been hit by the weather this past few weeks.

You have your regular cup final to win Fri so best to rest up eh flower!

I wonder if we'll see a SL record crowd?

It would be nice but can’t see it happening. What is the record? 25k?

If we get close to 20k I think we’ve done well.

Not d. As we learnt last year, league games mean sod all.

Wigan vs Saints in 2005 got just over 25k. Think Leeds in SL is the 21,666 vs Bradford in 1999.

The HKR game at ER only got around a 1,000 more than it usually does at Headingley and it was the opening home game of the season. The Cas game last year was around 18k so might just reach 20k but suspect it will be under.

I'm sure we had a crowd of 23,000 plus at home against the Bulls in 2003,so if true that would be our SL home record crowd

The Hull Kr game was on a very wet Thursday night. But I agree with your estimate for the Cas fixture.

The possibility of a record crowd hadn't really occurred to me. 20k would be a pleasant surprise.

You were one of those on here saying Elland Rd would be a massive draw - what has changed your thinking?

To back you up further, Yorkshire Carnegie called off their game at Headingley so it's not really something we can attack Cas for is it!

With the squad down to its bare bones, keeping the score respectable would be an achievement. Can't see anything but a win for Cas - then again, I said the same about Saints. But to back up a performance like that with another is an enormous ask; I just have the feeling we might have used up all our get out of jail free cards. I'll go something like 34 10 to Cas.

I didn't, I was of the opposite thinking. It was Smokey TA who said it would be a massive draw and we could get 30k. I believe I actually said we'd only get a couple of thousand more at best.

I think the bigger factor is the mental side, rather than physical. Cas are slowly rebuilding their confidence; a win against Wigan would have done wonders. Whereas Leeds upset all the form books by beating Saints & showed they still have the big game players even without Maguire & Burrows.

It's McGuire and Burrow

I know. I can't help myself.

Is Childs reffing on Friday?

Maths isn't strong over in Leeds I see! Can I just point out that our last game was last Sunday so it will be 12 days since our last game, and 13 for the one before that v Hull. We've played 2 games in 25 days.

And 4 in 49 days. Not 2.