The Times ... timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... try-3.html

The Times ... timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... try-3.html

Nah, Leeds may be languishing at the bottom with a depleted squad now numbering 12 but they "will still win SL."

"Forward." - that's two quotes from the south stand.

lol

do you really blame leeds fans for being confident?

We've played in every grand final bar 1, since 2004. If we were calling it the apocalyspe you'd say we were fickle.

If we had a full squad and this was happening than naturally there'd be doubts.

But it's blatantly obvious once we get bodies back we'll move up the table and be contenders.

Is that when grand finals started to be played, 2004.......... mmmmm
In order to move up the table you have to play and beat the teams above as well as below you in the table or they that are above you have very bad luck and lose to other teams. Just getting bodies back will not ensure that you rise to any great heights in the league table, though I suspect that you will be in the top 8 come the end of the season

I think Leeds will comfortably be in the top 8 come the end of the season, but what is happening is that other teams are beating (albeit a depleted team through injurues) Leeds.

For clubs like mine we have had a mental block with them, this is now broken as we know we can and have beaten them.

Other clubs will also do the same and will be better prepared mentally when they play them later in the season.

I do think this season we will see a number of clubs who can genuinely think of themselves as GF winners, this has got to be good for RL and will help promote the game amongst the media.

William Hill can stick their odds of 9/4 of Wigan winning the Grand Final, that's for sure. They've started well and are genuine contenders as I expected them to be but there is a strong case for 5 or maybe 6 teams to be champions come October. I think we're in for the most unpredictable SL ever.

We're 9/4?

That really suprises me tbh. I wouldn't touch us anything below 4/1 or 5/1 even after our start because we've still got an awful lot to prove.

Leeds still slight faves for the title imo followed by Saints and then Wigan and Wire. It's basically the same order as before the season for me.

I still think leeds will be the team to beat this year. They have players out like we have. Last night was huge effort by leeds against a strong wigan side.

When the likes of sinfield, peacock, lulu and ablett are back there pack will be very very strong again. They can win it from anywhere in the top eight. I think they will come top 4.

Us and leeds have had our injury problems this year, both playing games with 6,7 or 8 players out but still compete. Saints went to hull kr with a lot of kids and was unlucky not to come away with the points. Leeds had 8 put against hull kr last week and lost by only 7 points.

Wigan will have and other teams have been pretty lucky so far with injuries but it's how you deal with them, that will be very important this year.

I would agree with that pal. Lets see if wigan can continue this form when they get there injury spell that all teams have. I think saints, leeds, wigan and warrington can win the grand final from anywhere in top 8.

I really can't pick it. The addition of Brough to Huddersfield ranks gives them a huge chance as well. It may well be the same order as last season but there's a gnats bollock between the lot of 'em!

I really feel that it may come down to the team with least injuries in October as it stands. Plenty of rugby to be played before then obviously but I don't seen any one team running away with the shield and SAints could conceivably come anywhere from 1st to 5th as far as I'm concerned.

Let's have a look at Leeds last night and see if the same happened to Wigan how it would look.
Five Internationals in the backs played, with a winger and centre missing.

If that was Wigan we would bring in Ainscough and put Goulding to centre.
Leeds had two props missing.
Wigan could start with O'Carroll and Prescott and still have Feka on the bench.
Leeds had Eastwood, Sinfield and Ablett missing.
Wigan could have Hansen, Bailey and O'Loughin out, and still have Mossop, Joel Tomkins and Liam Farrell.

This is Leeds first choice 17
Webb
Hall
Senior
Delaney
Donald
Mcguire
Burrow
Peacock
Buderus
Leuleui
Jjb
Ablett
Sinfield

Beastwood
Ali
Bailey
Diskin.

If it was first past the winning line, Leeds would not have lost as many as they have upto now. Just goes to show that you can take it easy for certain parts of the season and still make the semi's, grand final....

Jez if it was the same in Footy, you'd even put money on Liverpool!!!

Fully fit Leeds will win it again...

So your team would have been

Phelps
Ainscough
Goulding
Carmont
Richards
Tomkins
Leuluai
O'Carroll
Riddell
Fielden (taking your two best props out)
Tomkins
Mossop
Farrell

Feka
McIlorum
Deacon
Davies/Tuson

IMO, that team would lose by more than 20 to Leeds best 17.

I don't think they would lose by 20 especially if Leeds didn't have any fit subs for half the game.

That pack would be eaten alive by Leeds first choice, let's not get silly.

I do. Just like last night, you would be competitive for 60 minutes and the constant wearing down of your forwards would tell late on. I'm not dissing Wigan but your squad depth is no better than Leeds so don't get too carried away. Had Peacock and Leuluai played last night you'd still have won but it would have been a lot closer.

If Wigan had 9 players out and went to Headingley to face a full strength, in form Leeds I reckon Wigan would lose by alot more 20 points.

It's going to be exciting that for sure and it's nice to see 4 or 5 teams who look pretty even up at the top instead of just you guys and Leeds.

We do look at good side but we're yet to play really well away from home and I worry if our pack can keep the same intensity up all year. The younger members of the pack have been sensational so far but it's a long season.

We'll be top 4 without a doubt imo but the play offs will be a whole new ball game.

And your Entitled to your opinion of course, I reckon we'd still give em a game.

I seem to remember going to The Current Champs,Saints missing 1/2 dozen 1st teamers being 20 points down & Winning



I remember Saints coming to ours with a Full team and we were missing 9/10 first choice regulars and beating you?

We've beat Leeds 4 or 5 times when they've had a full team last couple of years so who's to say we wouldn't have done it Again?

I would argue (And it's only my opinion of course) that Wigan's "Squad" is as good as anyones out there inc Leeds.

1st 17 I would say Leeds/Saints then Wigan/Warrington/Hudds but with equal injury situations over a season I reckon our squad would be as much if not more capable of dealing with it than anyone other than Leeds.

I think Wigans strength in depth was overlooked by alot of people in pre season and still is being now tbh. To lose 9 players may be abit excessive but we could cope with 4 or 5 injuries pretty well imo. We didn't have Phelps, Hansen, Deacon, Paleaaesina, Pryce, Ainscough, Farrell etc playing last night and they'd all do a good job in the first team(well maybe not Pryce but he's got some experience).

The worry I have with our side is wheather it contains quite enough quality in the first choice 17 to win a trophy this year but I have no worries about our depth at all.

Depth wise I think we've just about got the best options in superleague.

I'm pretty sure Wigan went to Headingley last season with an almost full strength team and got whooped by 20+ pts?

Yep, And the year before we went there missing 3 of our best players, Had Mathers at Full Back

and played a full strength Leeds team And Beat them! Your point is?

I'm sure a full strength Saints team have lost by 20 points before and still won things? I'm sure a full strength Saints team have won by 20 points to an under strength opposing team before and still won things?

I'm not sure where this is going TBH? We beat Leeds by 20 points (Bookies were still only giving them 6-8 points, Made a nice little earner on that BTW

) and are 7 wins from our 1st 8.
That'll do for me!

wigan have made a brilliant start but as nobby said this time last year after a few defeats,you dont win anything after 8 rounds.leeds,wigan,wire and saints in the semi finals,after that any one of those 4 to win the grand final.

If you look at wigans team, man for man, they are no better than the likes of Hull KR.

It speaks volumes about the coaching staff

its the same wigan team as last year,what does that say about noble?