Regardless of supporter opinion Sykes is a proven and capable player. Remember the MOM performance he put in against Huddersfield last season??

Personally I don't agree. In fact I'd say it's proven he's incapable of playing stand off at Super League level but that's not the point. Where've you got this piece of info from because if it's true it's astonishing.

One swallow doesn't make a summer. I also remember any number of awful performances at stand off that cancel out the one good game he had there.

If Sykes must play then it's got to be at fullback only and I'd have reservations then too.

Sykes put his hand up to play stand off when we had no other options and fair play to him for that but we can play Kearney or Addy there and both would be better than him.

Hopefully this is just a rumour.

He was at centre against Huddersfield, which is his best position. Even at centre the good games he has had have been outweighed by the bad since the 08 season. Sykes has demonstrated time and time again that he is not a stand off and whilst neither is ideal both Kearney and Addy offer far more in the position than Sykes.

Agreed, don't want Sykes at stand off. However, I would prefer Sykes at full back to Platt if Kearney is going to be at 6.

I would agree. Sykes also offers a bit more versatility if our injury curse continues on. He is a little more reliable than Addy with the boot as well IMO.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised to see Sykes/Kearney swap between the roles throughout the game. Kearney at FB when we're defending but playing more like a stand off in attack.

That's the spirit

For me, we have to go:

Kearney
Pryce
Purtell
Lulia
Crookes
Addy
Jeffries
Hargreaves
Diskin
MnM
Elima (if he isn't fit enough to start, Walker)
Whitehead
Bateman

L'Estrange
Burgess
Joseph
Walker (unless the above happens then, Elima)

The pre-match discussion is going to be interesting

Micks so called insights are being used by Mick as a diversion. Typical!

I've sixty minutes pre-match build up to fill. Not even I could talk that long about the officials.

When your over next you'll have to join me for a game.

So thats why the promised audio of the matchs haven't arrived your waiting for me to pick them up?

All the commentaries are on the Myriad backed up. It's just a pain trying to extract them as the studio PC doesn't have a USB port. It's close to ten year old.

I'm sure some bright spark out there has the technical know how to help you out there Mick

Potter may be looking at who can slot in the easiest. As sykes has not been playing, he could be training at half back, and im guessing addey and kearney have not been. Makes sense for potter to have sykes training there as backup, after gale got injured.

It would cause less disruption to have Sykes in at 6. Esp if Langley out as Addy will be at 13. Everyone else can stay where they are then.

Or just play Addy at 6 and Elima at 13.

is addy a 6 though? I think addy played well enough at the weekend to start at 13, and he is a 13. That would allow elima to play at 2nd row, which is also his best postion. playing sykes there would mean 1 player out of position, although id be suprised if he has nt been training there. also, we would then have a goal kicker.

Yeah, that's my point really. Sykes at 6 causes minimum disruption to the team that has been gelling pretty well over the last few weeks.

Could try something like Drop Box to either move files between PCs or share with people.

It's tricky to assess whats best for Stand Off on Saturday

I remember that at the start of last season loads of people screaming for Addy to get a game at 6. He was picked in that position for the away game at Crusaders, and played so poorly there that he actually got substituted and didn't play again for the first team again for ages.

So we need to bear that in mind when talking about where to play Addy (who I agree, after last week, deserves to be in the team, or on the bench at least)

That said, I never want to see Paul Sykes in the Stand Off role ever again after his efforts there in the past. Unless he has somehow miraculously improved out of all recognition by heart will sink on Saturday if he is read out as the starting Stand Off.

Then there is Kearney, but I honestly don't think that Potter will move him from Full Back unless its absolutely unavoidable.

So, there isn't a good answer really - just the least worst of the available options

Another option would be Heath & Jeffries as a half back combination. Addy would therefore rotate between covering back row & hooker rather than half back.

Really been enjoying watching the Bulls on Sky recently, even if it is worrying some of my Bradford-based Leeds-supporting family.

What's your predictions for Saturday's game?

What's more worrying is the Russell Group allowing Exeter in. It's like Oxbridge allowing comprehensive school pupils in. It's political correctness gone mad. I'm leaving & going to York.