28 - 26 to Salford

Should be the 1st time this season we will have our 1st choice front rowers available. Also i was thinking of maybe a few positional changes as follows:
1. Luke Patten
2.Jodie broughton
3. chris Nero
4.Mark Henry
5.Ashley Gibson
6. Stefan Ratchford
7.Matty Smith
8. Ray Cashmere
9.Wayne Godwin
10. Ryan Boyle
11. Luke Adamson
12. Stephen Wild
13. Dan Holdsworth
14.Feka
15.Jewitt
16. Parker
17.Sneyd
just a thought.

That is the team I would go with.

Plenty of mobility there me thinks with Leeds at a disadvantage with no front rowers. However a decent game plan will be needed to suit everyone. After reading an earlier post on another thread (ie its only Salford) i hope the players read this and go out tomorrow and wipe the floor with them!!

Sorry can't see how we can leave Neal out, been very good from what I've seen and is the younger forward who puts in as much going forward as in defence. Not certain either that Reg would be as effective at 13, though having our 3 main halves on at the same time would cause any team attacking headaches. L

Let's just hope they play with the same free spirit as last Friday.

The only teams that can play a creative back at 13 are Leeds and Saints and even then they have set game plans and tactics to utilise this. Can you imagine Salford having this ?
Holdsworth and Ratchford to stay where they are Godwin to start and Smith to come on as either interchange Hooker.
I know he does not like that position but needs must and it is a team game.

Other than the obvious, we've tried Holdsworth at 13 before and it didn't work. The team needs to balanced correctly, and, for me, with Pattern, Holdsworth, Smith and Ratchford all on the pitch at the same time we have one too many ball players and not enough runners to cause doubt in the oppositions minds. I agree, the general theory was to have the loose forward play as the extra pivot, but there's seems to be have been a switch to using the full back as the extra pivot recently.

I'd go with (backs pretty much pick themselves):

Pattern

Broughton
Nero
Gibson
Henry

Ratchford
Holdsworth

Wild - See him as the ideal LF for us at the moment, runs good lines on to the ball, can off load and works hard in defence
Parker - Mainly because Sidlow has been out of sorts, wouldn't surprise if he carrying an injury.
Adamson - but we need to use him in set moves.
Boyle - Go for his size to start the game.
Godwin - The solid option to start the game.
Cashmere - Say no more, wouldn't swap him for any forward in the league at the moment.

Sneyd
Neal
Jewitt/Feka????? (not sure, don't think Feka should be playing because of injury, but Jewitt, where's that potential)
Spencer

LDF 2 things firstly you don't appear to have Smith in your line-up, Sneyd over Smith, I like the kid but I think Smith gets first dabs on the shirt. Secondly is your pack upside down or do you fancy giving Razor a run out at loose

I agree with your pack by the way although either Smith or Godwin could start for me.

Can't we just put Neal into the 2nd Row? Does it really make a difference playing a Prop there?

I thought that - I know Parker nipped in from dummy half for a try last week but I still wouldn't fancy having him as our starting hooker?!

Although I'm a big fan of Cashmere, even I wouldn't play him at LF. So, yes, my pack is the wrong way round, was obviously thinking about the team the way show the line up on TV rather than numerically.

And yes I would have Smith instead of Sneyd at this stage, a mere oversight. When we played Leigh in the friendly, I couldn't work out what to make of Smith. When he was running the game, you could see the obvious speed at which he was bringing players onto the ball, but he looked slightly void of ideas and just passed to the guy next to him, which was often the only runner. However, his all round game suddenly seems to have improved, his passing is much better, he's finding gaps and would appear to have his runners more organised.

Parker for hooker, not something I'd intentionally start.

Only pulling your leg mate.

The cautious approach would be Goodwin first, then Smith. Similar to the get Feka running at a tired defence theory, but what about the idea of blitz them early with a fast tempo from the start. We tried it once against St Helens under Harrison, when nearly the entire pack was injured so we went with the fast tempo and moved the ball. It nearly worked, except for Jamie Lyon having other ideas.

I would imagine are Leeds' confidence could be quite low as they are not used to losing in the manner they currently are. An early blitz from Salford could be enough to make their heads drop early. I'm also glad Boyle's back for this. Leeds like to dish out the rough stuff when the game isn't going their way, so Boyle's presence could counter this tactic. We should be thinking about getting some big tackles in on them early doors.

The last weeks performance re-enthused me after the poor start to the season. We need to be a little smarter in defence, but with Leeds having so many front row forwards out injured or suspended, this is a game we could take the spoils from. We just need to match the effort from last week, with some slightly smarter play.



I know.

What are you guys oppinions of Gibson playing wing? Personally I think he's wasted there. He was one of the best centre prospects we had at Leeds before he had his leg injuries but when he moves inside for you he seems to be able to carve some good defences up.

Agreed, but he seems a little weak in defence. We'll put that down to McRae's coaching though and hopefully Simms will sort out the defence.

Thats strange because he was always very strong defensively when he played for us. Very rarely did he miss a man and made some great 1 on 1 stops. A lot I suppose depends on your defensive pattern both inside and outside of you.

And how tired you are - I suspect he gets tested a lot more in defence for us than he would've done for you.

Ratchford in



Wish I was there

sounds like we are losing the plot a little

18 12 half time sounds god match to me, stuck in dover spain tomorrow home for hkr match hopefully

sounds like well beaten again

Maybe not



Disappointing 2nd half by the sounds of it - especially given the injuries Leeds have at the moment. Hopefully bounce back against KR next week...

im losing the will we will ever bounce back. Barring Wakefieldn, 30/40 points conceded every week