As I said last week....

I watched us, and I enjoyed it. That is a massive change from the last 3 years.

It’s an area to keep an eye on that 13 shirt for sure. I’ve been really impressed with Smithies but I do quite like the thought of Havard at 10 and Ellis 13. I’ve been surprised with Isa really. I’ve always fancied seeing him at 13. It was the position he reinvented himself in at Widnes years back but he’s looked a bit passive so far. I think he’s trying to be on his best behaviour but he’s the sort you want to go out and bash people and cause a bit of (legal) mayhem. Having options means he’ll need to do more to hold the spot and you can’t ask for much more.

Speaking of options.....


Stick French into that side with everyone fit........

Trying to keep this thread positive...just the odd downfall was our need to gift Leeds the ball early in the tackle count.

Powell twice gave a forward pass directly from the scrum, so frustrating.

I said after the first pre season game that he was fitter than people thought. It's just a strange body language he seems to have at times. Bends over hands on knees or hips looking goosed but a second or two later is making a strong carry with players hanging off him or putting a big shot on in defence. Does it from minute one of his stints to the last too. One thing I know for sure though; he's tough to put down! How many times does he finish on his feet with 3 or 4 defenders trying and failing to put him down or getting away a great offload in the tackle. In fact I can't remember the last prop to have his combination of brute strength and silky handling skills. Pure box office to watch!

Fifita at Wakey is like that, looks unfit and out of shape and blowing out of his early in his stints but I seem to remember him running over us for 80 minutes once

We got a bit of good luck and it helped to kill off the Leeds threat. A couple of our tries could have been chalked off, especially the first, but overall a very enjoyable game. I wonder if Marshal was so embarrassed at being skinned on the outside that he spent the rest of the game making it up as a tackling machine.

Yeah, I was shocked how easy he got skinned, I know he’s lost some pace after his injury but Tindall got past him with ease. He looks a cracking player Tindall, was maybe naive thinking he could take Field on the outside for pace but I thought he looked a threat every time he had the ball and he seems a strong lad for someone who is relatively small, he’s got thick powerful legs.

Obviously really pleased. The ball movement and shape we showed in attack was brilliant, so many sets under Lam where it was one out carries and didn’t challenge the defence.

I thought we were dreadful in the first half, Leeds really started fast and we couldn’t cope. Our errors on the first tackle were beyond frustrating (until that Bibby kick! Haha).

Second half was superb, Cade Cust looks like a player.

Worry for me is Singleton and Ellis, feel Leeds got on top of them last night in the first 20 as Hull KR did last week.

As has been said I feel Havard should take one of them spots once fit. (Leave the bench props on the bench as they’ve been superb)

Bibby does see himself as a centre but I think he could be in trouble. Strong ball runner but seems to lack a good passing game.

Field
Miski/Thornley/French
KPP
Hardaker
Marshall

Could be an option.

Fantastic start to the year let’s keep it rolling Thursday.

Field timed his run perfectly and showed him the outside. Tindall made it easier by not showing any signs of coming inside.

Great game, great effort, some fantastic performances from Field, Cust, Ellis, Bateman, Mago, Byrne.

Didn’t notice much from Hardaker, Smithies, Partington & Isa.

Don’t like Bibby at centre either, would much prefer Hardaker there and Bibby on the wing. But I’m not the coach, Peet is and he’s doing great.

We need to really avoid letting Tommy do kicks on the last, they’re atrocious! Cust is far far better.

I thought Ellis had a good game?

Leeds fan in peace.

Well done on last night, as much as it hurt at the time I thought you guys were a joy to watch and its a welcome return as I think you’ve been awful to watch as a team for a couple of years.

I think a few trys were dodgy but in no way did that affect the outcome, the bibby kick was all our fault we just let field pick the ball up, schoolboy stuff from us.

Just on Marshall being skinned, don’t underestimate how quick Tindall is, he is rapid and not far off Field in terms of speed, Tindall should have come inside on his run then taken field in the outside, it was just s bit of inexperienced play, he’ll learn, i also thought he went for the ankle tap too early on fields try, i think he'd have caught him.

Good luck for the rest of the season (apart from against us) i hope you keep up the expansive play.

As for is Im not writing our season off like some Leeds supporters, when we can get a fullish team out I think weve got plenty of class

On a side note, how good is Olędzki for Leeds. Seemed to be going on one leg, but we still struggled with him.

Leeds we’re on top for first 20 you lost impact when the starting props went off, Wigan improved when the bench props came on. We do have more depth in the pack this year. Leeming was a threat all night, Austin had a good 1st half I think Tindall was shepherded well by Field , I thought he had give him too much room but he had him covered. Field also directed Marshall to stay with Blake who was on the inside.

I think Leeds control the ruck well and with some of the injured backs added to the squad you’ve not too much to worry about.

He did and he looks just the sort of prop we need. I think he could do longer minutes tbh and it’s something I’d consider. He ran 90 metres from 9 carries last night and made 26 tackles and that was in probably 40-45mins, so a good start from him. He looks like a lad still settling in and building confidence so I think there’s more to come.

He’s just a giant isn’t he, so he’s tough to handle. On the downside for him he got absolutely done for Fields second try and that worries me with my England hat on.

I posted on here last year after a couple of his Souths performances that a mate of mine had said he looked absolutely knackered and unfit. I do think he’s trimmed down a bit since that but he was clearly conned by his body language.

We’ve been starved of a prop like him for too long and it frustrates us when we see other clubs pulling rabbits out of hats from Down Under, so it’s nice that we seem to have managed it for once. Every time the lad gets the ball I’m sitting up a little in anticipation.

He’s not fit, he got a knock in the Wire game but due to our lack of options had to play

Unreal leg strength.

Yeah, I've just watched it back and he seems to switch off and it's too late to get near Field.

I noticed the strapping on his leg. He’s a top player that’s for sure and a good story for the game with his background. He’d certainly be in my 17 for the World Cup. We won’t lack size in that front row with Oledzki, T Burgess and Walmsley.

He’s fairly quick for a big lad aswell.

Yes its a great story and he’s such a lovely lad, great for the game

Not watched the game back yet but thought him and Singleton were ineffective on their first spell, Prior and Tetevano got the better of them.

He was good in his second spell but we were well on top.

Like I say I need to give it another watch

Has Mago got a long lost English grandparent?

Ellis was great.