As each day passes the temperature forcast gets more worrying. I think everyone wants to see a proper contest and not a farce played out in weather that RL should not be played in. To me the sensible thing to do would be to make this an evening kick off.

For me…

Jowitt
Taufua
Hall
Batchelor
Murphy
Miller
Lino
Fifita
Hood
Whitbread
Tanginoa
Pitts/Ashurst
Walker

Bowden
Arona
Bowes
Ashurst/Pitts

So we going to drop a winger who is giving 100%, Split the only ,winger partnership we have had all season and put a second rower in the .I hope not

In answer to your question they will probably be named in the full squad but if they appear in the final 17 is never certain. I would think Lino should be back but not sure of the extent of his injury and yes we do tend not to play a new signing in the first game. I think in the current situation we will make an exception but who knows.

Betfred giving 4/11 for a Rovers win so they obviously give Trinity very little chance (23/10)

Toulouse getting 13/8 to beat the preferred Rhinos (1/2)

Those odds mean Diddly squat if we turn up with our minds focused on the job ahead , we will be more than a match for HKR , likewise Leeds on current form will brush Toulouse aside even taking in account the forecast temps , it’s not like us in the uk are in sub zero temps , so a few degrees here or there will make no difference

I’d go with…..

Jowitt
Taufua
Hall
Batchelor
Murphy
Miller
Lino
Fifita
Hood
Whitbread
Ashurst
Pitts
Crowther

Subs
Bowes
Arona
Bowden
Tanginoa

I've been isolated because of Covid, but has Taufau arrived, as everyone is selecting him.

Why cant we put Taufua at centre ?

It would appear his history suggests he is a winger only playing centre twice however, Batchelor is a loose forward, I don’t know but how many times has he played at centre. The logic suggests play the person whose skills set is the backs and let Batchelor play in the pack.

Spot on

I think we'll need Batch in the pack for his work rate. It is going to be energy sapping hot on Sunday.

Didn't know he'd played so few games at centre.
Either way, we're getting hammered down that side, apart from when Batch filled in and with a "new" winger and young lad inside, KR will target that side again so, clearly something has to change.

This is one of my major bug bears with RL in this country, the obsession of turning people into 'middles'. Batchelor isn't (or at least wasn't) a loose forward at all, he was a second row forward that runs very good lines and offered a genuine threat. It is only relatively recently he has moved to 13. He is used to playing further out wide, hence why he has made a good fist of centre previously when needed. Other second rows have done the same, John Bateman springs to mind, Willlie Isa does it a lot, Rhyse Martin has been doing it for Leeds. Thats why i'd go with him right now ahead of a guy who has spent all his career defending on the wing. The two positions are very different defensively and given our precarious position it's a risk, especially given the bloke hasn't played first grade for two years. It might work and fingers crossed it does but i'd go Batch for now and then work on Taufua's centre skills later if/when we are safe or in the off season if thats where we see him longer term.

Crowthers work rate is just as high. I'd have him at loose with Bowes on the bench alongside the two replacement props. I'd put Aydin on the bench as well as an extra middle given the heat.

Exactly this. Batch has always been a second rower who has played on the edges. It’s only this year we’ve seen him put at 13. While I think Batch does well at 13 I’d rather have him out on the edges where we tend to be exposed defensively.

Honestly can’t see why we wouldn’t put Batch back to centre or right SR as last 2 times he played there we won and looked solid on that edge. I believe it would be much stronger a move defensively.

I don’t understand the Crowther obsession, I may be wrong but his ball handling is questionable as is his impact in attack when we do.

Personally think crowther should be one who doesnt play

We will need his work rate, especially in defence, given the forecasted weather conditions.

I agree to some extent. His ball handling has been his downfall but I have seen some improvement there linking up this year.

He is strong defensively and appears to have matured a bit now physically so is looking stronger. I think there’s something in there. He needs regular game time for me and will be a very solid 13 for us for years to come. He’s still fairly young and his best years will be coming up as a forward still.

We can’t have a team of world beaters and Crowther is a very solid dependable figure to have in the middle.

I wasn’t keen on Crowther past few years but he’s showing improvements in his game this year.

Agree will leave it at that

Taufua is here, hoping he features in this one.

Croft will be there again after his wonderful defensive displays thus illuminating a coaching stubbornness.

Reckon it will be jorge in centre