www.therhinos.co.uk/m/news/20461.php

www.therhinos.co.uk/m/news/20461.php

Bollox.

Guess this will force Watkins back to centre and A.N.Other on the wing.

I'd like to see Chisholm given a run out.

The next few games will be a real test for the squad, I hope peacocks long term knee injury was not a result of him playing with an injured knee from the game previous to the giants game.
Sometimes these situations enforce changes which may benefit the team, Watkins to centre springs to mind. Or moving burrow back to scrum half.

That never happens.

Regards, Delaney.

Does that mean we now qualify to be the "plucky, injury-hit underdogs" that the Sky commentary team fawn over for being "brave"?

Not on Monday. Thats well and truely Saints tag for the forseeable!

WRT to Peacock are chickens coming hom to roost following little or not rest so far and prolonged minutes on the pitch?

Is it still innovative to flog him and leave Moore and others sat on the bench unused or given 8 minute spells at the end of the game.

This can hardly have come as a shock.

With Ablett injured I'd like to see Watkins in the centre and Chisolm on the wing but expect to see Keinhorst or, god forbid, Vickery.

Doesn't say what Peacock's "knee injury" is. Could just as easily be a contact injury that could have occured in minute one of the first game of the season as anything "wear and tear" related.

I think we will probably see Vickery come back in so Mcdoughnut can save his blushes. If he doesnt come in and perform this time I expect it will be curtains for him.

Only other choices are Keinhorst and Watson.
Chisolm has no chance as he is out of favour and not playing very well at the moment.
Watson is playing extremely well but out of favour too.

Before anyone comments, no U19s will be picked either.

Spot on G1. I just can't fathom why Peacock has done so many minutes in so many games, whilst others are sat on the bench or up in the stands. It just seems common sense at this stage in the legend that is JPs career to try to preserve his fitness and energy level so that he can make his usual massive contribution for shorter spells through out the season. It's sacrilege, like having a classic Lambo and thrashing it to work every day on the motorway, using it to nip to the tip and do the shopping, when you have a van and a Mondeo on the drive doing nowt.

Looks like Leeds could be getting down to the bare bones of their 'quality rich, numerically poor' 1st grade squad for 2013.

Griffin released, Jones-Bishop yet to play in 2013, Ward, Peacock, Ablett out medium term, Delaney (?)

If those 5 are all missing from the original 25 (now 24 post Griffin's departure) man squad - once described as 'the most exciting and talented squad in the club’s history' by the Leeds CEO - that leaves a total of 19 names only including Keinhorst, Singleton, Vickery and Hood (who is yet to feature in 2013) before having to hand a debut out.

Just lately (2009 onwards) Leeds have been introducing two Academy produced players a season with varying success, lets see which two (or more, or less) McDermott will try out this year.

I suspect Peacock's injury is not so much wear and tear, more not recovering from the previous weeks knee injury. Similar to Watkins stupidly playing in the 2011 CC final with a knee injury and not being seen again that season. When Peacock went down at Odsal I thought it was potentially season ending. I was shocked to see him play at Huddersfield. We really do need to place a bit of faith in some of the back-up players at times.

I would like to see either Keinhorst at with Watkins on the wing OR Watson given a chance at full back with Hardacker moving to . Watson rumoured to be going somewhere else at the end of the season and Vickery not getting any game times with just 6 months left, it may be better longer term to get keinhorst some more games / experience, but would be happy to see how Watson would get on at fullback also.

Watson, however good he is, has no future at Leeds as a fullback as long as Hardaker is here. Would rather see him tried at wing outside Watkins where there's more likely to be a vacancy or at least a competition with BJB when he returns.

There's definitely a vacancy for a cover 3/4, a role both the younger Hardaker and Lee Smith had while Webb was here which now, after a lack of recruitment, seems to be filled by Ablett.

It makes GH's rejection of the RFL proposed U23's look even more stupid.

its a shame these injuries have come along but we have been quite fortunate up until now on the injuries front.

It will enforce Mac to give the likes of Moore,Clarkson and Singleton some much needed game time and Ablett and to a much greater extent JP should come back re-charged for the business end.

Its a tough run of games coming up for us but thankfuly we have got ourselves into a great position on the ladder and even a couple of defeats shouldnt deter our hopes for at least a top 3/4 finish.

That's one positive to take from this, 2 key players effectively get a mid season break. Obviously the have injuries to heal but it gives a chance for their whole body to take a rest.......likewise with Ward and BJB we'll have some fresher legs to bring back into the team around August time.

Its a shame it couldn't have happened AFTER these 3 games but our good results earlier in the year means its not as worrying as it could've been. Just hope Delaney doesn't pick up a serious injury with most likely being picked on Monday.

The ablett injury is unfortunate but it happens. The peacock injury is more frustrating. I know players play with niggles all the time and you want your best out there in knockout games, but it looked a fairly hefty knock on the knee at Bradford and now he is missing 8 weeks.

Personally if Delaney is 50/50 I would not risk him this week,

not really. lots of talent in the u19's but we have a coach who refuses to use them

Or maybe he's just not in favour of a system that enables clubs to stockpile young players who would be better served playing first team rugby somewhere else?

It might shock you being from Wigan, but sometimes administrators do what they think is best for the game rather than just their own club.

McDermott in his misguided? stubborn? stupid? refusal to rotate his forwards or introduce some u-19's onto the wing is now faced with the potential prospect of numerous 'newbies' making their debuts against Wigan ......god forbid further injuries on Monday.

Still at least it gives him the perfect excuse to blame the usual newcomer scapegoats if Leeds lose. Not sure what he will do if the "debilitated" team actually wins.

Seriously, where do you get this stuff from?



When have you ever heard Brian McDermott blame any specific players for a Leeds defeat?? Debutants or otherwise?

As for the second part of your statement - it might be a revolutionary concept, but maybe, just maybe, as the head coach of Leeds Rhinos, he will be quite happy if said team wins the game??

I expect to play with 13 and two subs, one used for 7 mins and one not at all.

with all due respect to St Helens, even without JP, Ablett & Delaney we should have too much for them.

1. Hardaker
25. vickery
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
13. Sinfield
6. McGuire
8. Leuluai
9. McShane
17. Kirke
11. Jones-Buchanan
19. Achurch
18. Clarkson

7. Burrow
16. Bailey
21. Moore
23. Singleton

Somewhere else in the YEP GH stated that Vickery is now fit but Leeds are looking to send him on loan to a SL side as there's no more room at Hunslet. Maybe that will change with Ablett's injury, but it doesn't say much for Leeds' view of Vickery that they'd rather play others out of position than him at all.