So we got the win needed on Friday vs Salford to possibly put them in the mpg. Batley have been beaten quite convincingly in every game so far so would be surprised if it was any different in this game. Will be interesting how we go as we looked much better with Lilley in the halves than Moon. Maybe a chance to play Golding, Handley, Smith, Oledzki, Mullally? Wouldn't be surprised to see a few rested. Hoping not mind so we can get the job done as quick as possible.

Sutcliffe
Briscoe Watkins Moon Hall
Lilley Burrow
Galloway Segeyaro Singleton
Ablett Ferres
JJB

Ward Keinhorst Garbutt Cuthbertson.

Nahhh, give some others s chance. Hallas, Mullalley, Handley, Smith, Jordan Roberts.

Not like it is a risk. Let them stake a claim. The others have put in poop all year, why keep plugging with it.

I wouldn't risk Moon or Sutcliffe even though it sounds like there not serious injuries, I'd also rest Watkins, Ablett,JJB and Garbutt and if Mcguire or Delaney isn't back I'd go with

Golding
Handly
Briscoe
Keinhorst
Hall
Lilley
Burrow
Galloway
Segeyaro
Singleton
Achurch
Ferres
Cuthbertson

Subs

Ward
Mullally
Hallas
Smith

And even if we do rest some bodies we should have enough quality to get the job done.

We should be as professional as possible. Play our strongest available 17, get the job done with a big victory and then rest some players. This year has had plenty of downs so let's put the foot to the floor. Resting players could make the result closer than we expect.

Fancy needing points from Huddersfield away and Leigh (who may need points still) at home? What's the point in even risking being in that situation. Press on, pile on the points and let the young players finish the season off.

If Leigh beat the Giants next week they cannot finish worse than 3rd. Party time at the LSV!!!!

With Leigh's win today and an expected big scoreline for us vs Batley next week it would now take a really unique set of results and winning margins for us not to be safe.

Looks like Leigh won't need the MPG and we will see a SL side relegated.........what are people's thoughts on the middle 8's now that it looks like we'll actually see a promotion/relegation?

HKR/Hudds vs Salford by the looks of it.

Play our strongest team against Batley and get the jon done. It'll be more useful blooding youngsters against Hudd/Leigh anyway as we'll see how they go against better players, and if they're not up to it the scoreboard won't matter.

I predicted Leigh would get promoted at the start of the year. but i thought it would be at the expense of Wakey so revised my thoughts with the strength of the four SL teams that are actually in it now and i didn't fancy them to get there. The fact they already have the scalps of Hull KR and Salford and look like making it as top 3 is credit to them they have earned it.


It looks like HKR v Salford and i wouldn't like to call it, could be decided by who has the biggest injury list and key players missing on the day.

We should play a full team and blow Batley off the park, then maybe think about resting a few when safety is confirmed.

I'm not gonna single out Gotcha or anyone else! But those who think we shouldn't put out our best team until relegation is mathematically impossible are f*cking idiots.

Speaking as a Leigh fan I disagree with you resting players against the Giants.....unless we beat them next week of course in which case we will have made it to SL.

What is our best team? We have been 5h1te pretty much all year? Names on a paper don't make something strongest. Performance on the pitch does.

Our full under 19's would beat Batley and get the job done. So putting four of them in is hardly going to be unprofessional. Watkins has played every minute this season, which most in the game would consider far more unprofessional from a welfare point of view.

Resting players? For what purpose?

Strongest team now to try and win all 7 of these games to recover some pride.

We don't need to win all 7 so I don't see the point in playing our full first team for all 7.I would play our strongest side against batley and secure SL status.

Then you can play some of the squad players like handley and mullaley. I would be against whole sale changes though.

Our full 19s wouldnt beat Batley IMO. One or 2 on bench maybe but i doubt very much McD will make many changes.

As for resting people against Hudds and Leigh and playing kids idea. That is madness. Kids, who arent ready or upto it could be seriously hurt against big physical teams like them. Oledski is potentially a top young prop but hes 17 maybe just 18. Physically he isnt ready for it yet. Playing against men could set his confidence and development back. Cameron Smith, while not yet ready could potentially be given 20 mins off bench. Hallas maybe longer than that.

The days of a 16 year old Sinfield or Walker playing in first team are long gone.

Rest players against Batley? Why?

80 minutes away from safety, get the job done and the two points and then think of giving players a break in last two games

Although, Huddersfield away if we win we set the cat amongst the pigeons with that game potentially depending on how Leigh vs Huddersfield goes

Im still agsinst the whole 8's scenario.
The top 8 rewards failure & both add extra games when we desperately need less & a gap for at least 1 international match.
It should revert to the top 6 imo whilst the bottom 2 play away v top 2 in the Championship in straight winners take all games.

I dont disagree in principal but unfortuanately clubs wouldnt be able to survive financially with less fixtures.

10 points doesn't get you away from the MPG (notwithstanding points difference).
Best not to mess around with Hudds game

I think the team owes the fans for our loyalty this season and to prove how professional they are. So would expect them to put out the strongest team possible in all of the remaining matches to finish the middles unbeaten and have momentum for next year. If players are fitness doubts then rest them but I'd be against wholesale changes.

Brian McDermott and the Leeds club have never struck me as lacking honesty.
Hopefully the player show integrity too.
Of course as a Leigh fan I have a vested interest in Leeds doing well but our sport needs P&R to be a realistic and viable possibility.
The closed shop of SL may be more intense but I think there is a lack of resilience of some teams under pressure and we have benefitted from that I believe.

Really looking forward to the Headingley game

give the kids a go, we should win anyway and we will benefit far more from some of the youngsters getting a game than we would putting 60points on someone.

With the 3 guys on loan to Fev and McGuire and Delaney injured then it's not like we have a lot spare players to bring in anyway.

If anybody is carrying a knock then yeah give him an extra week off. You could rest one of the usual starting props and bring Mullally in and maybe give Handley a game but nothing else really needed.

Still a scenario were 10 points might not be enough and it be down to points difference.

Round 5 - Leeds beat Batley, Hudds beat Leigh, HKR beat London

Round 6 - Hudds beat Leeds, Leigh beat Batley, HKR beat Fev

Round 7 - Leigh beat Leeds, HKR beat Hudds

That would leave the table

Leigh - 12 pts
Hudds - 10 pts
HKR - 10 pts
Leeds - 10 pts

So we need to beat Batley and score plenty of points doing it, that's why I said at the start of the 8's we had to be ruthless vs Fev and try and rack up as big a score as possible. Hudds away regardless of situation/format is always usually one of our toughest/closest away trips of the season in recent years and Leigh will come to us potentially still needing to win to secure a SL spot and they're full of confidence right now.

I'd go with:

Golding
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Lilley
Burrow
Galloway
Segyaro
Singleton
Ferres
Ablett
JJB

Hallas
Garbut
JJR
Mullaly

I'd also consider giving Sanderson a game, but as I don't think he'll be a Leeds player next year, it's pointless.

So you can't count or spell?

I'd go with:

1. Golding
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Keinhorst
5. Handley
6. Lilley
7. Burrow
8. Galloway
9. Segeyaro
10. Mullalley
11. Ward
12. Achurch
13. Smith

14. Hallas
15. Garbutt
16. Singleton
17. Jordan-Roberts

Should be more than enough for seeing off Batley. I don't particularly care about racking up a big score. It's a great opportunity to play some of the promising youngsters and get some first teamers a rest for what will be 2 tough games against Huddersfield and Leigh.