A hooker and a halfback away from challenging. Poorest fullback in the league also if we go with Golding.

Do people think our props are good enough? They never get mentioned as a weak position but i actually think its our weakest.

Galloway is solid but is out for 1st couple of months. Garbutt injury prone and is either spectacular or hopeless there is no inbetween. Cuthbertson and Singo in the main were both poor last yr. Mullalley isnt good enough for Leeds. Baldwinson and Odeljski are both young and arent ready yet for regular SL action. JJB will probably cover prop this year and will try his guts off but is ultimately too small for prop.

Who will be our starting props on the opening night against Walmsley and co?

The only issue I have with our props is they're all the same kind of player, kind of ploddy metre eaters. Cuthbertson aside they don't really add any dynamism, and they all lack a bit of lateral movement defensively (this is why IMO a good 9 is essential). So while they are good enough individually, I don't think we are as well balanced there as say Saints or Wire.

As for who will replace Galloway I would like to think it's an opportunity for Baldwinson or Mullaly to stake a claim. But more than likely Mac will go with JJB early doors.

The thought of using Jjb as a Prop especially after already doing 20mins+ in the backrow should be one of the Lessons the Coaches learn from last year in that A.It was ridiculous & B.He's too old to do long stints without a break.

nobody it seems, players or coaches, learnt a thing last year as the same mistakes were repeated week after week.
as for Jjb at prop, it's been tried time again and doesn't work.

so expect him to play prop

You cant fault JJB's heart, the guy would run through brick walls for the team.

Though flogging him to within an inch of his life in a position that takes some severe physical punishment on even the fittest of players is a bit much.

We need JJB on the pitch for his enthusiasm and leadership qualities, not sat on the bench, iced up to the nines.

Put it this way, if Leeds would have got rid of McDermott, GH would have been able to keep Hardaker like he wanted to.

Would he be starting in the back row next year anyway? Could really be lining up
11 - Ferres
12 - Ablett
13 - Ward

If used as a prop with Cuthbertson, Garbutt & Singleton the game time shouldn't be as big.

So on one hand GH has to get rid of players he doesn't want to let go because McDermott says so....
Yet the other rumours have GH insisting that Burrow stay even though McDermott wants him to go.

Quite the flip flop on which person calls the shots.

I reckon we'll see Ferres/Ward in the SR & either Singo/Cuthbo at 13 in games aswell tbh.
Wrt "gametime" Mc.D always has flogged the pack & worse before changing it so i wont hold my breath that it will change anytime soon.

Ablett needs to regain some form before walking straight back into the starting back row.

Was arguably one of our worst performers in what was a terrible season.

TBH it looked like a weekly competition for who had fallen furthest from their actual form last year.

Probably when he has a bench he isn't as confident in.

ATM I'd say the forwards/bench will look something like this at the start of the year

8 - Cuthbertson
9 -
10 - Singleton
11 - Ferres
12 - Ablett
13 - Ward

14 -
15 - Garbutt
16 - JJB
17 - Delaney

Something along those lines, who plays loose & who plays 2nd row could vary as well as who starts at prop and on the bench but that lineup would probably get an fair share of minutes.

No hooker and only 3 subs? It's McDermott wet dream material

At the moment 9 is probably Burrow.

14. Keinhorst or Mullaly. (Keinhorst would make for a light bench). Maybe one of Sutty or Lilley, depending on who starts in the halves?

def the makings of a 7/8th place side there

Was just about to post the same thing, for me he was our worst performer 2015 as well (out of those consistently in the team)

If Ward plays 13 then surely Keinhorst should start in the second row? He was voted by the fans as the best player last year and I don't see why he should loose his place just because he isn't as good as Ablet was 2/3 years ago, players should be picked on form.

That pack has mid table written all over it.

If that is the best Leeds can do in the forwards then it will struggle - JJB and Delaney as impact subs!

Add to the appalling spine and you have a mid table side at best. Where does Cameron Smith fit into all this or is he going to spend another year kicking his heels?

With that pack you'd want a stellar spine to be right up there. As it is we look to have average forwards, an untried/high risk spine and very good threequarters. Its hard to see anything other than a rocks or diamonds season. Personally I think unless we get some kind of alternative hooker we're in for an almighty slog just to make the top 8, never mind top 4. I would love to be wrong.

Exactly how i feel. Saving grace is that SL at the top end is not as strong as it was..can you imagine our squad now up against the Wigan, Saints and Bulls squads of early to mid 2000s!? On the flip side the mid to lower teams have got stronger so to make the 8, like you say, won't be cut and dry.

This current Leeds squad with those pack options and that spine should to be nowhere near the Top 8. Fortunately for them, the rest of the SL competition ain't up to much.

The days of GH announcing [i'Leeds best ever squad assembled'[/i are over, surely?

Amazingly there are still posters on here who think this squad is a match for any team in SL - bizarre

Only because the other sides are poor as well.
WE, so you expect GH to admit we've got a poor or at best average squad?
I'm sure you don't & fully expect lots of inflated puffery in the new year.

GH will come out with we have completed our recruitment - we believe this squad is competitive with lots of exciting youngsters on the threshold of greatness.

A repeat of what he said last year - another year like this year will test the commercial team!!