I'd say Leeds have started to struggle without the 2 wingers, Kylie & their leader in recent weeks. That's plain for all to see but 3 of those 4 are in the squad for Saturday and we've got one of the best league run-ins we've had for years this season. Unless we really get ravaged by injury then top 2 is pretty much nailed on IMO, giving us a home tie in the semis when anything can heppen, but i'm an optimist and always have been. Unlike yourself who's done nothing but be negative all season.

Struggling without Kylie?
Come on mate he's been a reasonable 10 minute spell prop for over a year ,as for Sinfield we may miss his leadership and GK but form? Not imo.
Agree we miss Hall and Briscoe but lets be honest thats only in part because the Coach use them as extra forwards because he's flogged most of ours or refuses to give the younger lads longer minutes.

Briscoe was the best winger in the comp before his injury and with Hall missing too it's forced us into playing the comp's best centre on the wing.
We've had Watkins on the wing, Keinhorst getting game time... And so what if they're used as extra forwards, they're more than up to the task and do an outstanding job of it.

"we may miss his leadership and goal kicking" - Indeed and it probably cost us a point v Hudds. We were a different side when he came on vs Wire too but it was too late.

Kylie hasn't been doing 10 mins for over a year either.

Did you see Sinfields defence v Wire?
Kylie hasn't been doing 10 minute spells but certainly only effective for 10 minutes and virtually a passenger the rest.

Some on here simply have a blank where Sinfield is concerned. I would still pick him in my 17 though

Let's face it Sinfield has been pretty poor most of this season and for large parts last season.
Just because he has been left out he is Mr Fantastic again.
Like I said earlier and Rhinoms has just said his leadership and goal kicking are second to none.
And because we do not have a backup hooker until Ward is fit we stick with Burrow who has been pish poor whenever he has played.
This and only this is why Sinfield should be on the bench to give Aiton a rest.
Sutcliffe needs to take hold of the game more he has enough game time to do this now.
We should have spared Cuthbertson last week as he looks knackered.
But our coach is seemingly going for the record of using fewer players than anyone else in a season.
Whatever happens he will stick to his favourites even if they are playing badly.

True about his form but that was as a starting 80 minutes HB who'd not had a decent break for a few years with International duty at the end of the seasons. A slightly reduced role of loose/hooker/sub in a game is a different matter. I think a large part of Sinfield's on field struggles came from his workload. Going by his last real showing at Saints away (vs Wire the horse had already bolted by the time he'd come on) then he did ok coming off the bench, the only sub that did that night. Nothing special but did a job.




I believe Robbie Ward has been back playing now for the u19's for the last couple of games? Now if McDermott was picking him as the sub hooker then fair play to leave Sinfield out on the basis on moving forwards with new players. But that Burrow is making the 17 and not playing much or contributing much apart from the odd game (Catalans away) then really Sinfield should be in ahead of him.

Btw if Sinfield isn't being played because he's leaving. If Burrow is getting picked ahead of him does it mean that the club expect him to be here next year and not Cas? If those rumours were true then why's he making the bench above Sinfield and Ward?



I thought Sinfield and Burrow were his favourites I've heard that for years on here??? Now they can barely get a game stuck behind Sutcliffe and Aiton and he's reluctant to take Stevie Ward off during games which means either Delaney or Ablett may get less minutes at 2nd row when all fit.

So when he drops his favourites for the ones who had to play 2nd fiddle previously, it's really because those previously 2nd fiddle players are his favourites???

Agree with the idea Sinfield should be spared and played at hooker along with Aiton Printer.
Clearly he does not rate Robbie Ward or so it seems otherwise he would have him on the bench.
With regards to his favourites it seems that once Sinfield said he was leaving at the end of the year.
McDermott acted like a jilted partner threw his teddy out of the pram and
decided not to pick him anymore.
Burrow it seems is still one of his favourites.
There is no other reason why he is getting in the 17 ahead of Sinfield.
And yes he should have taken Steve Ward off when injured against Warrington when the game was out of reach.

Picked him twice to start vs Wakey and Salford when he was fit again (his departure was announced whilst he was out injured. Sutcliffe even dropped to the bench in the latter game and as I mentioned previously he played a good role in the Saints game from the bench and took over goalkicking duties. Only when the cup draw was made was Sinfield withdrawn from action.

And simply going by how often they've spoken about how much they respect each other and that Sinfield had the right to call it quits whenever providing he did so very early in the year and for what he's done for this club, I really don't think McDermott begrudges Sinfield deciding he wants to call it a day at the end of this season. He will have known it would've been this year or next anyway for a while now.

As for Burrow he's still in the 17 but quite a few times his introduction has almost been a token gesture getting quite late on in the game (also dropped for two games himself at the start of the season like Sinfield has just been). Had Robbie Ward not gotten himself injured and only just returned it would've been interesting to see if he'd have gotten a game already.

Can you see how it is possible that will could hold onto top spot.....

Matches Played so far

Leeds - 5(h)...9(a) 13 pts from 18 away
Wigan - 8(h)...6(a) 3 pts from 12 away
Saints - 7(h)...7(a) 8 pts from 14 away
Wire - 8(h)...6(a) 4 pts from 12 away
Hudds - 7(h)...7(a) 8 pts from 14 away

Played nearly all our away games already before the split and a couple more than the teams around us, and we've dropped the fewest points. They all have more away games an us and away records that aren't as impressive. Wigan have the other three teams compared there to play away (plus Catalans) over the next 6 round period. For a team with only 3 points away from home (from Wakey and being held to a draw vs Widnes even though they played with a man advantage for 60 mins and a 16 point lead) then it's going to take a massive turn around in their away performances to pick up a decent amount of points from them.

At home we've played fewer than those and the only one we haven't played at Headingley is Saints.

In a season where even the top teams are struggling to perform away from home, then to be top after having played 2/3 more away games (and having lost fewer points on our travels despite playing more) shouldn't be overlooked. Let's remember 3 of the 5 points we've lost recently have come AWAY from home. A big factor in those games was discipline, likelihood is when we're the home team we won't be penalised as much as when you play away and thus reducing one of the key areas of concern ATM.

I can see how it's possible, but it will need significantly improved performances from the ones delivered at home to Warrington, in the second half at Huddersfield and away at Widnes. Keep up that level of performance and Wakefield apart there aren't many teams in the competition who won't fancy playing Leeds - whether that's at home or away.

On current form I would, wouldn't you?

They certainly do.

Good thread this by the way. Look forward to the usual pessimists & knee jerkers resurrecting it a week before the next round of the cup, when we inevitably lose again.

I'm looking forward to it too. Tried telling people that the focus (just like last year) and Sinfield went as soon as the cup draw was made but some just wouldn't have it. Just like last year when the cup game came we transformed for those wins. Apparently tiredness and players playing too many games was a key reason why we started to hit some poor performances.......they didn't look too tired today did they those same players who had 2 days less than the Hudds players. As well as us having a soft belly and teams figuring it out and Hudds were going to learn that and start better than the two previous meetings.

Good to see Sinfield and McDermott have settled their differences that led to them falling out and him not getting picked

They never do. We lose a game or two and suddenly it's the end of the world, season over, players too tired, too old, poor recruitment, poor planning, poor coaching..........

I've been a big macdermott critic but, a couple of games apart, he's impressed me this year. It's the most structured we've been since possibly murrays side. We have real shape to our play. Big decisions have had to be made and he's had the balls to make them

mac must be doing something right if you're giving him praise tad rhino,but it's good that you're not too shy in giving due praise

do you think that mac could be the man to take the club forward to start the clubs next generation?
i think that mac is definitely strong enough to keep evolving our side and make the tough calls that are required to keep us successful,i think that he is also growing into this coaching role and is getting the best from his squad after most coaches have passed there sell by date of 4 years at the helm

I say what I think mate. I don't have agendas and yes, I'd be happy if he stayed on

respect pal

Still need at least 1 FT Ass imo plus who we sign and how he handles the next transition will determine how much longer he stays imo A Coach can only go so far and so long at 1 Club imo even Wayne Bennett went stale at Brisbane for e.g.
I also don't like the token 5 minute sub stints or playing with 16 men be interesting to see how we go now with the Cup on the back-burner till the end of june.

What would you say Sal, some 10 days after your [ilatest[/i writing off of the squad?




Yadda, yadda, yadda................... I've heard GH has ordered some Shackletons original high seat chairs for the changing rooms. They're lovely.




Yeah Wigan and Hudds are on fire. Saints & Leeds can't buy a win.....

And yes they're getting old. We get it.




What a difference 10 days makes eh and i'm sure we'll see similar posts again next week should Wigan pull off a miracle.

That's the beauty of sport, it's not entirely predictable, or at least it shouldn't be.
Then it makes mugs of us all.
You're only ever one game away from your next win or your next loss.
For some folk on here if we win it's because the opposition were crap & if we lose it's because we were crap.
Thank goodness games are played on the pitch & not on paper.

You only look a mug if you wet your knickers over every poor run of form or shock defeat. This thread title from years back is a perfect example of knicker wetting! Sports fans talk crap to vent their frustration that their weekends been ruined because their team didn't perform, IT HAPPENS IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE, KEEP YOUR KNICKERS DRY!

Wigan fans were spelling the end for Wane earlier in the year and Wire can't decide about smith from one minute to the next.

I don't know, I did try and point out that Wigan's form should be put into context of their run of winnable home games they just had and that they were about to enter a very tough spell of away games of which their form is terrible away from the DW. On the other hand I highlighted our run in and how many away games we've currently played.

Some just didn't want to listen though and wanted to cry "we're doomed!"

There's a lovely 'Wane OUT' thread on the Wigan board right now after yesterday's battering with quite a few not even wanting to wait until the end of the season to replace him but for them to get rid right now.

Similar questions of Paul Anderson's future on the Hudds board last week after the cup exit.

Every time Warrington have lost a game this year then questions about whether Smith has taken them as far as he can arise on there and we have Wire fans starting threads on here asking our opinions about his time at Leeds and squad development.

Saints fans have also questioned Cunningham at times this season whether he's quite ready for the top job and annoyed at his cliche repetitive post match comments.