So now Lilley is proving he's every bit a SL yer writing off Golding as a FB after an average game?

Tbf just to add also, how many fullbacks have we seen suffer in that swirling wind at Huddersfield, it's not an easy place to go for a fullback

If Mac drops Handley or Kind Horse (SL Pod Ref) before Watkins he will lose my support.

I think it was after the Cas game I said something along the lines of "if Lilley is the future then we are fooked!" I have done a total 180 on that one already. Now i think he can't/shouldn't be dropped.

I will reserve judgment on Golding, let's see if Zak does much better next week!

Cas fan here, I've been more and more impressed with Lilley and Keinhorst every week whilst Watkins seems to go from bad to worse.

If you were completely injury free how would you fit these two into the team.

The break that Sutty made when he passed inside rather than to Watkins wasn't a bad option. It looked as if Lilley would probably made it to the posts if Walters hadn't impeded him.

He won't drop Keinhorst but he'll move him back into 2nd row duties (was Achurch injured again? He spent ages off, 25min until 70min wasn't it before being dragged back on?) The interesting decision comes next week (maybe) if McGuire is fit. He'd obviously start but who would his partner be....Sutcliffe or Lilley.....surely it should be the latter.

No that was just poor, Lilley MAY have made it (doubt it) but always the chance of defenders coming across.....Watkins had a walk in. Sutcliffe and Watkins need to work on their chemistry because those two cost us the game tonight with their f*ck ups.

Also IF everyone was fit for the cup game next week I think McDermott would go with tried and tested and go this

Hardaker
Briscoe - Watkins - Moon - Hall
Sutcliffe - McGuire
Galloway - Burrow - Cuthbertson
Ferres - Ablett
JJB

Delaney - Garbutt - Singleton - Lilley

Up until a few weeks ago I'd say Falloon ahead of Lilley but not sure he would now (personally would start Lilley ahead of Sutcliffe but doubt it'll happen). As good as Keinhorst has been, Moon wasn't bad before injury and can't see Watkins being dropped so even though it'd be very harsh I could see him dropping Keinhorst, as Delaney although held together by tape is a firm favourite of McDermott's and would get the sub bench spot. Hall would get in ahead of Handley on reputation as he candy things like the match winning try vs Saints in the playoff semi that other wingers simply can't do...as poor as he's been he still comes up with big plays in big games, you just don't drop those guys.

Those bombs from brought are a nightmare. He gets more height on them than anyone in SL plus some swerve at last second. Another close one slips away. Reckon that is 7 out of 8 lost. Can we Get a first away win and keep season alive? Ferres again worked hard and think gave away 3 penalties. Kind of sums up our bungalow season, nothing upstairs. Great verbal support but it echoes my memories of watching lufc away in early eighties, the worse the play the better the support.

In terms of the season as a whole Ferres started off slow but then picked up nicely until injury hit. First game back tonight and his penalties were ever so costly.....can it be written off as the 'occasion' being back at Hudds for the first time getting to him? Possibly, we'll have to wait and see.

Sutcliffe should have found Watkins, he had a walk in and briscoe outside. Big fan of Jimmy k. WAtkins is down on confidence but the guy is class, form is temporary. Last season Watkins play was a classy as any centre play I have ever seen in a Leeds shirt. He will be back. Jimmy k's improving game opens up another longer term option of possibly having Joel moon in the halves. Keep your teeth in Stevo I only said possible.

I'm not writing anyone off by expressing an opinion on areas that require attention. Turning a blind eye to shortcomings or worse 'doing a Schofield' won't help.

Did smith get on ?

Yes, somewhere around the hour mark - think he was off again for the final five - so around a fifteen minute spell.

Yes, you could probably hear the collective groan from certain Leeds fans as it gave them one less thing to moan about post loss.

You would hope the latter with Sutcliffe to the centre and Watkins to the wing.

Yep. If the FB can't catch them then you have only one option, stop them going up in the first place. Kick pressure on Brough was non existent.

If Moon is fit next week I would rest poor Watkins who is just so out of touch he would struggle to catch a cold at present. If Mags is fit too I would play Moon and Sutcliffe in the centres and Keinhorst in the 2nd row. Lilley has to stay in the halves even tvoc seems to have woken up to that finally.

Golding was awful at FB. The bombs were tricky, and maybe he had the right to ask his teammates why they were giving Brough half an hour to put them up, but other parts of his game were also dreadful. On attack he must have f******d up a dozen plays by getting in the way of pass or runner, he defended our attack better than Hudds attack.

But up until now you had turned both your blind eyes on Lilley before finally seeing the sunshine. If you opened them both up a bit further you will see the merits of young Golding too.

Reading through the thread I can see Watkins getting his usual helping. He dropped everything last night, maybe Sutcliffe didn't give him a scoring pass because he didn't think he'd catch it. Brian Carney, like myself, thought he needed the ball early. He clearly is having problems holding the pill when he gets flat passes under pressure, so get him deeper and give him the f******g thing early.
Watkins did do a very effective shift in defence, which flies in the face of him being lazy and not interested. He's out of form and his confidence is shot to bits. The Leeds attack as a whole is a complete shambles, and it's not all down to our number 3.

I don't think we got enough pressure on Brough. He had far too much time to get those bombs in and Golding had no chance. I'm certainly not writing him off. He has a great attitude and won't go hiding. We're not a million miles away in these games, but considering the lack of experience in our halves, what can we expect. I'm proud of the team for what they did last night. In the backs, only Watkins and Sutcliffe would have been considered starters at the beginning of the season. We're missing our best forward from last year and 3 back rowers that would be in the 17. Lots of teams are doing it tough with injuries, but throw in our loss of Sinny, JP and Kylie it's been extremely tough for us. Galloway is getting better each game and the youngsters will be learning more than we could imagine from this period. After seeing them last week and this, I'm confident that in a few years we'll be on the verge of another dynasty

Having been forced into a U-turn regarding 20 year old Lilley after previously writing his SL career off you continue with another ill judged attack on young Golding. I think it was you who oddly said he isn't going to be a winger after the Hull game and questioned his bravery into the bargain, something you sort of retracted after the Saints game in which he did well on the wing. So he failed to take 3 very difficult high bombs which not only had snow on them but we're spinning and dipping at the last minute too and on this evidence you now write him off as a fullback too. I didn't recall similar comments when our Man of Steel dropped far easier ones this season.

I note you made no mention of his good takes or the 17 tackles he made (double Hardaker's average) two of which were try savers.

Galloway and Garbutt were both excellent. Can't ask much more from your two props. Especially as with Achurch on (did he carry the ball at all last night?) and Burrow at hooker we are effectively playing with 4 forwards.

Based solely on what we've seen of their form this year, when everyone's back my centres would be Moon and Keinhorst and again JUST basing it on this year, IMO Handley would keep his spot in front of Hall

Lilley would keep his spot in the halves and Magsy (even though he's done nothing this year because he's hardly played) he comes back as he's the club skipper and main playmaker so he partners Lilley for me with Burrow starting hooker.

With everyone back Sutcliffe gets nowhere near a starting 13 spot for me based SOLELY on what we've seen this year.

It will be interesting what McD does when everyone is back but I expect Hall and Watkins to be regular starters based on what they've done before but both have been utter gash this season...SO FAR

Every week fans say they've got to close down brough, and not give him time and space. every week it doesn't happen. He makes time and space for himself- but as a player he needs less than most anyway to put in a great kick.