Hull were not that bad at all. And that Salford team hammered the same Giants team that beat us, so let's not scrape the bottom of the barrel looking for excuses.

Of course Salford could hit some injuries before they play us, and without the bigger squad their problem. However, on Saturdays showing they would overcome us with ease. By the same token, Leeds could suddenly hit a patch which goes back to early season form. I was talking in terms of current form though.

Had Hull KR ended up going in front on Friday, there is no doubt the result would have been different, so Friday's scoreline doesn't mask current form.

Now you're talking nonsense.
Fridays game was a war of attrition - Leeds' bread and butter, especially with the trio of Kev, McGuire and Burrow together. There isn't many teams in SL that can match Leeds when it comes down to that. Leeds went back to basics, played the game out and it worked to plan in the end. If KR went in front they still would have cracked. Fitness and pressure took its toll, no If and buts about it.

Scraping the barrel for excuses where was that said then?
Iirc didn't we lose by 2 points without 2 of our best players one of which the best FB in SL? Does that equate to an excuse?
As for "Saturdays showing" so you would know exactly how we would have played then?
As for HKR scoring first the result would have been different are you a clairvoyant now?
They'd hardly battered us and lets face it once we scored we cruised for the last 20 minutes.

Stop getting so defensive and break it down properly what was said.

Remember we are talking current form.

You said Salford beat an out of sorts Huddersfield team, and played it down. I said Salford hammered the same Huddersfield team that beat us. Although in fact that Huddersfield team that beat was missing Cudjoe, so in effect actually a weaker one. You used the Huddersfield game, not me, I was only responding.

All I said is that I watched them Saturday night and they are a good team now. Much better than they were, and improving all the time. They did it without Locke also.

Leeds current form on the other hand, is shockingly bad, not improving. I did state it could turn around, just like Salfords has, but on current form Leeds would come a cropper there.

Now back to Friday night. We were weak, and we struggled. Had Hull KR got their noses in front, two things, we would have panicked, and Hull KR wouldn't have capitulated. That was why I said a lucky break to get in front and the result would have been different. The scoreline did not mask the performance, and as I said Friday night I have never seen a scoreline so flattering to what actually happened.

I agree that the Salford game now looks a bit trickier than it did a few weeks ago. Due to Widnes' form it's also offered a glimmer of hope to the teams below them to go for 8th. Looking a the fixtures this week, Widnes vs Wire, Catalans vs Wakey, Wigan vs Hull.....then the winner of HKR vs Salford have a great chance to move up on Widnes who'll probably lose again. If Salford win they'll be 2 points off Widnes most likely, they lose then HKR open a 5 point over them which could deflate them for Leeds the next week.

Wigan away for us is the toughest challenge. Saints at home looks even more trickier if we reach the CC FInal the previous weekend. Don't reckon Hull will still be in contention for the playoff by the time the final round starts so we'll probably travel there against a team with nothing to play for probably glad to see the season finish......the other top teams have big matches. We also play that Hull game on a Friday, Hudds vs Saints play on the Sunday so a possible 2 days extra rest if we faced one of the them in the first week of the playoffs (also Cas play Catalans AWAY on the Saturday).

Warrington are going very well, think their current run is better than anything they've managed since about the 1980s or early 90s. At present I'd back them for a top 2 finish. Can't help but think we'll need to take points off both saints and wigan if we're to join them.

We will learn a bit from the Cas game.If we lose that it makes the Wigan and Saints games must win.The players stated early season they wanted top spot

I'd rather just take things one week at a time (cliche alert) rather than trying to think about potential finishing positions and permutations etc. Theres so many big games coming up over the next 2 months it's just a cluster f*ck.

Right now, we have cas on friday, that's all i'm worried about getting the 2 points. They're on fire.

Thursday...

I wouldn't exactly say they were on fire at the moment either, they were playing better the last time we played them, and they're conceding a lot of points at the moment. Having said that we're not playing very well either, but I think we'll start to see an improvement now that we have some key players back.

See now Warrington are getting heavily into people's thoughts due to the run they're on.....9 wins in a row in the league.

But 6 of the last 7 wins have been against the 6 bottom teams in the table, the other one was against us but you could see that poor showing from us coming for a few weeks prior. Of the other 2 they did beat Catalans at home and put 40 past Saints at Magic....but then again HKR, Widnes and Catalans have all put 40 past Saints too. They did beat Wakey at Belle Vue, but that was Richard Agar's Wakefield, ourselves and Wigan faced a rejuvenated James Webster Wakefield. They beat Craig Sandercock's HKR, we struggled and Saints lost to Chris Chester's HKR. We're going to face a Salford team boosted by the arrival of Kevin Locke, Warrington didn't during their run. They're facing Widnes this week who are in a downward spiral, we're facing a high flying Cas side. By the time of the CC semi they won't have faced one of the other top 6 teams for 10 weeks.

Scratch beneath the surface and whilst an impressive run, it's not as impressive as it first seems. Yes they've racked up some points in those wins but Tony Smith teams usually do. The thing I think has contributed to the LLS winners not reaching the GF in the last 3 years is that they've won games too comfortably and strolled through the regular season.....not had those tight contests and bad spells where you can identify where your weaknesses are. They could face us in the CC semi having not had a true battle in quite a while....could possibly work against them, I think it did in the 2011 playoffs.

I agree

The return of Sinfield ,Hardaker and Burrow should not be underestimated imo , the latter is like signing a class player with half a dozen games left . As soon as these players get up to match speed along with the likes of Aiton , Ablett and Kylie we will likely see a very different Leeds .

Is that the same Robbie Burrow who before his injury was slagged off for stifling the attack by running across the back line not bringing the forwards on to the ball and making sure the rest of the team had no idea what was going on?
Or the Sinfield who alongside McGuire gave us the slowest and most predictable halves in SL?
Just shows how bad we have got to hail these two as our saviours.
Just saying.

Does this say more about the Leeds team or some Leeds fans?

I'll go latter.

Yeah , that Sinfield and Burrow , 12 combined grand final wins , 3 Harry Sunderlands , 1 Lance Todd and a combined 850 plus first team appearances , whether that qualifies them as the club's saviour I have no idea , but I would maintain you can't buy that kind of experience when the big games come round .

Just saying ...

so tight at the top now anything could happen.I expect us to have an upturn in form now with the cup semi looming thats for sure.

would love us to get top 2 and think we will if we go out of cup but if we were to make the final I reckon best we will do is finish 4th.

Without doubt it's the closest the top of SL has been for a number of years. Each Coach will each be now preparing & monitoring their squads for the September games.

Such is the intensity of Play Off Rugby I don't think home advantage is as important as it is during the League Season. Leeds, Cas & Wire have the pleasant distraction of the CC Semis & at least 1 of those teams will have the Final to factor in.

My final top 6 looks like this......

Saints
Wire
Leeds
Wigan
Giants
Cas

If Cas lose to Widnes then I think they will take 5th, Wigan are the team that could upset my prediction Apple cart. I know I'm biased but I do think that barring injuries to key players Wire will make it to O/T & the other Finalist will be Saints.

Probably both.

Yes and just look how many more we might have won or can still win with better halves or better players?
No point throwing all that we have won stats all the time at this argument.
It also shows the likes of Kirke as one of the most coveted forwards in the game.
Would you swap him for say Bateman who has won naff all?
All I am saying is that they have been brilliant for years but time sometimes comes round to improve on what you have and now and again you have to speculate to accumulate and invest to make us even better.
We may win something this year and that would be a fine achievement.
But getting better year on year has to be considered and I don`t personally think we are.
Time to move the likes of McGuire, JJB, Clarkson, Kirke and Bailey on next year.

Looking at Fixtures Im thinking:

Wigan
Saints
Leeds
Wire
Cas

We are now 3 wins above Huddersfield (due to our superior points difference) so they are dead on for 6th I believe. I think Wigan and Saints will get top 2 with no CC to worry about. Then you, Wire and us could co eitherway. Starting Thursday its massive for both teams to grab the win but I think you will put in a very good performance to beat us by 10-20 points.

Here's your answer printer, the fans.

Were you one of those making such poor judgemental calls?



All three were certainly in the frame for the title of saviours last Friday with Burrow showing just what we have been missing these last 12 weeks.

Just saying!

Oh, and would I swap Kirke for Bateman?

When Bateman shows he can act like a grown-up I'll consider it. Well on the way to becoming Gareth Hock Mark II

Whilst some don`t want improvements to their team to make them better and stronger.
You seem to miss the point.
I am saying I am delighted we might win something
What I want is to strengthen and the might may be more a given.

So you think Burrow Sinfield and McGuire have been on top of their game all season?

Says it all now.
Bet you would have got rid of Barrie Mac when he used to give so many penalties away and then get himself binned or sent off ?