Wouldn't shunt anyone around. Sinfield and Burrow split the 80 between them at dummy half. When Sinfield isn't on the field, Sutcliffe and Hardaker can handle the goalkicking between them.

With Sinfield, McGuire, Burrow and Sutcliffe on the field at times last year Leeds had way too many chiefs and Sutcliffe ended up being the spare part.

Sinfield does defend in the half back position doesn't he?
I had in my mind that most times he defends in between Watkins and Briscoe.
When Burrow is on I thought he went on the left with McGuire in between Hall & Moon. But then it's not something I actively look for so I could be wrong.

Which, whilst Burrow's defence isn't a problem, I think we miss the defence in the middle of a hooker. Both Diskin & Buderus helped take the line up in the middle and usually hit pretty hard too.

Personally I can't see Sinfield at 9 - not at this stage of his career - he would not be able to handle the defensive work load nor would he be quick enough to get to the PTB. He is no Buderus and that is what is required at 9 and its one of the reasons it doesn't really work with Burrow either. You are relient on other players to control the game something they have not been allowed to do for 12 years - agree if we had bought Dobson not an issue but Sutcliffe doesn't appear to me to be a controlling half back.

I could JJB being better suited to the role if his passing could be improved - he is leader and that's what you need from a hooker

He did defend in between BJB and Watkins a lot back in 2012 but towards the end of that season (the GF for example and the interception try Watkins scored vs Wigan in the playoffs) it saw him move the other side of Watkins more often. I believe it's been exasperated further by McGuire who usually defends left with Burrow but is sometimes coming over to the right side inbetween Briscoe and Watkins and Sinfield was then 4th man in. Its why on several occasions his year he's made 30+ tackles a match.....at Hudds away he made 42 tackles compared to Watkins' 18, at Saints away it was 31 compared to Watkins' 13.

Number of games Sinfield made LESS than 20 tackles in.....

2014 - 3 (21 league appearances)
2013 - 3 (22)
2012 - 15 (27)
2011 - 16 (27)

That also has something to do with teams deliberately attacking him to tire him as he is the key playmaker - stop him and because the way the attack is structured you stop Leeds. That has been largely successful in the last two seasons, last season was by far his worst and least effective. It also coincided with Leeds not having an experienced hooker, didn't Lunt depart at the end of 2012 and Buderus was there in 2011? You can't hide everyone so he had to do more tackling. How him playing hooker will benefit the structure of the side I cannot see.

Teams always like to the halves and Sinfield was playing there in 2011 & 2012. McGuire and Burrow will have been targeted throughout their career but I've never seen them have those kind of tackling numbers so it's more than the opposition targeting Sinfield.....its him getting involved more the last two years through not being as far out in the defensive line.

Whilst people aren't sold on Aiton (2014) and obviously McShane (2013) didn't end up lasting, both made many more tackles in those seasons than Lunt did in his season so we've actually had more tackles made by a proper hooker in these last 2 years where Sinfield's number has risen also.

Fair points what I was trying to say is that if you have Burrow and McGuire on the field at the same time then Sinfield has to defend 4 in otherwise you have two half back defending together against a centre and a second row. In years previous Leeds had other attacking options are weren't so reliant on all the plays going through Sinfield. These days everything goes through him so if you tire him he is far less effective. IMO he has been more targeted in the last two years than previously.

For me, whatever the combinations, the starting team needs to have, Hardaker, Briscoe, Watkins, Moon, Hall, Sinfield, Peacock, Cuthbertson, Ablett, and Stevie Ward in it. Others need to fit around that, then we see how it goes.

Thought Ward showed the benefits of a full off-season of gym work on Boxing Day. Seems to have put on plenty of bulk, without losing any mobility in the process.

Bigger tests await, but he's got everything in place to kick on.

I still think he has more talent than being just a crash ball merchant lets hope our Coach finally utilises this.

You can only play with so many pivots in your team though. Leeds currently have three, arguably four when Sutcliffe, McGuire, Burrow and Sinfield are on the field at the same time.

There's simply not scope to fit Ward into the team as anything other than a runner at this point in time. Unfortunate for him, but it's purely an accident of birth that he's come along at the time he has done.

If it takes Sinfield to play hooker to get him back tackling down the middle, rather than on the fringes, I'd take that.

The problem is that I get the feeling that Sinfield was taken out of the middle because he couldn't do it for 80 mins. I would think it unlikely that he would move back there for more than the odd game

I'm hoping that his first off season for a while will see Sinfield rejuvenated the way it did for Peacock.

For reasons that should be obvious to anyone, Sinfield needs to be in the team.However, pairing him with McGuire gives us a very ponderous half back pairing. I'd prefer to see Burrow at 7 but Sutcliffe also needs game time.

It's a conundrum but luckily we have the right coach to solve it.......

Oh, and I remain to be convinced that Ward should get his place in the 17 back, let alone be a first choice, even if his new meaty thighs have got a few posters juices flowing.

I think our best bet in the halves is probably Sinfield at 7 and Sutcliffe at 6. Gives Sutty the opportunity to really make his mark at pivot (clearly his best position) while having Kev alongside him to direct. McGuire is excellent cover, and Burrow can come off the bench.

1. Hardaker
2. Briscoe
3. Watkins
4. Moon
5. Hall
6. Sutcliffe
7. Sinfield (C)
8. Cuthbertson
9. Aiton
10. Peacock
11. Achurch
12. Ablett
13. Delaney

14. Burrow
15. Leuluai
16. Singleton/Yates
17. Jones-Buchanan

Agree with G1 regarding Ward. And agree with the poster above who's name I have somehow forgot in the time its taken me to click 'reply' regarding Sutcliffe.

That is all.

While I know there's a significant difference in terms of intensity and opposition between the opposition in the last two games and what can be expected in the SL regular rounds, there has appeared to be more pace and urgency around the team with McGuire and Sutcliffe running things.

It's to be hoped that urgency doesn't disappear when the reins go back to the captain.

I would agree with that, but I also think that is also down to another couple of changes. The ability of having a big forward who can hit the line and move a pass on, very much like in the James Graham mould, and an actual attacking running backrower in Stevie Ward.

As you said, the opposition needs to be taken into account, but regardless of that these are two things which were missing previously against whatever opposition. This has given much more options to the half back pairing.

now that we're half way through the season what do you all think is our best 17 and the side that would play in a cc final or gf if all were fit for selection?

have any of you changed your initial views to your pre season selections?

stevie ward must surely be the first name on the team sheet,he always wins the collision in attack and is making some mammoth defensive stints
paul aiton has also looked very good for us at 9 after his injuries/illness last season

my side would be
1:hardaker
2:briscoe
3:watkins
4:moon
5:hall
6:sinfield
7:mcguire
8:cuthbertson
9:aiton
10:peacock
11:s ward
12:ablett
13:delaney
14:sutcliffe
15:jjb
16:singleton
17:achurch/leuluai

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Sinfield
McGuire
Cuthbertson
Aiton
Peacock
Ward
Ablett
Delaney

Sutcliffe
JJB
Singleton
Achurch

Would be interesting to see Sutcliffe at 6 with Sinfield at loose and see how things go in some league games, that would throw up an issue of who drops to the bench between Ablett or Delaney (as like you Ward is a certain starter ATM)

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Sutcliffe
Mcguire
JP
Aiton
Cuthbo
Ward
Delaney
Sinfield

Ablett
Singleton
Jjb
Achurch

Sinfield was very good yesterday but thus far this season Sutty has the 6 shirt on merit and i disagree with him getting dropped let's not forget when the pack has laid the platform Sutcliffe has done plenty of damage.

True if we'd have gone with Sutcliffe at 6 yesterday and Sinfield 13 we'd have still been successful really going by how the game went. News from the McDermott post match press conference is that Delaney picked up a hamstring injury and he didn't sound confident about it. If JJB is missing still I don't see who else to put at 13 ATM other than Sinfield (Singleton did against Saints but is needed for a better prop rotation on the bench). So for the next few weeks we could see Sinfield at loose with Sutcliffe at 6.

WRT to Stevie Ward, I'm convinced. An injury free off season has clearly benefited the lad. Superb start to the season and thoroughly merited place in the 13.

If Delaney is going to miss some time, I'd be interested to see Achurch get some more game time either starting at loose or in the second row with Ablett at 13.

In terms of "best" side, if I had a game to win tomorrow and everyone was fit it would be:

Hardaker, Briscoe, Watkins, Moon, Hall, Sinfield, McGuire, Peacock, Aiton, Cuthbertson, Ward, Ablett, Delaney. Reps: Sutcliffe, Singleton, JJB, Achurch

I think it will help Sutty more to stay at 6 even if Sinfield plays it worked for years with Mags & Burrow at 6/7.
Either way neither of em are effective behind a beaten pack.