If the Garbutt thing is true it's crazy as he's our best meter maker up front.

There was a rumor that Garbutt got told to pack his bags by Mac after the Cowboys sending off?

Can't see anything but a defeat for us in this game. A few will be rested, Ellis will want to play as he had a great career at Leeds and last chance to play at Headingley. Leeds 42 - Hull 14

Yes i hope Ellis plays, great career and enjoyed seeing him lift the CC again on Saturday. He is like JP, amazing how they can look as good as ever at mid to late 30's, especially when both have been at the coal face for the best part of two decades.

regards the game, i wouldn't say it was a given Leeds victory, like others said if Hull put a decent team out which i expect they will and get off to a good start it could be a tricky night. Last 20 could be telling though.

I think Hull will go as strong as possible, the league table suggests they have to. Very possible that Wakey (away to Salford) and Saints (home to Wigan) both win which would put them right behind Hull if they were to lose.

In the two years of the Super 8's format both CC winners have only won 1 of the remaining 4 league games post Wembley. Us at the death vs Hudds after some heavy defeats and Hull squeezed to a win against Wakey who were winless throughout that 8's campaign. History suggests a tough job now for Hull to stay top 4 and a return fixture vs Wigan next week won't be easy with them out for revenge.

are we going for a new record on Thursday - ???? - 3 subs warming the bench with Jimmy Keinhorst getting a hat-trick of non appearances ?

Whilst I think Hull are a better side than Leeds even though we are in second.
If we cannot beat a team who played a cup final on the Saturday in pretty humid conditions whilst we had a week off to prepare would in my opinion be an upset/shock.
Garbutt should be in the 17 unless he has now replaced Baldwinson on the naughty step.
No doubt we will go with the same 17 and if Burrow warms the bench this time then someone needs shooting.

Golding
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Mcguire
Burrow
Parcell
Cuthbertson
JJB
Ablett
Ward
Sutcliffe
Delaney
Singleton
Garbutt
Keinhorst
Mullally
Walker

Garbutt & Walker / Golding for me.

So Lilley drops out of the 19 man squad from the last game

Cue the McDermott has fallen out with Lilley runours.

No need for him so can see why he isn't in the 19 - Garbutt's non-appearances are strange to say the least given we have a pack of mostly older players.

garbutts non selection, again, is stupid. against a huge side 3 props and flogging old second rowers.
classic macdermott

Still no ferres. Playing him in the semi final is looking a pretty poor decision, given he did not look right and had even said in papers he would not be before Wigan game the following week.

I think hull will come hard at Leeds, they need to win to keep 2nd place hopes going. They may run out of gas a bit but confidence and spirit will be high. I think it will be hard work for Leeds up front.

Do you mean for previous games Tad as he is in the squad for Thursday.

my apologies.knew I should have put my glasses on. I looked but never saw him! my error.


classic tad

Watts, Minichiello and Griffin rested for Hull

We know what Hull's plan will be, conservative and down the middle get in too the red zone, Sneyd drop a kick on Briscoe's head on the 5th.

We have proven we can get over the line against them, how we defend that will decide if we win or not.

I don't think hull will care too much about this or finishing second, they will be pretty confident that they can come back to headingley in the semi and turn us over, or go to cas from fourth and turn them over, think they have shown this year that at their best they are the best side in super league at the minute. it pains me to say it, but they are pretty much better than us in every department over all. their kicking game is superior their pack allround is better, half's are better, probable like for like all round in the backs. i think the only place we are better than them is in the offload off the cuff stuff, think we still have the better game breakers X players in cuthbo, parcell, moon, hall, watkins, the players who can just create something from nothing. I think when we do click in this aspect of our game we can wreak havoc against any side. unfortunately we really too much on the x players clicking and when they don't we luck clueless.

think we will win Thursday but not sure if we can beet Hull when it really matters.

Fully agree.

I think we have a chance against anyone at home, we have proved that all year so it is imperative we beat Hull and seal that home berth this week as i wouldn't fancy us were we to travel to them or Cas in a semi. we simply don't have the quality these days we did when we went to turn wigan and Warrington over a few years back in semis.

I would always give us at least a 50/50 chance at OT given our history there and if it was Cas, well we have spoken at length about that and i would much rather play them there than Wheldon Road.

Like I say, it all depends on how Hull fair on Thursday, they really need the win. Considering they have

2nd - Leeds - Hull FC A, Castleford A, Salford H, Huddersfield A
3rd - Hull FC - Leeds A, Wigan H, Wakefield H, Castleford A.
4th - Wakefield - Salford A, St Helens H, Hull FC A, Wigan H.
5th - St Helens - Wigan H, Wakefield A, Huddersfield H, Salford A
6th - Wigan - St Helens A, Hull FC A, Castleford H, Wakefield A.
7th - Salford - Wakefield H, Huddersfield H, Leeds A, St Helens H.
8th - Huddersfield - Castleford H, Salford A, St Helens A, Leeds H.

A massive week this week

St Helens don't have Hull away left to play.

From that list:
Leeds will beat Hull, Salford and Huddersfield - 6 points
Hull will beat Wigan and Wakefield (with a sneaky chance against a Cas side focussed on not failing in the Semi's) - 4 points
Wakefield will beat Salford - 2 points
Saints will beat Huddersfield, Salford (and potentially the side they play after Wigan) - 6 points
Wigan will beat Saints and Wakefield - 4 points
Salford will beat Huddersfield - 2 points
Huddersfield I dont think will win another.

To leave a table looking like (maybe):

Cas - Runaway Winners
Leeds - 40 points
Hull - 35 points
Saints - 33 points
Wigan - 31 points
Wakefield - 30 points
Salford - 28 points
Huddersfield - 25 points

Not far off from what I was thinking there although I think Huddersfield will beat Leeds.
But postion wise I would go with the same top 4.

Unless we implode/explode it looks like we will have a home game. Of the two saints and hull, I would think we would have more chance with hull. Saints look to be coming good whilst hull have some silverware in the cabinet and may not be so hungry. Nevertheless hull are a decent side so I would not take for granted a home victory. Speculating down the track if we don't get to old Trafford would a top four finish be sufficient for Brian Mac to keep his job. Interesting times indeed.

Really?? They're a professional club that could win the double. Theyre not going to be satisfied now.



Regardless of how the season finishes, he needs to go. People don't like to believe it but it's an unhappy dressing room

time for a change of coach and new thinking !

If you recall our home matches against saints this season, in the first one smith received that bad eye injury that weakened saints. In the next game we just scraped home. It's irrelevant what you think or say regarding the coach, the decision will be taken by caddick and hetherington. It maybe they will consider a top four finish reasonable after last seasons debacle. Personally I think Mac should go, the team/club needs to freshen things up both in signing players and tactics. . But as previously stated the decision won't be mine.

Hull targeted the GF pre season. radford described it as the "holy grail" in the build up to wembley. Whether they can peak again following wembley is the big question but there is definitely a different feel about the club this year compared to last.

You'll win on Thursday night though and I'm surprised radford isn't resting more players