I'm not.

BJB replaces Webb
McGuire replaces Burrow
Sinfield moves to stand-off
Ablett moves to LF
Watkins replaces Hall

It would give us a team of:

1. BJB
2. Donald
3. Delaney
4. Senior
5. Watkins
6. Sinfield
7. Burrow
8. Leuluai
9. Diskin
10. Peacock
11. JJB
12. Ali
13. Ablett

14. Buderus
15. Eastwood
16. Burgess
17. Kirke

And we'd still have available:
Bailey, Pitts, Amor, Ambler, Coady, McShane, Worrall on loan and some more youngsters

We have plenty of depth in both the forwards and backs.

As I said, we would need 3 or 4 injuries in one position to be struggling, thats a freakish amount and can't be planned for, anything less than that and we're fine.

O.k so no back on the bench, I know we have a few utility players (ablett, JJB, sinfield etc).

But your missing my point, do you not think with a few injuries in the backs then we might have to rely on a few youngster in stead of them coming through slowly and at there own pace. I understand every youngster that has come through our rank has had their chance along the way. IMO a couple of injuries and we could struggle.

I don't think it would be 3 or 4 in 1 position but that’s my opinion I suppose. Lets just wait and see. I just see a lot more strength in our forwards than our backs. Any way lets just hope my example of a few injuries dose not happen at the same time and we keep winning

We rarely have a back on the bench so I don't see your point.


No I don't. Only with a lot of injuries in one position would we struggle, as any team would with a lot of injuries in one position. I don't quite understand how much more cover you want.
We have as cover:
1 specialist full back (BJB)
3 wingers (BJB, Coady & Watkins)
2 specialist centres (Coady and Watkins)
1 stand off (Sinfield)
2 scrum halves (McGuire and McShane)

only BJB and Watkins are under the age of 20.

To start with BJB is at Quins so he is obviously not in Blueys plans,
Coady from what i have seen of him he is about year away from breaking into the team and not good enough yet.

I like watkins and think he is our only utility back that we could use.

And I don't think McShane is a scrum half, a good hooker but not a scrum half.

Who does that leave?

Of course he's in Bluey's plans or he'd have been sold. He has a recall clause in his loan and as i understand the only reason he's been sent on loan is because of new academy age rules.


Of course he's not breaking into the team yet, he's only just arrived and has Senior and Delaney ahead of him, he was brought to the club for strength in depth.


As i understand it he started off at scrum half, and whilst is obviously a hooker now could probably fill in a scrum half if he had to.


Sinfield, McGuire & Ablett, are they adequate to fill the gaps? We have great strength in depth, the best I've seen for years. I really don't know what you expect the club to do, we can't be 4 deep in every position with 25 year old world class players, no club is. In my opinion we have by far the strongest squad of any club in SL.

McShane played at 7 for some of the Whitehaven game

I doubt Leeds would recall BJB if Webb was only out for one or two games.

I suppose it will depend on what injuries if any the team has at that time.

This is the best squad Leeds have had since the inception of SL. The only side I can see getting anywhere near them is Warrington - Smith love him or hate him is a high quality coach with a strong squad.

As at the other major sporting club in the city the coaches have all the tools at their disposal to deliver big style

My prediction - the team will go through the season unbeaten

That's some prediction David.

FWIW I think we will lose less than last season, but unbeaten, that would be some achievement, however strong the squad.

no way will we go ubeaten,not a hope in hell. i expect to lose less than last year though

I can honestly see us losing just as many but still winning the GF.

I think the difference is, we wont throw away results like a a couple we lost last year, inparticular easter against the Bulls and Salford. Can't see us losing that sort of game this time around.

Unbeaten is a very unlikely outcome as the competition is growing closer every year, all it takes is leeds to have an off day and the opposition to have the bounce of the ball!

i predict 6-8 losses but win the league comfortably

Agree. We wont go horrendously flat like we did last season when we lost Bulls, Quins and Salford.

I expect us to get piped by a couple of points against teams like Warrington, Saints and Wigan. Not because they are better sides, just because no team can stay consistent enough to go unbeaten thoughout the season. I expect us to lose 2 games but go on to win the treble. (No WCC)

For me this is a great squad that has had superb pre-season if Sinny comments are correct - no reason to not take on board - they have won the comp. for the past 3 years - something that is very unlikely to be matched anytime soon what is left to achieve? - the holy grail and they have the squad to do it - they only lost two games under Smith in 2004 - to not lose any is not beyond the realms of possibility

Leeds have never in their history won a Championship and Challenge Cup in the same season let alone gone through a season unbeaten.

Small steps Ellie.

They will achieve this if they go unbeaten - highly possible in my view

Highly unlikely in mine as the previous 115 years at Headingley have shown.

There will be injuries and flat performances somewhere along the line over the next nine months no matter how strong the squad appear on paper just now.

I agree that the elusive 'double' is a possibility if Leeds can target their resources and stay lucky in the draw.

Absolutely - it's not like Leeds were head and shoulders ahead of everyone else last season and while the 2010 squad may be stronger than its 2009 counterpart there are still going to be games where individuals don't perform, bounces of the ball or decisions go against them etc.

Highly unlikely in my view.

Sorry David but somebody had to do it.