Out - BJB, Bailey, Kirke, Clarkson

In - Cuthbertson

Would suggest we're under the cap, even given some contract improvements for younger players.

McDermott was taking about further recruitment a couple of weeks ago, that would suggest the club has room under the cap. GH has consistently said there is always room under the cap in case a top player becomes available mid season.

Much talk of the youngsters coming through but how much will we see of them? Cameron Smith is allegedly the next big thing but you will not see him anywhere near the first team this year. Sinfield played in the first team at 16 why not Smith even for a couple of games if he is as good as everyone says.

No new contract for Hardaker is an interesting development - perhaps he is on his way to Wigan after all.

Kirke and Bailey going for Mossop to balance the cap doesn't add up to me given Wigan only moved on Dudson? to get Mossop in.

When I said entertainment business I didn't mean they have to play entertaining rugby, what I meant was you have to give fans a reason to spend their leisure time and money. It is no surprise the club has seen a fall in attendances despite winning things. Marketing is a complex science being a steady eddy is perhaps not the most attractive marketing ploy?

Pettybourne was moved on too.

www.therhinos.co.uk/news/25717.php 19 man squad... Delaney the only injury.

www.therhinos.co.uk/news/25717.php 19 man squad... Delaney the only injury.

My guess at team McD will put out:

Hardaker
Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Sinfield
McGuire
Leuluai
Burrow
Peacock
Ablett
Ward
Cuthbertson

Aiton
Singleton
JJB
Achurch

I'd like to see Sutcliffe over McGuire, Yates over JJB and Aiton starting.

Leuluai may get a reprieve this week with Delaney missing but still think he'll go with starting JJB at prop because I think that is the long term plan this year when everybody is fit.

Think about it with regards to the starting pack. You have Burrow or Aiton at hooker. Peacock and Ablett are nailed on surely for one of the prop and 2nd rows places and Cuthbertson looks like he's going to play at loose. That leaves one prop and 2nd row spot remaining and if he plays Leuluai then that means having to 'demote' one of JJB or Delaney to the bench......and when you think about it can anybody realistically see McDermott wanting to do that. I personally can't see him making JJB or Delaney a regular bench starter.

JJB starting the Bradford game at prop even though we had Leuluai, Singleton, Yates and even Achurch as more recognised front row options on the bench I think showed his intentions.

stupid if it is because JJB has played prop a few times and always been found wanting. nowhere near big enough

I would start with JP and Singleton in the front row.like tad,not convinced JJB is cut out for front row he is simply too small imo .he will be ok there against the lesser sides but would get found out against the top sides.

I would have JJB on the bench and push cuthbertson up to front row when he comes on and give JJB a roaming role from loose.

What difference does it make if JJB plays prop or LF anyway?

None really. I never use to like him being picked there back around 2006 but then we had a ball handler in Sinield at loose which made us look too light imo around the middle. However with a big guy in Cuthbertson at loose it makes it's very different. Think it also opens up the door for Ward to get in the 17.

Option A
Leuluai - Burrow - Peacock
Ablett - JJB/Delaney
Cuthbertson

Aiton
JJB/Delaney (your back row option)
Singleton
Yates/Achurch/Mulhern???? (Surely we should have a two prop bench and these are the options?)

No room for the likes of Ward or Walters or Sutcliffe really unless you again flog JP in a three prop rotation. I know you could move Cuthbertson there after 30 mins with JJB to loose but then really what is the point of picking the guy there in the first place?

Option B
JJB - Burrow - Peacock
Ablett - Delaney
Cuthbertson

Aiton
Ward (Backrow option)
Singleton (1st prop option)
Leuluai (2nd prop option)

Ward, Walters can get more opportunities and the bench looks more balanced with straight swaps avaliable without having to move around guys mid-match. Whilst doubts about JJB there, is him at prop really a massive difference to having Leuluai there? Think Option B looks better of the two (I know some will point out we could/should start Singleton but realistically he ain't going to be starting ahead of JJB as the whole point of the move is so McDermott can keep his 'trusted guys' starting matches)

JJB might be named at 10 and Cuthbertson at 13, but their roles within the team are loose-forward and prop respectively. Neither will change their game, irrespective of where on the team sheet they are named. Carry down the middle, defend in the middle third.

Pfft. Suprised you're still bothering with this stuff now that you're famous thanks to The Last Leg...

Jjb being too small for prop is nonsense. Prop is a mindset rather than a bodyshape. Jjb used to be a wide runner, but is not so effective out wide. He is still a workhorse though. Defensively he will be closer to the middle, but defense is probably his strong point. Even if his carries are affected by his size, he can't be worse than 10 minutes of leuluai, or the combined 8 carries from kirke and Bailey. It frees up the second row for players who are a bit more dynamic like ablett and Ward

Prop is about providing go forward - JJB is too small to provide consistent yardage gain. If the player is no longer able to play his position effectively an unsuitable position should not be found just because he is a member of the golden generation. JJB has been a fantastic player for Leeds but all good things eventually have to come to an end.

Always though JJB looked better playing prop personally. He is certainly not as good as other backrow options, and as Printer implies MCDermott is hardly going to drop him, so where else. Wonder rather see him spelled at prop than offering us nothing from backrow.

Personally, I don't think JJB is quick enough to play 2nd row anymore and his defensive decision making would be less exposed in the middle than further wide.

So if McDermott named Cuthbertson at 10 on the teamsheet and JJB at 13, what do you think would change about their respective games Sal and Gotcha?

Who mentioned JJB playing 13? Shouldn't be there full stop.

Don't agree with you at all. Please make sure you don't alert McDermott to this line of thought because we may see little Rob Burrow shoehorned in at prop.

Tony Smith used to play JJB at prop. I don't remember us being adversely effected.

If JJB tells McDermott he can play 10 then I think that will influence McDermott's thought processes. Yes I do think if he named JJB at 10 he would be defending more in the middle and he would be doing more fist play carries. If he named him 13 he would defending out wider and have more running plays.

When did he do that - not very often and certainly not in any game that really mattered.

21 times in 2005 & 2006. Including games vs Wigan, St Helens, Hull and Bradford.

Even though it's not that relevant anyway. That was the JJB then not the JJB now.

I wouldn't have a problem with JJB at prop as long he's not the "main prop" expected to do the heaviest of work. If he's got Peacock, Leuluai/Cuthbertson & Singleton alongside him it could be quite a good move to have someone a bit quicker at prop too.

Although all this talk of "moving JJB to prop" is a bit false anyway. All we're talking about in reality is him playing a bit more in the middle than further wide. What position someone is named at is irrelevant really, there are different roles each named position could play anyway.

You might want to check the lineups for the 2006 playoff defeat to Warrington and the 2006 CC Semi Fonal defeat vs Hudds.

He played prop mainly in 2006, and that was cited as one of the main reasons for Leeds having a poor season that year IIRC