I don't think we have anything to lose here. If we push them close or win it would be fantastic for our development and with so many academy players playing it would be such a positive.

I don't think many other teams could cope with such disruption, but we are definitely in a position to at least compete.

If we get battered I think it'll take something special to get up for the Hudds cup game.

I would play both Charnock and Savelio. We need as big a pack as possible and something different at HB.

However, my fear is that Jones will move to LF and wheeler centre and that could mean wheeler being really tested defensively alongside Hohaia or Charnock.

You know i've been with you in the camp that says Wello was a waste of a bench spot when he was coming on at 65-70 mins.
However, I call it as i see it and Wello was a better 6 on Sunday than Lance has been in over 2 years.

Leeds have two areas of strength - the first is their outside backs which need to be kept in check. With that in mind I would pick the strongest three quarters available namely Swift, Jones, Percival and Makinson.

The second is peacock who carries their pack with 150 + meters. To counter that I would consider starting our most experienced pack with Masoe and Lafranchi at prop with soliola and Flanagan in the second row. If Wello is not at six he should start at 13 leaving Richards walker and savelio plus a back on the bench. No place for Dawson in my view. Halves will be 2 from 3 of Charnock wheeler and Lance with who ever misses out on bench

Starting strong will give us a chance of getting in to game and establishing a platform whereby younger lads can get involved better if it's goin well and when JP Leuluai are being spelled.

Oops missed out greenwood - on bench - dispense with back on bench as Wello is 13

I'm kind of dreading having Masoe on the pitch at the same time as Rob Burrow. Masoe strikes me as being a bit of a liability in defence simply because he's huge and therefore relatively slow. He's been left standing a couple of times on the tryline (everyone seems to have picked up on that weakness very quickly!). Rob Burrow will just run round him. That could create an embarrassing scoreline. Other than that though given our ability to raise our game against Leeds no matter what group of players we chuck out on the day the chances of us winning are 50/50. But I'm not worried about us losing (the following week is far more important) but I wouldn't like us to be tonked at home. And the Burrow -v- Masoe mismatch feels like a tonking in the making.

Lomax
Makinson
Percival
Jones
Swift
Charnock
Wheeler
Laffranchi
Roby
Richards
Flanagan
Greenwood
Wellens

Hohaia
Masoe
Soliola
Walker

Only given +6 on coupon

The solution is simple.

Don't give them the ball.

5 drives and a drop goal every set. Job done.

It's going to have to be all about enthusiasm. We need to take a leaf out of Wigan's book - they've achieved a lot by dominating bigger (and, on paper, better) packs with phenomenal line speed and aggression. We're going to be well outsized on Friday, so we'll have to get right up in their grills before they can build a head of steam.

Pack's not as reliant on Peacock as some seem to think, he's just by a distance the best prop forward in Super League.

Leuluai did 142m off 11 carries last week - while it's London, that's pretty good going.

Nah it's just London

Which coupon? I'd like a bet on that.
Edit - I've found it.

That doesn't tally with 11/4 with no handicap.

www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/sai ... 1104803._/? Browns take on proceedings ... I hope we don't go for wheeler and lance

www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/sai ... 1104803._/? Browns take on proceedings ... I hope we don't go for wheeler and lance

If Charnock does have a good kicking game then I'd be inclined to pick him whoever is fit.

You're right, if we do that and going forward concentrate on getting quick plays, we may be able to do the whole thing around Roby and the middle channel.

Its a good game to start him. Theres no pressure for a win and sometimes a host of newer young faces can effect the oppositions preparations.
A few years ago the new combination of Lomax and Gaskell rocked Leeds' world in a similar fixture

Those 5 drives from our own try line after sinfield has kicked us to death will probably take us about 3 yards forward so unless Charnock can manage 90 yard drop goals your plan is flawed

Me too - I'd be tempted to select him along with Wheeler and have Lance on the bench to provide cover or maybe come on at 9 and let Roby have a dig at 13 or a short break

Why does it feel like it is only ever us who has an absolute massacre of available first team players each and every season?

Apparently Percival is out now ..

Well we haven't acquired any of the goons Teflon for disciplinary hearings and we have just been unlucky injury wise. tbh the one we really miss is Walsh but if you go into a season with only 1 senior proven halfback your asking for trouble.

Along with Hull KR that would be because it is. But the club has consistently said it's bad luck (and nothing to do with our conditioning/training regime or anything) so it must be that we have lots of bad luck.

This year it seems pretty much all the injuries are muscle injuries. I'm surprised we don't lose more players to the warm up alone as it seems to go on for as long as the match itself.

To be fair, 3 players are banned, which is a different matter.
If Amor, LMS and Wilkin were playing, we'd be looking a lot more confident.

Hohaia for Anasta, I say.

Would certainly fix a problem for us. If Wheeler ever makes it as a viable 6 Anasta would be great at 13 too