I do hope Lowes saw how a game can change by bringing on a fresh hooker. Higham was a huge threat.

Please tell me that's a windup

Leigh have certainly had huge column inches in the national media this year, plus the Wire CC game had the highest tv ratings of any game so far this season - I 'friend' within the BBC said it was higher than some RU 6 nations games!! (2 million at points)

The Bulls have been in a few "big" games over the past few years but I'd never say that they were the most talked about RL team in the country and I don't know why I'd ever need to? What is the purpose of making such a statement regardless of how ludicrous it is?

Leigh have had a good couple of years and are going well as a club. All credit to them but I think some of the fans are developing delusions of grandeur.

Well if that is a supporting statement its full of Cognitive bias. Depends what media a person chooses to read. Then again i accept Leigh's world is so much more beautiful and enchanting than the rest of RL

May as well puts Huddersfield in that category too!!

I asked at the forum what Jimmy was going to do to reverse the slump in previous weeks....he told us not to panic......and boy I don't know what he did but more of it for the middle 8s please. Without key positions filled, injury early to Purts etc ...the boys done good. My only quibble still remains is how Lauaki gets a bench spot...12 minutes in the first half and 5 minutes in the second unless he sneaked back on when I was watching the game elsewhere... is that really good use as prop cover....or have we been saving him for the last dozen games or so simply for the 8s???

With regards to Lauaki perhaps Jimmy is going use him like Big Joe was in his pomp, but I think he needs to see the tapes/dvd's of Joe rumbling up the middle to get the idea.

I suspect Jimmy has planned to get Lauaki fit for the 8s which I now think he is.
The bench will be difficult to predict. It looks like Lauaki, Crossley and Fergusson plus a back. I expect the centres to be Purtell and Blythe which leaves a handful of lads vying for the bench. I will go with Mendieka if Shaw is at FB.
If Mullaney and Seijka both play we definitely need a back who can cover at FB.

I'd line up like this from now on, once everyone is available (new signings not included, obviously)

Shaw (Can't drop him after yesterday
Caro (likewise)
Henry (as above)
Blythe
Williams
Gaskell
Mullaney
Sidlow
AoB
Clough
Olbison
Pitts
Addy

Crossley
Lauaki
Ferguson
Walshaw

We don't need a back on the bench. Addy is there for cover in the halves/hooker and Walshaw can play centre if need be. Did anyone see Walshaw going for it during the Leigh interception try yesterday? He nearly caught him from the other side of the pitch, the bloke can shift

What I would go with, although Jimmy seems to like having a back on the bench. Thought Walker player well yesterday, but I just can't see who he would replace.

Agreed about Walshaw, was a great effort. Also his charge down saved us.

This is what I'd go with too. I wouldn't move Shaw from full back as he was immense yesterday. Gaskell and Mullaney is a very dangerous half back combination.

Lauaki offers more than Fleming IMO. Lauaki attracts more defenders and is a bigger threat. I don't really mind if he does small minutes as Clough and Sidlow can do big minutes and perform to a high standard. They were both excellent yesterday.

Lauaka looked sharp and fit yesterday, maybe the timing of his runs were still a bit out when he received the ball, which lowered the Maximum Hit potential.

Looks like he is coming good at the right time. Definitely in for me ....

Sorry for the confusion as I wasn't supporting the claim just stating some facts

The only 'MUST' change is Purts for Henry. Adam did play well on Sunday but Purtell is both a classy centre with ball in hand and decent defender and, in particular, he knows how to get his winger away. Despite his good game at the weekend Adam is too unreliable, for me.

I agree about Siejka. I also think we had huge expectations that Lauaki would act as a wrecking ball in the pack . He's been a major disappointment mainly due to his poor physical condition. If those two players had performed to expectations we would have been a different proposition.

Hmm, really? I'm just not seeing any of that in Purtell at all. He isn't a classy centre, I don't think his ability to put his winger away is as good as Henry, he's not a good defender out wide (quite the opposite), he has absolutely no agility whatsoever and he has zero pace.
The only attacking threat he poses is his height, and we never put high kicks up in his direction so it's wasted.

Bottom line is there's no substitute for pace and Purtell has none. On the basis of our recent and rumoured signings, Jimmy thinks we're lacking pace in the backs and I agree.

I'd wager that Purtell is one of our highest earners. I think we could better spend his salary elsewhere in the squad and free up a quota spot in the process.

I was comparing the Purtell and Henry at the Bulls Nothus, not sure which two you're comparing....

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Henry offers more pace than Purtell and runs the ball in harder. I love Purtell, but I'm not sure if he has the required speed to play in Super League should we get promoted.