I reckon if there is a top team more likely to miss out on the top four it's Saints.

You keep repeating it, it may come true.
But at the end of the day the fact is you're absolutely petrified of a successful Wigan to the extent that a high pitched squeaking sound can be heard due to the clenching of your butt cheeks.

I think Leeds will struggle more than Saints seeing as they are picking up long term injuries thick and fast at the moment. You had better keep your fingers crossed Wigan can stay injury free. Remember Saints in 2005 when they lost quite a few players when it came to the play-offs.

Thats what I,m thinking, Saints after all the success started to struggle f from 2005 with injuries and trying to sustain a high level of consistency. Leeds Rhinos appear to be in a similar scenario and the next 9 games after Hull KR are all tough encounters, with the reality of losing 50% of those games against teams who are already above them in the league who currently are playing the better rugby with no major injuries.

Saints losing their next 3 games is not beyond the realms of possibility:

Wire (H)
Hudds (A)
Wigan (H)

Re: Injuries, talking to my Saints supporting colleague today, he said take Eastmond out of the team and they would be "very" beatable this season.

The topic is about Leeds though, maybe you should start another thread "will Saints finish in the top 4"

Get you.

Leeds will be in the top 4. Above Saints.

[url=http://leeds.rlfans.com/readarticle.php?article_id=1326Might not do if the powers that be get their own way![/url

Apart from Warrington's coach, who has won 2 SL titles (with Leeds as it happens), Wigan have a former assistant at the helm, and Nathan Brown has one year of SL behind him. All against a coach who has won 2 league titles at Leeds and knows what it takes to win the ESL, and a Tri Nations title (which is even more impressive given what he was up against), for New Zealand

Not really sure if what you are saying makes sense

Its all down to keeping the majority of your squad fit and healthy especially at the back end of the season. Saints have just gone through there injury crisis whilst Leeds look as though they are heading into a crisis now, yet some Leeds fans are calling for Bluey to be replaced.
I wonder how Wigan, Warrington and Huddersfield will perform if they have 70% of there back line out through injury.

Are they?

On Sunday we had Brett, Fatz and Lawrence (after 2 mins) out. Both starting centres and our FB.

Anybody having second thoughts after the Loss to Hull KR, all tough games now for Leeds right up to July.

Leeds will play all the same teams we've lost against again this season to gain some super league points. The league leaders could be won on points difference this year. But the grand final will be won by sheer class.

Can,t see Leeds beating the big 3 from west of the pennines at there own back yard, that could be 7 losses plus more on there way in the coming months.

Put Leeds, and Saints out to pasture at your peril.

It is good for the sport that Leeds are not dominating so far this year , I'm sure all true RL fans will agree



Of course most actual Leeds fans will say that it is because they have injuries rather than other teams improving , that was my excuse when Leigh used 38 players back in 2005

I think it will get worse for leeds before it get's better, with some of the fixtures coming up. Leeds struggle to win away at wigan at the best of times so in current form it's a likely loss.

But, write leeds off at your peril IMO.

They are tried and tested.

Especially if they have an early exit from the CC at hull.

It matters little. They will come through this bad spell and hit a prolonged spell of wins. IMO they are still nailed on for a high league placing and a Grand Final appearance. It would be an almighty fall from grace for them to fail. SL has improved, but not that much.

Do you still think huddersfield will finish in 10th place? Fwiw i am pretty sure leeds will finish top 4

agreed.

And if we go out of the CC early at hull, expect us to come on very strong in the last 2 months of the season.

TBF tonight we did have 7 out and no recognised wingers. We were our own enemy though. 11 dropped balls in Rovers half, the majority in the 20. The worst one was probably when McGuire shredded KR up and drew Briscoe only for Peacock to drop the pass and blow a certain try. That would have been 12-0 after 7 or 8 minutes.

Still, KR played well and like Cas and Salford have done at Headingley this year kicked us to death and we couldn't get out of our 20 In the last 10. We did have plenty of chances though but with no speed never looked like taking them.

its time hethrington opened the purse strings & payed the players what they think they are worth.