As usual, I must have been watching a different game. Apart from half a dozen players each dropping the ball once and a couple of silly penalties, I thought our performance was good. Good, not outstanding, but still good. We are improving week by week [Saints apart, and heading nicely for the play-offs. At this rate we shall be in outstanding form once hte proper season starts [!.

i think you'll find we went 24-12 up and ended up doing a number on them, unbeaten in 7 against them



The biggest difference was the captains, one kicked 40:20's took the high ball in the last few minutes and kicked all his goals, the other kicked straight to touch on numerous occasions, out paced by the centre and didn't kick all his goals.

Is that all you have to do to get an MBE?

Brough got danced around by Watkins for Leeds' first try and if Hardaker was playing at FB two of those 40/20's don't happen, possible all three don't.

HaHaHa don't make me laugh Mystic Meg. You sound as bad as the Leeds fan coming out of the ground explaining to somebody on his mobile that Leeds were robbed because of the last disallowed try. He was adamant that Brough and Briscoe were shoulder to shoulder and then Brough decided to dive out of the way




Oh by the way, if Cudjoe was playing that Sutcliffe try doesn't happen either as he gets flattened!!

And if Lunty was playing, he scoots in for a couple of tries!!

Maybe not, but it's all you have to do to be England Captain with the Clown in charge.

I fear Ta`ai`s problems at playing the ball will not be sorted out at training as he has seldom played the ball correctly since we got him . The number of times he has knocked on whilst attempting to play the blooming thing must be into the dozens since he came . How he has managed to achieve such a level of incompetence in a professional rugby career is quite remarkable .
I would suggest sending him to train with the Newsome Panthers under 6`s on their next basic skills session.

Does any player in RL play the ball correctly? If a player did so he would probably be binned for a rules infringement.

Agreed players seldom play the ball `correctly`, most however manage it without knocking on . Ta`ai`s technique is so bad however a knock on is always likely . As I said it`s a basic skill he`s never manage to learn

Watkins grabbing his foot made it all the more difficult.

Ta'ai has been our most consistent forward throughout the season. If our other forwards had put as much effort in then we wouldn't be languishing in 6th place, we could well have been top. At this stage I am prepared to accept one blunder per match. However, when other forwards reach his commitment level, then I might not. [I do agree that he should be capable of playing it properly though.

Why do people not complain about certain other players' PTB technique? One in particular regularly makes a hash of things but rarely gets criticised.

I know that this is a platform for people to air their views and opinions, but to say that we are only 4 points off the top and have won 6 out of the last 7, there's an awful lot of nagativity on here. [Waits to get berated for comment again.

Agree with all of this. I thought Taai was shocking last season. This year his defence is much better and he is running the ball in hard. I think you will find he is consistently making over 100 metres per game. I can forgive the odd error because he is a real threat in attack and scores a fair few tries.

Didn't actually say Leeds were robbed. I don't think it was a try but more so for the grounding than the Brough/Brisoce 'push'. Also Broughton was robbed of a try so even then it would only even things out. Nor did I say Hudds still wouldn't have won.....or that Lunt and Cudjoe could've done this and that had they played.

I was just replying to the note about Brough and just pointing out that he wouldn't have had the same success against Hardaker, and it wasn't just the kicks it was the poor reading and dealing of them by BJB that was just as vital.

Why wouldn`t Broughy have had the same success, he has kicked Hardaker to death before, why should Thursday have been any different. Leeds should be worried as Huddersfield didn`t get out of third gear.
And just another moan:- will the coaches teach J. Peacock how to play the ball, instead of just striding over it. I know a load of players do not play the ball properly, but JP should be penalised for totally not touching the ball.

You honestly think Hardaker would've come up with some of those feeble attempts BJB made? Especially the one that hit his leg and went out, I seriously doubt it.

Leeds shouldn't be worried, because we were nowhere near our best either, even though it was a better showing than previous weeks we've got plenty more room for improvement. We also didn't have the previous week off like yourselves and were involved in a tough close cup game just 6 days prior compared to Hudds 14 day break, that Hudds weren't able to shake us off in the last quarter when they were 24-12 up would say to me that Hudds should worry much more.

Could equally say the same about you last week. Playing against some determined players- but part time players - and yet weren't able to shake them off. -with hardaker!!!!! Neither team were at their best. Brough seems to like the pitch at headingley- he's kicked you to death there the last four years - hardaker or not.
You can't say he wouldn't have been successful if hardaker was there-

Can easily be said when you look at the particular kicks in this game.....not the ones from previous games. Every time BJB's reaction to get over to them was vastly slower than what Hardaker would've done. Not sure what relevance the Leigh game has on this particular debate, did they get several 40/20's against Hardaker? So the struggle in that game wasn't exactly poor FB play.

Hardaker has played 3 times at FB vs Brough and conceded just one 40/20 at Huddersfield in 2012, when he'd only just taken over the FB role. Brough got 2 at Headingley in 2013 when Watkins played FB and 1 against BJB there in 2012.

So in three games vs Hardaker and he's got 1 40/20. Against BJB/Watkins in three games he's got 5 (technically 6 if you count the one bouncing off BJB's legs). Also in 13 games with Hardaker at FB this year, Leeds have only conceded one 40/20.....so the argument does hold more weight than you like to deny.

A few things wrong with what you've said there. We are talking about broughs kicking game at headingley. When we played you at hudds the last two games brough switched it about as you were expecting kicks so he played a running rather than a kicking game (that worked well also).
Seeing as hardaker hasn't played headingley (I'm assuming your statement is correct about who played there and when) you can't state he's done better because he hasn't conceded 40/20s there!
Brough would have adjusted his 40/20s accordingly had hardaker been playing there - or his game in general- so stating hardaker alone would have made a difference I'm not sure. Given we knocked on immediately after the second one in not sure what relevance 40/20s have to the outcome!

As for the relevance of the Leigh game on this debate, you stated we should be more worried than you as we couldn't put the ex champions, top of the league table team to bed away from home. I'm stating you couldn't put a team from the lower division to bed many of whom who are part time players with alternative full time jobs at home in front of your own fans.
- how is that less worrying.

But Hardaker wasn't there neither was Cudjoe or Lunt you have to play with what you have got and what's in front of you!!!!

We have played with many men out this season Ferres, Lawrence twice, Patrick Lunt Robinson but win or lose you have to play with 17 fit men just this time they were yours next time could be ours !!!

If we are getting pedantic by what happened to Wardle, Carney and many others I.e. Suspension Peacock should have been banned by a consistent disciplinary system so let's move on the games done the points are won nothing will change !!!

well said

murphy has a broken hand? good job we have cudjoe to come back in then!

moon was causing havoc, would not have had the same impact if cudjoe was marking him

I'm not sure how I can't predict that Hardaker would've done better yet you can predict Brough would've changed his game accordingly if he was facing Hardaker. I think the stats show Brough would've had a trickier time getting those 40/20's against Hardaker.

And I agree you could put missing players in for both teams and say this and that would be different, but what I was initially replying to was how good Brough's kicking game was.....I just pointed out he had a helping hand from a woeful BJB.

Regarding the cup game. You had your struggles against Batley last year didn't you? Didn't stop you winning the LLS. A cup game, treated as a cup final for Leigh, a team we won't run into again this year.....not much relevance at all really, just like your match against Batley wasn't.

Enough's enough now let's move on the game is over and done with.
I do have a question though, don't you guys rate BJB? I rate the guy and think he's always a danger to us when we play you.

I rate him as a winger, but not so much a FB. He can be dangerous when running with a bit of space, but like on Friday.....he has to collect the kicks first to do that. Also defensively he's not a patch on what Hardaker does at FB.

So in summing up, his dealing with kicks (even when as a winger) isn't good enough, not the best defender, and not strong enough in he tackle when we have those get out of your own half sets taking in by your backs. Those negatives outweigh that he can be very dangerous on foot in space at times.