Judging by JP's photo on Twitter, it was a charter plane with only Rhinos players & staff on it

Definitely looked a charter, would say it would be nowhere near as comfortable as a typical Jet2 737, and probably 10/20 minutes slower too, especially important when every minute matters.

Travel timeline is well set out from the official club twitter feed, looks a tiny plane too.

If this was a "week off" then why not rest more players and let the second string make a play for the remaining games, why risk injury to the rather thin squad we have if we weren't going all out to win?

If we were then shame on the players for getting tonked.

Why should they change their plans after winning their last four games in Perpignan doing exactly the same?

It was a chartered plane by the RFL for the club! Hope that helps you look for a reason for the defeat! Club went to the same hotel to rest up/massage etc as they always do! Only difference was it was a 50 seater rather than a jet2 150 seater

I wasn't looking for a reason, otherwise I would have said it. We lost because we were lazy and poor, not because of a plane. I also don't accept McDermotts comments after, there was no pride from some of the players.

It is not just the loss of Aiton that has cost us the all important momentum, but losing Burrow, Watkins and now Keinhorst has lost the balance in the side that was so important to the style we were playing.

The tactic, as you put it, of playing with only one half back was not a chosen one but forced by the injury to Burrow who has been very effective from the bench. Remember we have already lost Sutcliffe so our key half back/hooker options have been reduced to zero. Add to this the loss of Watkins and his cover Keinhorst and we are left with Ablett's right centre limitations being fully exposed.

Without JJB for the key matches was always going to prove costly although Keinhorst made a good attempt as a replacement but now he too has fallen for our injury jinx and Walters and Achurch have not stepped up to the mark. So Mac has a real dilemma to fill the crucial 9 and 7/6 positions. Much will depend on Burrow's fitness as he is the only other player with the experience and ability to play in either position.

Without Burrow and Watkins will be too great a handicap I fear with all the other semi finalists in better shape fitness wise.

The tactic of playing one half back was not forced on McDermott he chose to play that way - if Ward is not suitable there is one place to look, the coaching team. If they haven't been able in a year to get him to a suitable standard then they need to look at themselves.

If anything costs McDermott it will be two things: lack of depth in the squad and an over reliance on the older players/reluctance to use youngsters. Handley showed when given a run they can perform.

Handley could be the key....as I said elsewhere he [uHAS[/u proven his abilities at the highest level (and was unfortunate to be 'dropped'). If a straight hooker swap of either R.Ward (or Lilley - who looked okay there and certainly sped things up around the ruck) is not trusted for the run in (and it is a valid question as to why that is so) then maybe keep Sinfield at dummy half; bring the proven Handley into the threequarters and try Moon at SO. I know you don't tend to think much of the notion of Moon at SO, but for sure the ploy of Sinfield named at SO and playing dummy half is now fooling nobody and has reached its sell by date. The last tackle options have been pish poor and badly executed when relying soley on McGuire.

Or even just try Moon at hooker vs Cas, see how that goes. Got good hands, could run from dummy half, strong in defence.

Come on Sal. Aiton was first choice hooker with Burrow covering that and scrum half. We lose Sutcliffe and then Aiton to season ending injuries. So when Burrow also gets injured together with Watkins the squad is really getting stretched on top of JJB for the season. Few sides will have a ready made SL standard 3rd choice hooker to call upon.

R Ward is not ready for SL just yet and to play him when he is not ready in high pressure crucial end of season matches is not the way to look after a youngster. Handley performed well in a side that was playing well and one that was not shorn of so many experience players and yet he made a fair number of mistakes in matches that had less pressure. In any case he was deemed as ready to step up, young Ward is not.

If Burrow is not fit I would play Golding at 7 or 6. But the pack has got to step up and Ablett should return to the pack.