Our pack could well carry us through some of those early season toughies, especially in the build up to WCC, competition for a spot in the 17 their is tougher than ever arguably, so I'd expect to see big games from those that get their chance.

It is a bit strange how our fixtures are bunched together into tough periods and 'easier' periods after the WCC. Got to play everybody I suppose, just a bit of a unique pattern to the fixtures.

Warrington Wolves
Widnes Vikings

World Club Challenge

(Tough period against the top sides from last year)
Catalans Dragons
Huddersfield Giants
Wigan Warriors
St Helens
Castleford Tigers

(Period against the bottom sides from last year)
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Hull KR
Salford Red Devils
Hull

(Top teams again)
St Helens
Huddersfield Giants
Castleford Tigers
Wigan Warriors (MW)
Warrington Wolves
Catalan Dragons

(Bottom sides again with Wigan thrown in near the end)
Salford Red Devils
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Widnes Vikings
Hull
Wigan Warriors
Hull KR

Yep, I can already hear the 'Always said McDermott can't do it without Sinfield and JP', 'This team is finished without Sinfield and JP' and 'Bring back Sinfield from RU' knee jerkers warming up heir typing fingers ready for after a few consecutive losses in one of those tough patches.

Also, if the conditioning of the team looks a bit dodgy, they will even have the opportunity to BLAME IAN KIRKE again.

Happy days.

True, we can already see McGuire being set up for a fall, wouldnt be surprised to see Falloon take some stick if we don't start off like a house on fire too.

Two ways of looking at it, bad thing because there is a lot of tough games in one block. Good thing because we can 'start early' when some good sides are still blowing off cobwebs, and when our performance levels dip, which they will, we are playing sides we can still beat. Real chance for us to set down marker and we could very easily have our top 8 place sewn up by mid april, giving us a real shot at going for the cup again. Conversely, even if we have a bad start, it gives us a chance to put some form together.

Regardless of form slumps, you'd think after last year the usual suspects would learn and have a bit of belief that regardless of form/current results, the lads will come good and still be there or thereabouts come the business end....

They've earned that right surely - to not be ripped to shreds at the first sight of trouble.

Absolutely

It may take a little while for the newcomers to settle in but the squad looks strong enough to take on any team in SL with confidence. Our strong pack should produce adequate go forward to create opportunities for the halves and backs . Mac will be aiming for the team to peak in good time for the WCC with the accent on performance and building momentum, so the odd loss, if indeed there are any, should not be a big concern. It will be interesting to see how soon Sutcliffe returns.

With a new combination at 6,7 and 9 I'm sure Leeds would have liked a sprinkling of "easier" games at the start of the season to give it time to bed in under competitive conditions, but it is what it is.

A good start will give the opportunity for a bit of rotation in those two easier blocks of games, particularly the second one heading into the Super 8s.

Challenge Cup draw could be interesting - the 6th round falls between Huddersfield away and Cas at home, with the quarters between Wakefield away and Widnes at home and the semis between Hull KR away and the start of the Super 8s. So progression in the cup might not be as potentially harmful as it could have been in previous years given the fixtures either side of the big cup games.

We don't exactly have a new combination at 6 and 7. McGuire and Burrow have played together there most their careers. Or if it is McGuire and Sutcliffe we were told last season that they were the best thing since sliced bread and we did not need Sinfield, before he came back in.

Of new recruits, other than Wigan surely our recruitment is less than our competition in terms of numbers. Warrington for example have almost a new team in key areas. The likes of Catalans, Hull, and Saints have a number of new recruits. Saints are still missing Lomax, key to them in terms of strongest side. Therefore each side we are coming up against, can have the very same concerns that we do, we are no different.

slightly off topic but I've just seen Johnathan Thurston has given up the chance of captaining the indigenous side on the NRL all stars game to concentrate on the WCC as it is something he really wants to add to his resume.Looks like we will be facing a pumped up North Queensland team.