catalan away easy?????

Can you explain how catalans away was easy in the circumstances that were there last year?

Your answer can not include the words rabble, and whipping boy.

Did Leeds look tired and busted by Week 3 of the play-offs last year after beating Wakefield and Catalan in Week 1 and Week 2 respectively?

Did Leeds look tired and busted by Week 3 of the play-offs in 2011 after beating Hull and Huddersfield in Week 1 and Week 2 respectively?

What was different about 2013? Did having to play Warrington and St Helens in Week 1 and Week 2 make their play-off journey any easier than it did in 2011 and 2012? Or did it make the play-off journey so much harder?

Whatever the reason, there is no argument that they were knackered on Friday. Last years run in the playoffs was arguably tougher and more tiring with the trip to Catalans included, yet they looked fresh and energised.

My guess would be that they are mentally tired after 5 GF wins in 6 years. Injuries don't help, but there has to be a point when faced with a determined opposition that you mentally struggle. BMD has been very good at generating a team collective in the face of critical dismissal of the team. They have had a siege mentality in the last two playoff series, but this time nobody was writing them off, Peacock is in the frame for MOS and we did manage a reasonable 3rd place in the table.

Leeds were busted well before the playoffs started. In fact I can't really recall a period this year when we could pick from a fully fit squad.
First it was BJB, followed by Hardaker and Bailey for the WCC. Then Peacock and Ablett missed a few around Magic weekend time and Ward did his shoulder, then Delaney collapsed after Saints at home. McGuire and Watkins away at Hull, then one by one others fell. Leuluai, Bailey, Sinfield, Delaney again, JJB.

They played more game in 2011 and 2012 with the CC and had fewer injuries so most of the players played a sizeable majority of the games whereas this year plenty of players have had layoffs and not played as many games.

I think age is the factor. That being the case, it's not going to get better, only worse. Unless changes are made now, we could see leeds fail to make the playoffs when we move back to the top 5.

Were you focusing on winning the league leaders shield?

You've been telling us every year that its not about how high you finish in the league but about winning the games at the business end of the season so thanks for that tip.

Has briers ever had the serious injuries McGuire has had?

Hodgson is out of the side.

Monaghan plays on the wing and doesn't rely on his pace.

They lost 6 home games this season , hardly fortress perpignan .

This season.

How many home games did they lose during the season in question?

The pension pack?

Briers hasn't had to recover from a serious injury this season. The older forwards for warrington all come off the bench and aren't as relied upon as the leeds ones of equivalent age who play large portions of most games. MM also comes off the bench as well and is spelled during games. JM is a winger who doesn't rely on speed.

Mags has clearly lost a lot of pace, but it's not his fault he played on Friday when he clearly wasn't fit, and was unable to run, and Sutty had to wait till 15 mins before the end to come on, that is down to Brian mc, I don't like bagging the coach, and I made this point to a mate last week after the saints game, when jjb and Delaney were said to be out for the Wigan game, that at least one of them would play and Singo would miss out. This season IMO mc has shown a lot of faith in the likes of Sutty, Singo, foster etc, until the real big games. Why Sutty only got 15mins on Friday, why singleton only got limited mins against wire after having a belter the week before against Wigan is anyone's guess

Yes Briers has - the thought at the beginning of the year was his injury was so serious he may not ever play again.