Carries:

1 - Peacock - 23.57
2 - Leuluai - 12.00
3 - Singleton - 9.86
4 - Bailey - 9.00
5 - Moore - 6.94
6 - Kirke - 6.92

Metres Per Carry:

1 - Kirke - 7.32
2 - Leuluai - 7.15
3 - Moore – 7.12
4 – Singleton – 6.74
5 - Peacock - 6.63
6 - Bailey – 5.56

These two stats combined tell me that a large proportion of Kirke's carries are returning kickoffs. I see him every week and I don't see him rampaging through challenges and gaining yards better than peacock does. I see him crumble at contact.

If he made 3 carries that week I'll be at least one or two were kick returns menaing he volunteered himself to take the ball in once or twice.

Shocking that anyone would defend that.

Without going back through video, I can't confirm or deny that supposition but that's all it is isn't it G1 - a supposition?

Course the fact that the overwhelming majority of the kickoff/drop-out returns at Leeds are done by Peacock or Leuluai won't have hurt their figures either but we'll gloss over that inconvenience.

I could neither confirm nor deny your supposition that may assertion was mere supposition rather than accurate recollection.

Overhwelming majority? Supposition Andy?

When kick returns form a much smaller percentage of your carries because you're not scared of taking the ball in then they will not skew the figures to the same extent they do for the BFG

Not supposition on my part, evidence based observation over a significant period of time.

The overwhelming majority of drop outs and kick offs go to the right hand side of the receiving team's formation, by virtue of most kickers in the league being right footed.

That tends to be where Peacock stands when Leeds are receiving restarts, or when Peacock is off the field where Leuluai goes. The two best ball carriers in the side, which makes sense given the space that is usually available particularly off GLDs.

Let me respond in kind but slightly less wordy.

I see Kirke return kicks plenty. I see Kirke take the ball in not much.

..and whilst I can't recall the exact numbers a few weeks ago TVOC did watch the video and pointed out on a separate thread that at least two of Kirke's four or five carries that day were kick returns.

Even one is a very high percentage when you take the ball in so little.

I'll watch for it with my notepad tomorrow.

I have to agree with this

the main thing them stats show is singleton should have been playing all year!...oh and peacock did ok

When you've finished wittering on tell us how many minutes Kirke played please?

Then tell us how you know what Kirke's main role is.

What evidence has confronted my prejudice? I have consistently complained that Kirke doesn't carry the ball forward enough. The stats confirm that.

Ian Kirke - RL's equivalent to Jenga!

Kirke made 10 (perhaps 11, perhaps more dependent on what Opta term a carry) at Warrington - the majority of them were still submissive.

I thought Singleton had a very, very good game at Wigan - IMO his best at 1st grade level - yet Bailey was selected to start ahead of him this week.

The game was decided in the opening twenty of the second half. Michael Monaghan showed the value of a genuine hooker as he turned the clock back eighteen months and Warrington's bench strength dominated Leeds' - one of which was only given the last fifteen with the result already a forgone conclusion and only the magnitude of the deficit to determined.

First time Leeds have conceded 40 in a play-off game since 2002.

Couldn't understand how the liability that is Bailey got back into the 17 ahead of Achurch.

If Sutcliffe is going to play, then it has to be from the start instead of McGuire. Bringing him on off the bench doesn't work.

Agreed re-Sutcliffe over McGuire at this point in the season. No room for sentiment and passenger carrying.

When Sutcliffe came off the bench at Wigan it looked like he was being asked to play prop judging from his first couple of hit-ups and while they weren't bad efforts compared to some - it's not a role I see him fulfilling just yet.

Does anyone think Mcdermott has the stones to drop Bailey ,Kirke and Mcguire?