He did have the benefit of coming on against a London side that was out on its feet, and played a significant proportion of his actual game time at full back IIRC?

Thought Briscoe played well enough to merit first shot, seemed to strike up a decent combination with Watkins and looked dangerous in broken field on kick returns and from dummy half early doors.

Completely agree mate its obvious Mags and Sinfield will be 6 and 7 so Suttcliffe will have to make do with a bench spot as will Aiton with RB starting at 9.

I think BJB would have replicated that destruction if he'd been on for 1st half as well. He played with a point to prove and he it made it. BJB was all over the field.

Briscoe played well and was given alot of last tackle kicks put in his direction (which weren't great quality kicks).

It's a nice quandary to have for mac to have. Shame there isn't that level of competition in other areas of the team.

From earlier discussions who would you start at hooker Sunday?

That's a big, mean looking pack & subs if correct.
Should be fun.

If all the squad are fit I would line up for the first match as follows:

BJB (classy with great pace so just pips Hardaker who has a great physical game but it comes with a few flaws)
Brisco
Watkins
Moon
Hall
Mags
Sinfield
Kylie
Burrow
JP
Delaney
Ablett
JJB (if not fit then Ward who if not fit then Bailey)

Bailey (If JJB & Ward not fit then Kirke)
Singleton
Ward (if not fit then Achurch)
Sutcliffe

This line up would have great pace with plenty of creative players. I have feeling that Leeds will play a more offloading game this year and if so we want heads up players with good hands in the side.

IMO Burrow as one of our fastest and most effective attackers has to play 80 minutes. So if he starts at 9 I see no place for Aiton who would be a waste of a bench slot. Burrow will then interchange with Sinfield as he did last season and for England in the World Cup. If Burrow were to get injured Sinfield would go to 9 and Sutcliffe or Ward (if fit would go into the halves. To play 2 hookers only works IMO if both are outstanding players.

aiton. with burrow coming on after 25 ish. aiton can fill in at loose or second row just like terry newton did when lee jackson came on

www.hullkr.tv/?v=1123

www.hullkr.tv/?v=1123

I think based on McDermott's history the team will line up:

Hardaker
Briscoe Watkins Moon Hall
Sinfield McGuire
Leuluai Burrow Peacock
Delaney Ablett
Bailey

Aiton Singleton Achurch Clarkson

I can see BJB starting over Hardaker too. McDermott isn't overly keen on Hardaker and if Hardaker is to leave then it is best to develop BJB at full back.

Hardaker FB. BJB and Briscoe on the wings and Alton to start Burrow on the bench. The rest picks itself.
Won't happen as Hall will keep his place and Burrow will start.

So after last season on reflection you wouldn't play a specialized hooker at all in the 17?

I wouldn't draw too many comparisons with the World Cup use of both Sinfield and Burrow in the England side, blink and you miss it.

Whats Ryan Hall done to lose his place?

I think that what must be really heavy conditions underfoot will stifle our much better & faster backs.
I worry that their massive pack & bench could overpower our lighter but more mobile pack.
As ever the kicking game will be vital.

Not much.
Based on the trial game Hall was the weaker of the three. And three into two dont go
.
I think any two from three will do a job I just fancy the two I have chosen for now.
Maybe Hall might improve his game when he is more than 20 metres from the line then.

When you say "specialized hooker" do you really mean traditional type hooker? Burrow has been our starting hooker for some time now and even when another hooker is on the bench Burrow remains on the field, unless injured, moving into the half backs. He has consistently produced the goods despite doing it in a different way. Last season he along with JP was most influencial especially when the others in the side were badly out of form. This was reflected in the voting for player of the season.

IMO it would be crazy not to play one of our best attackers for 80 minutes. Therefore if all are fit Aiton would have to take the place on the bench of either Bailey/Ward/Sutcliffe/Singleton all better players and more adaptable IMO



Sinfield was outstanding for England and has just retained the captaincy. Burrow was selected as reserve hooker on the bench ahead of the others.