Agree with a lot of what has been said here.
Funny how nowadays we are pleased with the effort considering where we have come 18 months ago.
Hall had a bad first half but didn`t look out of place in the second half.
Broadbent very good again along with Alex Sutcliffe.
Tom as I keep saying offers nothing and for those wanting Gale binned you need to give your head a wobble.
Yes not as good as we expect but he will get there.
Liam Sutcliffe had one of his better games but half back he isn`t.
The forwards did well and contained the Cas pack.
I agree that we don`t get much out of Mellor/Martin on the pitch together and Donaldson as much as I like him should make way for King or Walters.
My preferred ​team when all fit would be:
Myler
Newman/Broadbent
Hurrel
Sutcliffe
Handley
Eastmond
Gale
Mik
Leeming
Prior
Tetavano
Martin
Smith
Subs
Dwyer
Holroyd
Thompson
Mellor/King/Walters

While he did nothing to convince me he was a 6, I thought Liam Sutcliffe had a much stronger game, with some good runs (despite one or two defensive lapses).

Jon Wilkin annoyed me by going on about how Cas had a much more versatile squad than Leeds. With so many players missing from our backline, what does he expect us to do, play Oledski at FB? Jon Wells could barely contain himself gushing over Cas in his analysis.

A team with a bit more strike would have scored a lot more with the position and possession Leeds had today. Tom Briscoe could be forgiven for jumping the line (after all, Ryan Hall did it loads) if he offered a bit more going forward. I'd like to see him make a few more damaging runs bringing the ball out of our own 20, for starters. Still early in the season to be writing any of our players off.

Enjoyed the game.
As far as Cas go, rather like last week I don’t think we were clinical enough. We had plenty of full sets in the Leeds 20 and didn’t make enough of that possession.
I thought Tetevano was very good and I’m a big fan of Leeming. As a non-Leeds supporter, it seems like a lot of interchanges to constantly swap Leeming and Dwyer though (I think you used four interchanges for that today) when Leeming seems to offer much more of a threat.

As a neutral I thought it was a good game and you performed really against a good Cas side who will do well if they keep their spine fit. I thought you young lads did really well maybe Hall the exception. Zane T looks a fantastic buy, if anything I thought your more experienced players let you down, Gales kicking was terrible, he is much better than that and Briscoe was poor, what has happened to him, use to make some many yards, win penalties and make regular breaks, he did nothing of note until he gave away a 4th tacke set restart and got the read wrong for their last try which just about finished the game off for you.

Plenty to be positive about particularly if you can get some backs fit.

Just on Jon Wilkin, I think he speaks well and is clearly confident in front of a camera, however I don’t think he can mention Leeds without having subtle digs here and there, mind you probably don’t blame him how many GFs did he lose against Leeds?

John Wells is director of rugby at cas , hes bound to be a bit biased, he can’t say they’re crap, that means he’s doing a crap job.

For me it was Myler who made the difference against Wakefield - Gale was poor in that game too. He maybe on his own but that doesn't stop him executing - something he hasn't done in the first two games - his kicking yesterday was appalling - it took him 60 minutes to hit the ground with a kick

I thought gale had a hand in most of the good things we did against wakey and is more important that anyone else when it comes to making us tick.His kicking was undoubtedly off yesterday but he will get fitter,stronger and better.

Think we need a sense of perspective and take stock of current position.Everybody said that our priority was to sort out the pack. On the evidence of the first couple of games the forwards generally have gone well and in terms of field position have given a platform that with the right 1-6 on the field would have seen relatively comfortable wins. The next few weeks are going to be tough but when we get bodies back we will be competitive. I have a few observations on the general discussion.
Throwing more kids into an already depleted backing won't solve anything and potentially harm their development.
Until Myler back I would either go with the 2 Sutcliffe in the centres and Cam Smith at 6 or move Mellor to Centre. We have no pace anyway so might as well strengthen physically. Give King or walters a go then from the bench.
Gale had a poor game vs Cas but lay off the guy he's coming off a long term injury and trying to do everything himself. Also would question potentially the coaching as for 60 minutes we went with the same last tackle kick dropping it on the wingers so presumably this was a coached play!
100% agree about our wingers and would give Tindall ago when Eastmond Newman Hurrell Myler back but not now. Mellor seems to be the new whipping boy but for me although he needs to develop I think Martin is the weaker link he has the odd eye catching game but generally for a 2nd row his overall workrate is low.Expect to lose the next couple but hopefully things settle after that as players return

Stats from the game https://www.superleague.co.uk/match-centre/report/3417

Stats from the game https://www.superleague.co.uk/match-centre/report/3417

Good post, i think we look exactly where we are, a bit under prepared, playing with one halfback whose 70% fit and had no pre season and decimated back line, im still confident we can make a good go of this season

Missing Newman's ability to beat players one on one but a lot of our players are missing Hurrell's sheer precense. Gale is missing him as both a crash ball option and a bluff, the second rowers are missing his huge contribution to meterage, and Briscoe looks so so average without him.

Agree with both of you.

The dust has settled now, we’re not in as bad a shap as some think.
9 injured (mostly key) players and we still held on.
I wish Oli Holmes was in our back row, always puts a shift in, and not just against us. I think Mellor lacks that bit of aggression if he could get that he’d be much better. I think Martin’s mind is either already on the plane home or worried about a new contract.
Broardbent is growing by the game! Alex Sutcliffe also, he’s solid without been flash. I can see him playing in the back row soon with Ablett’s old role.
We need a half alongside Gale to function fully.
The big lads are going well, but will need some support as it will take its toll if used for big minutes every week.