Back to baldwinson. Has he actually played a game of rugby in 2016?

He is 21, played a full season last year at Fev, former England academy captain, what my grandad would have called a "good lad". Can't be much of a surprise if he is getting frustrated. Don't want to open the whole reserve team debate but if a lad like that has no pathway to play it is bad news for RL

Been on the bench twice for Leeds this season - IIRC only got on in the Salford away game though. Besides that I think he's turning out most weeks at Featherstone again.

Meanwhile he's watching our Antipodean forwards ripping it up in our first team.

Baldwinson was also Young championship player of the year, still never gets a shot, do not understand what this lad needs to do!! He has been playing at Fev Rovers and going strong.

Our three Aussie props in Galloway, Garbutt and Cuthbertson are doing ok (latter perhaps trying to hard but you'd still have him in the team). If he should take anyone's place it's Brad 'am I not allowed to shoulder charge anymore' Singleton. 3 needless penalties given away at the weekend and not a murmur on here, but when Galloway and Ferres have done that this year as none academy new signings they've been blasted for it.

Had he had a week or two more patience he'd have been in the 17 for the Magic weekend ahead of Hallas or Briscoe.

Wasn't one for a high shot on Tomkins - nothing wrong with that in my book.

The shoulder was an interesting one as both Singleton and the young Wigan prop both did the same thing yet when the ball carrier dips his shoulder there is no offence committed - bit of an anomaly there.

Can't recall the third offhand - remind me - but I do recall him sticking it to O'Loughlin who had to leave the field and took no further part.

Singleton remains for me the closest thing Leeds have got left to being a damaging forward.

Singleton damaging? No chance. Doesn't smash bodies out of the way when running with the ball and in defence it usually comes from borderline shoulder charges/high tackles.

Singleton bounced off O'Loughlin and not sure what he did to himself but I'd put it down to O'Loughlin injury plagued body failing him than Singleton running in like a headless chicken. Possibly looks like an accidental knee from Singleton into O'Loughlin thigh, not what I'd call proper damaging not in the Leuluai rattle their bones way.

9 carries for 50m is also very poor from a starting prop and he needs to be doing way more. When Garbutt has started this year he's more often than not crossed the 100m mark and he damages some people when running at them.

Personally I think something could be on the cards with a player leaving. Whether it's shocking depends on how easily someone is shocked and will vary from one person to another.

Funny thing though is now that it's been proclaimed as shocking everyone is running numerous scenarios through their heads and are awaiting something shocking......it then negates the chances of people being shocked by it. Say nothing and it catches people off guard, put people on guard and it loses its shock potential.

In all honesty the way the season has panned out i don't think any player leaving would shock me. I also can't think of a big name in SL at the moment which could possibly 'shock the world of RL' or at least get me a bit giddy either, but we wait and see.

A player leaving like Watkins or Hardaker wouldn't be a shock, and would also no doubt be used to enable someone to come in for next season.

Having said that, if Watkins were to leave it would be possible to cover via Sutcliffe and Keinhorst when Moon is fit, and Handley in the future. Hardaker though? Presumably it would be Golding, Sutcliffe and then Luke Briscoe (IIRC he's played fullback before). Maybe the club see Sutcliffe as a fullback in the near term? Or maybe even Handley?

I'd see Sutcliffe as first choice replacement for Zak, not Golding. Lilley and McGuire in the halves. But really, although it's been a bad season, we don't want to be losing Zak. I could deal with NRL side, but would hate to see him line up for another SL club

Has it been confirmed that Baldwinson is leaving?

Well evidently it's some chance if the penalties that concerned you were from risky challenges.

As I said he's the nearest thing we've got. At least he's looking to hit hard in the tackle even if some of them get out of shape. He's attempting to dominate the opposition forwards - not many of his colleagues can say the same.

Quite.

Garbutt has been excellent going forward but is a complete defensive liability.
Galloway has improved of late but is all too often dominated by the ball carrier when defending.
Cuthbertson has been a terrible prop this year and an average stand off. He's been a turnover machine.

He might be looking to do that, whether he does that is a much different thing though. Has the highest missed percentage per tackle out of the other props (Cuthbertson, Galloway, Garbutt & Mullally).

In attack in his last 8 games (started 4, bench 4) he's averaging 53m with the ball with only 1 tackle burst in those 8 games. In comparison Josh Walters in 9 appearances is averaging 53m with 4 tackle bursts.

He's offering us the same/less than Josh Walters with ball in hand lately but people moan when he's dropped.