An Interesting game - bloody cold mind you.

My thoughts:
The lack of attacking structure/plays of 2016 were evident once again as was the inability to get the ball to the most incisive attacking player we have in Watkins.

Golding was very good in defence but offered very little in attack hopefully this will come as his confidence builds.

The half backs were a shambles - Sutcliffe just looks out of depth at this point and Burrow looks like player nearing the end of an illustrious career.

On the forwards what do Ablett and JJB now offer in attack - every time they got the ball they killed the play, it will be interesting to see who makes way for Ferres?

On the props Garbutt was excellent but Cuthbertson looks more like the 2016 version than the 2015 version and Singleton looks too lightweight at this level.

On a positive Parcell looked lively and Ward was solid

On a negative the substitutions were simply bizarre once again.

Saints were poor and should have been soundly beaten - very similar to the opening game of last season dominated for long periods of the game but couldn't score enough points. Unless Leeds find a way to increase their scoring this could be another very tough season.

I agree, I've honestly never understood the hype about the lad but this is one of the things that happens with academy lads when people have connections to them or the club they came from.

I recall his debut in 2013, he was still yet to come on after 50 mins and the guy behind me ranted to his mate "Sutcliffe's the best player at the whole club, why isn't McDermott brining him on the idiot".....that was 2013 before he's even played a game and with the likes of Sinfield, Peacock, Hall etc. at the club. Just ridiculous.

To be fair it was Ablett who made our only try. Abysmal last play options and execution , clueless attack in general with all the opportunities we got given in that first half, and it's not the fact we didn't score it's that we didn't look like doing so and it is very worrying moving forward. We still look a threat as always from deep, and that is where most of our best looks at the try line came last night. Other than that there were some positives already highlighted. Lets see how we get on next week, hopefully McGuire is back.

Bet Wigan are glad Charnley has gone,every play the ball he always took 2 paces forward.......O sorry most Wigan players move off the mark.

See Mcguire getting mentioned again what exactly did he "change" last year when he returned?

That's not true though. Sutcliffe was never a top player as a kid, and he never stood out in the academy either. It is something from that the coaches have seen to work with, and the hype came from the first team appearances. For me I never understood what they saw in him. A game lad with good hands, but it ends there.

have to say if that refereeing sets the standard for this season then no complaints from me, massive improvement on last year, and penalized for moving of the mark fair call. the ruck speed was just about right as well, and the game moved along at a fine pace, despite the low score line. keep up the good work.

Maybe because of different neck of the woods but heard plenty of him before he made a first team debut for Leeds....surprised he hasn't walked on water.

Not a lot because he never returned properly fit and broke down again. If we can get a fit version of McGuire he's offers us much much more than Sutcliffe.

Wasn't the rumour the other day that he would be fit to play? I suppose at the moment at least McDermott stuck to his plan to not risk players who aren't ready.

McGuire would certainly offer us a lot more in running and moving the ball. However, the biggest weakness we have of game management and kicking, is a major loss for this team from the players we have. For kIcking and game management, in reality Lilley is the best option we have.

From reading the above it seems to me that Lilley, as with others in the past, improves with every game that he doesn't play.
Seriously, the last tackle options are an ongoing, serious concern.

Has the coach given the usual comments after a loss ? Any explanation for the odd bench use or sending away Lilley before Mags is back at least ?

The Old Leeds would have took 4/5 kickable penalties and closed the game out by boring the other team to death.

Game management still seems to be your weakness currently.

Only the first game of the season though, might not be your ideal start but once the wins start coming in it'll be long forgotten.

I've heard of about 3 players in my adult life that were hailed as the best of their age group or even best junior prospect ever. the first was marcus Vassilakopolous, the second kevin Sinfield, the third Liam Sutcliffe. i have been a fan of sutcliffe but he is going down the road of vassilakopolous not Sinfield.