I think a year on loan with him playing regularly will do wonders for Sutcliffe, same goes for Keinhorst. We have enough halves and threequarters to cover most scenarios.

If I had to choose between McGuire or Sutters now, I would go with Sutters. Time to go with the future.

I think that this is a good deal for all three groups but I hope we don't loan Sutcliffe. As last season proved to me at least one thing expecting all three of Mcguire, Sinfield and Burrow is almost a miracle as well as two being injured is not unlikely. I believe Sutcliffe will get plenty of game time next season again.

With Aiton here, I'd expect less of Burrow at hooker though, therefore often three halves for two spots.

start sutcliffe and make him captain

With Mac dragging McGuire back into the side at the end of last year in place of Sutcliffe....shows his preferred choice.

Sinfield, McGuire and Burrow are the shoe-ins.

Aiton may get some game time, then Stevie Ward will be back in the mix.

So game time looks limited at Leeds. Just hope we dont let this possibly turn into the Amor situation. That ridiculously backfired in our face.

Not sure where Minns or Keinhorst would get a game at Wakefield, given how well Collis and Lee Smith went in the centres for them last year.

Sutcliffe would presumably just slot into the gap left by Tim Smith in the halves alongside Paul Sykes.

I still think Sutcliffe will be a #13

Sutcliffe needs to be playing. It slightly worries me that Wakey might not be the best environment at this moment in time, what with significant changes to their squad, financial uncertainty and possible unrest amongst their fans should things go badly.
What worries me a great deal more is McGuire's form and fitness. Would never have happened but he'd be my choice if one of the two had to play at Wakey on a loan basis (with a recall clause inserted of course ).

Personally I can't think of a 17 where I wouldn't have sutcliffe in it!

We know how loyal BMc can be with selections:

Hardaker

Briscoe
Watkins
Moon
Hall

Sinfield
McGuire

Peacock
Aiton
Leuluai
Delaney
JJB
Ablett

Burrow
Ward
Bailey
Singleton/Achurch/Kirke
________________________


The only way Sutcliffe gets in that 17 is if one of Sinfield/McGuire/Burrow don't.

It's only injuries in the first place that forced Mac's hand to give Sutcliffe some regular game time anyway.

The same goes for Alex Foster. Think all his games came in a big block and IIRC Bailey took his place for the run in.

I see him as a Paul Cooke type player, hopefully minus the being a total d1ck, alcohol problems, lack of application and general wasted talent.

Personally I can see the logic if Sutcliffe being at Wakefield, getting regular game-time and a bit more responsibility, I would keep him here though, take a bit of the pressure off him and give him more of a gentle progression to first grade. Im not sure that we should expect an 18 year old to be playing SL week in-week out. Especially in the pack if that’s where he ends up.

Besides, he couldn’t ask for a better mentor. For 16 years now Sinfield has apparently been a world class player trapped in a body not big enough for loose, not quick enough for half. Well Sutcliffe has the frame to be plenty big enough.

Is Sutcliffe Under 19s eligible in 2014 though?

He needs to be playing somewhere every week to refine his game and learn to be a more pivotal figure. If he's not going to get that at Leeds, then what is to be gained by keeping him training at Kirkstall but not playing?

Ideally, I'd like to see him go play in the Championship on dual-reg but understandably coaches at that level don't want to be relying on DR players as pivots because you never know whether they'll be available one week to the next.

So a move on loan to a SL side that are short of half-backs themselves might not be a bad alternative.

From the players that played in first team in 2013:

Liam Sutcliffe, Thomas Minns, James Duckworth in their final year for the U19s.

Alex Foster and Stevie Ward now full time first teamers.

Luke Briscoe is on the first team page on the Leeds Rhinos site, is in his last year as an U19.