How do they get ready without playing tho? It's difficult but its pain that has to be gone through unfortunately.

Given the injuries I had a look at Frosties' squad list. I've no idea how good they are, but as they are a bit older than academy can anyone say why Alex Sutcliffe or Waite-Pullan aren't somewhere around the first team?

Sutcliffe was excellent for Fev against Toronto on the weekend. Much better than job and Ferres

Time to get rid of the ridiculous Easter fixture pile up. It's not doing the game any good.

It's alright players/fans moaning about it but its their employers that can do something about it. Vote to reduce the number of teams/fixtures. Can't see it happening purely for financial reasons so until then these fixtures are here to stay.

The other thing is, I think the third game is probably the point where you are more likely to pick up knocks/injuries just through accumulation so the worst could be yet to come!

Waite-Pullan has been injured again. He csnt stay fit unfortunately which is a shame cos hes a terrific talent.

Personally I doubt Alex Sutcliffe will ever make the grade at Leeds. Not big enough for 2nd row and too slow for centre.

I don't either now. But he is a much better backrower than Sutcliffe or Ferres. I watched him last Friday night against York for Fev also, and he was superb that game. Would certainly cover injuries currently.

Ferres been out of the team, despite the injuries, is like signing a new player. Such a lucky break for us there.

Largely true, but you can't go throwing them all in together. They all tried their hearts out on Monday, but when they come off the bench at the same time Wire bring on J Clark, Philbin, Akauola and Livett, there is only going to be one outcome.

One of the lads wasn't even in the first team squad until we played Hudds at the end of March and we needed to name a 17 man squad (still ended up naming an injured player on the bench so effectively went with 16), and this is from a 30 man squad

Plan was to run with 7 main props, of those the following are injured

Scruton
Jewitt
Masoe
Garbutt
Lannon
Greenwood

Maria is the right signing at the right time - needs must on this occasion

I don't see Alex as better than Ferres I'm afraid. I'm fed up of everything being blamed on Ferres tbh. I get hes been a poor signing but everytime we lose its cos of Ferres. Other players miss more tackles, give as many penalties away and get no blame.

Think there is an obsession with him.

Like I say i get hes been garbage, there was reasons for that in first few years with constant injuries but all coaches seem to rate him.

I think your been far too generous Marty, he's absolute poop, and is a lot more to blame than mere stats even. His mistakes always cost us, unlike general mistakes from others. He is a bad egg.

Good post

Get my two pets in at half back and things will turn round.
Nothing wrong with a half back pairing of Golding and Lilley at least compared to what we play with every week.
Lolohea, Sutcliffe and Myler simply do not cut it for me and despite us sticking with two of them for the past two or more years they will never be what we want or need.

Just to add Cuthbertson, Walker and Smith return in place of Albert, Ferres and Peteru.
I`m sure we signed a guy called Crosby and talked Ablett in to staying.
Has anyone seen them?

Gotcha is right that a lot of the penalties given away through Ferres' indiscipline do often seem to be more costly than those made by others. I'm sympathetic to Marty's idea that Ferres often makes a solid contribution compared to others in the team, but a lot of this is undone by his poor discipline. Someone like JJB has consistently given penalties away throughout his career, but that's mainly because of things like fatigue and playing the game to the limit. With Ferres you get the sense that he's often more interested in niggle than getting the job done. Ryan Bailey was a master of winding up opposition players and winning penalties (also Ablett, to a lesser degree), but too often Ferres plays dumb. It's a huge shame because he's clearly sorted his weight out in the off-season, and if he just plays to the best of his abilities and ditches the naughty stuff we might see more of what the coaching staff see in him at training etc.

With you on the Ferres always wanting to niggle.
My biggest downer however with him is that we spent and continue to spend an awful lot of money on someone who was supposed to be an international quality player. Since arriving at leeds he has been at best an average player and I believe his work ethic and attitude is poor.