Is it possible to jump and contest for a high kick without lifting your knees?

Slightly OT but does anyone else think having Stuart Cummins analysing every decision the ref makes during a sky game is necessary? What the ref does during a game seems to be analysed more than the actual play.

great structure, dummy runners, well organised. unfortunately that was castleford. we showed great determination and busted a gut for the win but that isn't enough.shambolic at times yet again

TBF I don't think Cas were particularly great in structure or organisation. They had a lot of success running off of quick PTB's and offloads but were equally guilty of not making the most of field position at times and their last tackle plays needed to be better, even Powell post match said along those lines.

What the game required was one team to grind the opposition down into their own half of the field with some basic simple RL and tough defence (JJB and Leuluai really stood up here IMO) and Leeds had started to do that around the time of Ablett's 2nd try.....but we then became clueless when time came to slot over a 1 pointer and make it a 2 score game which would've probably been enough.

Then I would suggest you watch that game again. Cas were entirely as a team, with each on the same wavelength. Their dummy running at times was brilliant, unlucky to have another try wiped off. We rely on individual skill and nothing else. We are not coached as a team, with a plan, and it is exactly why tvoc on that other thread is a lot nearer the truth than others.

As for the game again, I would just like to say a big up for Delaney, who I personally thought had his best game in a Leeds shirt last night. Thought he was absolutely immense. Not a big fan most of the time, but If I saw that every week I certainly would be. And would also say, please please stop playing Achurch as a prop. The guy has gone from playing his preferred role each week and looking very promising, to filling in at prop and lucking a useless chump.

About as classy as the Cas fans who throw bottles at Carl Ablett after his try in 2nd half. Morons.

Who was Bailey phoning last night?

Thought Delaney was immense and Kylie carried huge impact in what he did.

Aiton's disappointing me at present. Doesn't want to run with the ball and not winning the ruck. Burrow at hooker for full game works better for me, didnt think id be quick to say that!

Stevie Ward's tackling efforts, -poor.

Intially I wasn't impressed with Aiton, then just as he started to settle and look the part he got sick. Hopefully a few more games and he will improve. But agree, he isn't doing it yet.
Stevie Ward looks light, can't help thinking his shoulder problems are having an effect on his confidence in the hit, but there have been times when he has looked dangerous with ball in hand - not enough though.

Cas ran at him constantly in the opening part of the game. Inside the 1st ten or so minutes he got bumped off 3 times. hate to think what his total mis-tackles stacked up at.

This shoulder 'problem' / confidence issue has been mentioned a few times as an excuse/reason for none performances which is fair enough. But look how JJB threw himself back into the action after another injury lay-off. He was running round like my toddler, full of life and not questioning a thing. Ward should take a leaf out of his book.

But Ward isn't built like JJB. If he ran around like him he'd be out for another 6 months.

Ward physically can handle himself on the rugby field, he has shown that. When he broke into the team a few years ago he tackled and ran with the ball above his weight. He needs to get back to doing that. Some extra timber wouldn't do any harm though.

Ward missed 7 tackles. Personally, I think he needs time out of the first team to develop physically and come back next season. IMO at present Walters looks better suited to play in the "engine room".

Not all explanations are "excuses". Actually I'm not sure how Ward will go long term, maybe one day we will just realise he's become like Ablett or even JJB. Then again he might go the way of Clarkson - initial promise followed by years of being in and out of the team as a peripheral squad player.

Ward wasn't alone in making critical mistakes last night. We conceded some of the softest tries possible, made (worse than) schoolboy errors through the whole game and ended up with our captain red carded and followed that up by gifting two of the softest penalties imaginable to make sure Cas had opportunity to fully exploit our 12 man defensive line. And WTF was Burrow doing passing to Peacock? Unbelieveable.

His agent, to change his mind about the Cas deal?