The problem is Sinfield is our best option at hooker too. His dummy half play is clever and strong ( loved the kick for Tansey's knock on ). I think McDermott has got his selections spot on at the moment . Clarkson good down the middle to begin with then bring on the growing in confidence Sutcliffe, who is looking to take on the responsibility more and more. He is looking like a young Leon Pryce type of SO and can see more strong breaks that our fantastic outside backs will lap up. I agree Hall should walk back in. BJB still inspires less confidence in defence as always looking jittery, but Briscoe too again looked less than fully confident on the left. This is strange considering he played there for Hull... Or maybe it's his way of saying keep me outside Watkins please.
The weakest link at the moment for me is Delaney who has not put in anything like a MOM performance for some time. Perhaps a case for switching Stevie Ward to LF with Delaney taking a turn off the bench.
I am enjoying the extended faith shown in Achurch as the wide running second rower ( JJB not missed especially in the reduced penalty count - Ablett now seems to want to contest that role ) and the rest of the pack is performing admirably. Ablett is always a threat and Kylie like Peacock is rolling back the years. Peacock is beyond superlatives. ... How are we going to replace this guy?

Keep up the good work Brian.

Maybe a chance for young Robbie Ward after magic weekend?

I thought Delaney was poor at the match last night, and shows how stats can work the other way also. Because I see his stats now, and on that basis is performance was incredible. Obviously many things you can not see when watching the whole team. He seemed to be down on his haunches repeatedly after doing something, but considering he spent a fair amount of time off the field, his tackling stats are fantastic.

I agree with Gilder on the hooker. Yes Sinfield did a couple of great kicks, and controlled things, but he could have done that in his normal position. We seriously missed the unpredictability from dummy half last night that a out and out hooker brings. Compare and contrast to Clarke's contribution, and how he caught us, due to that unpredicatability.

Achurch really does look potentially a very good attacking threat. And he is producing it defensively also.

Clarke would be a bloody fabulous acquisition ....

For a change I will agree with all your points on this one Gotcha


I rate Delaney a bit more than you do but he looked unfit last night, Clarkson made some good hit's in defence last night and is playing a lot better when he stays in the middle of the field.

Achurch is making a lot of meters and his defence is solid, If he carries on this form I hope he gets a lot more minutes from now on (swapping Kirke for Achurch would be an upgrade imo).

Briscoe was poor, not unlike Hall was a few weeks ago but my thoughts are just the same, he's a class player who had a poor game....that's all.

On Delaney his looking unfit just seems to be how we've seen him over last year or so! He tackled everything in front of him and looked to cart it up. A very Delaney performance.

I'm a big Delaney fan and I didn't mean out of condition fit I just think he spent a lot of time on all fours and was slow getting back into the line, not sure if he's carrying an injury?

He's best on all fours

Delany down, busted, weathered but standing back up looking for me, just seems standard fare of late.

Just what was needed, given the tricky handling conditions. With the attacking threat our back line poses it would have been easy for our halves to try to force matters when it wasn't needed. A lot of teams would have fallen into that trap. I was very pleased to see the game run down in this way as it demonstrated better control than perhaps scoring a late try or two against a tiring opposition, having the game fizzle out in a welter of errors by both side or, worst of all, gifting Cas a reinvigorating score.

Good allround performance from Leeds, to me Sutcliffe, Sinfield and Peacock really stood out. Really enjoy Sinfield when he's in at 9 and the kick off the ground was brilliant. Peacock immense as per usual, and Sutcliffe just keeps getting better and better each week. Bring on Wigan again!

Someone should have fed that memo to Lynch

Been saying this for the past couple of years - one of the best hookers in SL but I think he's found his place at Cas and it would take quite a bit to tempt him away - the kind of dosh that GH isn't prepared to splash.

Can anyone explain why Cas ended up with a PTB on the spot where McGuire kicked it on half way just after half time while Eddie was banging on about Cas changing their starting 13? Did it go out on the full?

It hit Singleton? on the back of the head = offside

On offsides, early on, when McGuire got done for the double movement.....

Shouldn't that have been penalty to Leeds rather than a drop out for the knock on? Dixon knocked on (play on), McGuire collected up, but tackled by an offside Tansey?