Also going by pre-season interviews Gotcha IF anyone is gonna go into the back-row to make way for Watkins it's gonna be Delaney and they tried that rotation at Crusaders and Brian Mc has stated that Senior is staying at 4.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong...

Just looks wrong. Really going to take some getting used to. Best of luck Matthew!

I think Cross will start on the bench but I don't quite see your point about starting Cross being a 'risk'.

He's played pre season games against SL opposition and has gone well. Ok, the Bradford game is being played at a different venue but surely that's the same for every player who's at MM? As a prop playing down the middle the dimensions of the pitch shouldn't make a huge difference.

I can see him coming on after 25 mins and rattling a few skulls.

I don't mean that about dimensions. I mean the format is different to anything they have in Oz. 3 teams in one day, neutral venue, disruption to pre-match preparations, no/limited warm up on the playing surface, whatever it is that happens with the dressing rooms situation can't be "normal". Then on top of that, his first ever competitive game in SL, Sky Cameras there, plus he doesn't have the first hand knowledge of the Bradford players that everybody else has.

I'm not saying it's a "huge risk, OMG why is he even playing, let's wrap him in cotton wool!!?!?!", I'm just saying, even if it's a tiny tiny tiny tiny risk, it's just simply not one that we need to take.

Do you think Wigan will be doing the same with Hoffman and Lima, or Huddersfield with O'Donnell, Warrington with Monaghan, Salford (too many to mention)?

I would have thought Leeds would be better set starting with an experienced NRL state of origin player, than a not 100% Bailey who has not been used preseason, or Burgess who is not a good starting player at anyway.

Yup and rightly so. I have been championing this for some time.

Senior is a more effective centre over Delaney - full stop.

Delaney's big strengths are his leg drive carting the ball up and his front-on defending.

So it's a no-brainer.

Yes Senior has his moments, but Delaney's defensive position are naive. If we want to play a brand of football - the question is already answered.

People should listen to me more.

weird

Herbert out for the Bulls.

Bottled it.

I don't know whether they will be or not. Neither do you.

I would imagine that the "non-rotatable" players would be starting. Clearly Monaghan isn't going to be on the Wire bench. But whether or not the other clubs decide to give the new NRL "rotatable props" a chance have a bit of a see what's going on first we shall have to wait and see.

It's not something I'm particularly passionate about. All I'm saying is that, IMO, I'd let Cross watch for 15/20 before getting stuck in.

As for a not 100% Bailey, if he's not 100%, why play him?! I know we're missing JP but there's still Kylie, Burgess, Kirke, Ablett, JJB, Cross, Hauraki, Ali, Pitts, Delaney & Senior as "pack candidates". Don't risk him. Simples.

No McShane in the 19 - looks like BM's gone for a big bench.

1 Brent Webb
2 Lee Smith
3 Brett Delaney
4 Keith Senior
5 Ryan Hall
13 Kevin Sinfield
7 Rob Burrow
8 Kylie Leuluai
9 Danny Buderus
18 Luke Burgess
11 Jamie Jones Buchanan
20 Weller Hauraki / 14 Ali Lauitiiti
12 Carl Ablett

14 Ali Lauitiiti / 20 Weller Hauraki
15 Ben Cross
17 Ian Kirke
22 Jay Pitts

Ryan Bailey still out with Groin strain fwih and wasnt in the first squad i heard. Ben Jones Bishop and Kallum Watkins the two that drop out.

bailey is out. clerical error in your office included him in squad. he's been replaced by ben jones bishop in 19 man squad. its up on rhinos web page.

Im really not happy with the squad re the backs. I would:

BJB has to be in the squad hes too good not be. Either wing or full back for me.
Kallum Watkins has to start at centre. He is so much better than Brett Delaney in terms of attacking threat. Delaney is ponderous at centre he just hits the ball up all the time. Hes solid enough but is more a second rower.

Sinny at loose for me and Webb in at 6. Yeah my teams is radical but we all got an opinion right, mine just gives the chance for some of our young, undoubtedly talented english lads a good chance. I know this aint possible due to squad we have picked but my lineup:

BJB

Smith
Watkins
Senior
Hall

Webb
Burrow

Leuluai
Buderus
Cross

JJB
Lauitiiti

Sinfield

Bench:
Hauraki
Delaney
Burgess
Mcshane

So that means no Kirke, Ablett (its harsh that i know), Pitts and thankfully the useless Bailey (whos inj anyway)