Fitness permitting how do you think we should line up throughout the playoffs? I'd go for,

1 - Hardaker
2 - BJB
3 - Watkins
4 - Ablett (Keinhorst has done ok but he's not yet the strongest option there)
5 - Hall
6 - Sinfield
7 - McGuire
8 - Griffin (think starting would bring out more in him)
9 - Lunt (been average but just to steady the ship before Burrow comes on)
10 - Peacock
11- JJB
12 - Delaney
13 - Ward (with the creativity and providing lost from FB with Webb and replaced with evasive running and individual skill of Hardaker, a more creative option needed elsewhere and replace the extra big man at loose with someone who can do more with ball in hand)

14 - Burrow (need to go back to last year's plan, on after 30 mins)
15 - Leuluai (too short stints for my liking, he might as well be the one who replaces Peacock when he's given his brief breathers)
16 - Kirke (try not to run into anybodies head)
17 - Bailey (as the interchange second row because i simply don't think the other options of Hauraki or Clarkson are good enough and i'd prefer Ablett to play centre)

Keinhorst unless needed to start at centre due to injuries shouldn't be used as an interchange option.

Thats probably close to what I'd have, but Bailey would be prop and Kirke second row. We need to be as close to the way we were set up last year to replicate our success of last year.

I concur with that also...

Whats happened to Clarkson this year? Why has he had such a big fall from grace?

I would suggest the lack of impact with the ball has done for him. Needs to reinvent himself really

He has gone backwards this year, whether that is all his own fault or some blame attached to the coaching is up for argument. His best role is probably starting at Loose like in 2011 but as i wrote in the OP i think we need a more creative player there now instead with the loss of Webb as a more natural provider than Hardaker at FB who will give you other qualities instead. As a second row coming off the bench he doesn't offer enough (if any at all) impact and wouldn't pick him as a starter ahead of Delaney or JJB.

He was poor last year as well, Grand Final apart. For whatever reason he's stopped running the lines and supporting the play in the way he did in 2010. His defence is only ever going to be solid rather than punishing.

FWIW I'd go with OP's team too, giving lie to what GH said to the YEP about our strength-in-depth. Moore for Kirke or Bailey is the only possible change.

I'd stick with keinhorst at LC and put Ablett in the BR with Jjb on the bench for Kirke.
I also agree that Bailey should be at Prop when he comes on.

i'd have to agree with everything here, But we all know it's not going to happen what with BMD's strange selection policies.

I'll eat my hat if he went with this side!

The thinking behind Bailey playing second row is that during his time at loose forward he looked quite good attacking nearer the fringes and second row would allow him to go further out than at prop. Plus Kirke has been going well at prop recently so why change that.

I would agree here as well.... we really need the pack depth to be stronger, that platform gives the space and time for our backs to perform. Keinhorst I think is better at LC than Ablett anyway.

Oh agreed, the chances of Leuluai and Burrow starting on the bench are practically zero. The interesting part will be,
....HOPEFUL......RECENT
4 - Ablett.......Keinhorst
13 - Ward.......Ablett
17 - Bailey.......Ward
Not Picked - Keinhorst......Bailey

Will probably look more like the recent list than the hopeful one unfortunately. I'm thinking he will stick with Keinhorst, who nothing against the lad has done ok in his few appearances and could well be a future regular starter but ATM for me he's not the stronger option.

But surely the pack depth would suffer if you drop a prop/second row in Ian Kirke and play Keinhorst at centre instead of picking Ablett there who could still run the ball in like a forward and taking some of the workload off the starting forwards.

Not too sure about that, 3 forwards on the bench is good depth, just need to be at same standard or as close to the same standard as the starting pack to maintain the depth. I think Leeds' issue is not depth in terms of number of forwards, but the depth in quality, replacing like for like to keep the same level of intensity and go forward...for example Morley off the bench for warrington or Graham off the bench for the Bulldogs, thats the depth you need quality not numbers. You want to have a utility back on the bench also.

Regarding Kirke....in has played well recently, I would put him in over Griffin, Kirke seems more of a handful for defence. Plus is Kirk 100% fit after the hit last week? Must have suffered from Concussion

Pack
JP SL KL
BD JJB
CB

Subs
RB
IK
DG

Interchange some shorter stints for KL, JP, DG, IK

But we don't have that type of quality off the bench (Morley, Graham) no matter how the team is selected so we can't really pretend that we have. Leeds' best recent successes like the Wigan CC Semi have come from a team effort in the forwards and sharing the workload, Kirke and Griffin not of the same standard as Peacock on paper but on that day they put their hands up and were counted. Also on recent form Kirke has been one of our better forwards TBF.

You need a utility half back/hooker on the bench and Burrow gives you that option if picked there, i'm not keen on seeing a 1-5 back on the bench, if you don't get injuries it usually ends up feeling like a forced subsitution instead of one based on how the game is going.