Point one does not tie in with point two.

At all.

This.

I can see it being a very busy night for Wellens should Foster start. Makinson and Gardner will run at the line, Foster not so much.

On the contrary. Meli is suspect at dealing with kicks, we know that. However, tis the wingers' job to take the first scoot out of our territory. With Makinson and Foster being rather diminutive, I was considering how much we miss Meli's size when bringing the ball away from our own line, in terms of not just gaining yards, but a quickish PTB.

Sinfield long kicking game will pin us right back near our line.

We shall see.

I'm hearing the same, with returns for Roby and Soliola.

Roby's apparently back for Sunday's game, not heard anything about Sia though but i hope he's back.

Both are just as likely to knock it on as to make yardage or get a quick ptb. A combination of Meli, Gardner and Wellens as our back three have been a major cause in our losses to Leeds in GFs for me, none of them are now fast enough to get under a long kick and we lose 10 yards with them chasing the ball back to our line after letting it bounce. We're on the back foot every set of six. If Roby is back I'd go back to Hohaia, Makinson and Foster (though I know that isn't going to happen). Long kicks against us at the start of the season were being caught and not hitting the floor and we were starting sets on the front foot.

I understand what you're saying about Meli's size, but the negatives to his game on the wing outweigh the positives for me these days. For me, if we were to go back to our slowest players in those positions we'd be doing ourselves no favours at all.

Its not something I'd advocate, but i just wanted to point out there would be positives.

For id go

1 wellens
2 makinson
3 shenton
4 wheeler
5 melI
6 gaskell
7 lomax
8 Perry
9 roby
10 tony p
11 laffranchi
12 sia
13 Wilkin

Subs
14 lance
15 flangan
16 lms
17 clough

You are quite happy with a back on the bench then ?

h
Replacement hooker not back on bench plus can cover backs as well give roby a rest or move to loose and rest a forward

Lance can play both. Allows Roby to do a stint at loose if needed

I think Makinson is injured this week. Meli has been a liability under the high ball but took one well at Bradford last week. Coming back off our own line running at a big pack i'll be glad if it's Meli doing the job.

I think it will be something like this:

Wellens
Gardner
Shenton
Wheeler
Meli
Hohaia
Lomax
Perry
Roby
Laffranchi
Soliola
Flannery
Wilkin

TP
Clough
Flanagan
Magennis/Dixon

IMO that's strong enough to see off Leeds

Well, I suppose you're going to win a game some time this season.....

Just not against a team that's on top of their game at the moment.

Prediction: Big Pumpings as my West Indian mate used to say. Leeds by a comfortable 15/20 points. Stick yer giro on it!

My team would be:

Wellens
Gardner
Meli
Shenton
TMak
Hohaia
Wheeler
TP
Roby
Clough
Franchise
Dixon
Wilkin

Perry
Flanagan
Sia?
LMS

Pace to beat leeds in the pack and solid defensive options. Just need the heart and belief to go out there and beat them now. Expecting no Lomax and possibly no Soliola. An early first draft some may say.