A respectable loss say 12/18 points and i'll be happy without anymore injury's but i wouldn't put it past This squad to do a number on Leedsicon_smile.gif

As I said on the Leeds board, that’s not a bad side, I would fancy it over most in SL. The issues at half back can be mitigated by the fact Roby is such a quality player.

If I were saints fan my main worry would be that if that pack doesn’t win the battle in the middle of the park, it will drag players in and leave the saints smaller outside backs up against a big Leeds outside line, I would worry about the likes of Swift, Percival, Makinson, and Dawson, against the size and weight of Hall, Watkins, Briscoe. If leeds get a roll on, or get within the 20, it will be very difficult to keep those guys out.

If however that pack can set a platform and punch some holes (and a pack with Soliola, Masoe, and Laffranchi can do) then there is still enough speed and guile there for saints to put plenty of points on the board.

Well its backs against the walls time! Hope Charnock gets a crack, as has been said, if your good enough your old enough! Put him in at first/second reciever, use Roby/Lomax/Wellens to make sure everyone knows, HE calls the plays and who knows what could happen

Lomax
Makinson Jones Percival Swift
Wheeler Charnock
Laffranchi Roby Masoe
Flanaghan Soliola
Wellens

Hohaia Greenwood Richards Walker/ Savelio

Harsh on Dawson maybe, but id rather Jones was defending against Watkins. Hohaia being back gives us plenty of options if wheeler or Percival isnt 100% but its going to be a young pack!

Great opportunity for Saints this to show a load of commitment and fight regardless of the result. If you nick it then that would be some achievement but the club would take a raft of confidence out of a competitive performance I'm sure.

Even a defeat in the right manner could really drive your season on IMO.

Funnier things have happened than a saints victory.

Not to mention that Sinfield, Delaney and Peacock all had last week off against the Broncos. I personally think their bench (minus Burrow) is weak but the starting pack doesnt have much to overcome with our 3 props out.

The good thing about Leeds is they can become a penalty machine. Leuluai, Delaney, JJB, Ablett are all accustomed to the odd brain fart and if we can play on that and move ourselves up the field that will be a massive help and we NEED Wheeler to play, he is the creative type needed to unlock their defence. If he is taken out of the game then it's draw the curtains and turn off the lights time.

Never write off the Saints though. COYS!!

would be momentous to get a result here.
In the scheme of things, this means nothing, the cup match is everything/

I'll not post my team as certain posters will start crying and insinuate I'm leaking info and start crying that wello wouldn't still be in my 17.

Haha. Wellens is the 1st name on your sheet isn't he?

I don't think we have anything to lose here. If we push them close or win it would be fantastic for our development and with so many academy players playing it would be such a positive.

I don't think many other teams could cope with such disruption, but we are definitely in a position to at least compete.

If we get battered I think it'll take something special to get up for the Hudds cup game.

I would play both Charnock and Savelio. We need as big a pack as possible and something different at HB.

However, my fear is that Jones will move to LF and wheeler centre and that could mean wheeler being really tested defensively alongside Hohaia or Charnock.

You know i've been with you in the camp that says Wello was a waste of a bench spot when he was coming on at 65-70 mins.
However, I call it as i see it and Wello was a better 6 on Sunday than Lance has been in over 2 years.

Leeds have two areas of strength - the first is their outside backs which need to be kept in check. With that in mind I would pick the strongest three quarters available namely Swift, Jones, Percival and Makinson.

The second is peacock who carries their pack with 150 + meters. To counter that I would consider starting our most experienced pack with Masoe and Lafranchi at prop with soliola and Flanagan in the second row. If Wello is not at six he should start at 13 leaving Richards walker and savelio plus a back on the bench. No place for Dawson in my view. Halves will be 2 from 3 of Charnock wheeler and Lance with who ever misses out on bench

Starting strong will give us a chance of getting in to game and establishing a platform whereby younger lads can get involved better if it's goin well and when JP Leuluai are being spelled.

Oops missed out greenwood - on bench - dispense with back on bench as Wello is 13

I'm kind of dreading having Masoe on the pitch at the same time as Rob Burrow. Masoe strikes me as being a bit of a liability in defence simply because he's huge and therefore relatively slow. He's been left standing a couple of times on the tryline (everyone seems to have picked up on that weakness very quickly!). Rob Burrow will just run round him. That could create an embarrassing scoreline. Other than that though given our ability to raise our game against Leeds no matter what group of players we chuck out on the day the chances of us winning are 50/50. But I'm not worried about us losing (the following week is far more important) but I wouldn't like us to be tonked at home. And the Burrow -v- Masoe mismatch feels like a tonking in the making.