I hope you are right but its not often I'm wrong. I just don't see how we are going to score enough points with no half backs.

Given we've reached the GF the last two years, you've been wrong about our heinous squad pretty much every week until the end of the season for 2 years. Not a great record despite what you might think of it.

I can still hear your knee-jerk wailing about falling behind Hudds/Hull/KR/Wakey/AnyoneElseWithaRLTeam after we lost to Hull in game one last season, before reaching the GF.

It will go one of two ways.

This whole Eastmond scenario will bring the squad together and we'll have a gutsy 6-10 point win.

Or

The players aren't as bothered as the fans over Eastmond given that they are all professionals and not fans, so we won't have that backs agaisnt the wall attitude and the lack of half backs means that we'll struggle to score and will lose the territorial game badly. And that means we'll lose by 12-18 points.

I'm afraid that I'm hedging towards the second scenario, but will be delighted to be wrong.

Leeds 19: Webb, Smith, Senior, Hall, Burrow, Buderus, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Lauitiiti, Cross, Kirke, Burgess, Watkins, Hauraki, Clarkson, Pitts, McShane, Hardaker.

Webb
Watkins
Ablett
Senior
Hall
Sinfield
Burrow
Cross
Buderus
Kirke
Lauitiiti
Jones-Buchanan
Clarkson

McShane
Burgess
Pitts
Hauraki

From that squad its Smith and Hardaker to drop out for me, shocked that Singleton isnt included as I thought he did well last week, must mean that Burgess will be back, reason for me omitting Smith is because he said he wont be back this week. I would have had Singleton in for McShane.

Saints 19: Wellens, Gardner, Shenton, Meli, Perry, Roby, Graham, Puletua, Flannery, Moore, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Clough, Wheeler, Ashurst, Dixon, Lomax, Magennis, Foster, Gaskell.

Saints 19 1. Paul Wellens, 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Michael Shenton, 5. Francis Meli, 8. Josh Perry, 9. James Roby, 10. James Graham, 11. Tony Puletua, 13. Chris Flannery, 14. Scott Moore, 15. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 16. Paul Clough, 17. Gary Wheeler, 18. Matty Ashurst, 19. Andrew Dixon, 20. Jonny Lomax, 21. Shaun Magennis, 22. Jamie Foster, 25. Lee Gaskell. www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/661

Saints 19 1. Paul Wellens, 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Michael Shenton, 5. Francis Meli, 8. Josh Perry, 9. James Roby, 10. James Graham, 11. Tony Puletua, 13. Chris Flannery, 14. Scott Moore, 15. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 16. Paul Clough, 17. Gary Wheeler, 18. Matty Ashurst, 19. Andrew Dixon, 20. Jonny Lomax, 21. Shaun Magennis, 22. Jamie Foster, 25. Lee Gaskell. www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/661

"Although named in the squad, Tony Puletua and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook are both serious doubts for the match."
oh pap

How would you line up if true mate?

Behind the sticks about fourteen times

Just out of interest, what the hell is going on?

A few years back we hated each other and the abuse leading up to games was great. Now we're fighting over who has the worst squad and why we will lose

I was talking to Ande about it the other day. IMO it comes down to us having mutual respect for each other after 4 years of all out wars on the field. Neither Wigan or Warrington have reached the standard we got to, especially that playoff game at KR. That was brutal and the best game I have witnessed in SL to date.

I also think its a mutual hate for Wigan who think they are the Dogs go-nads after 1 good season in the last 13 years

is about right!

Magennis and dixon to cover for them
They're not bad players, but very inexperienced and nowhere near the class of the two predicted absentees

We need a prop though, if those two are out. Forster, maybe?

We might get away with three props, as Leeds have none at the moment.

EDIT: Just seen Cross is in their squad. So they have one.

I'm just taking it off the Saints website, I'd guess Cloughy will go at prop and Dixon has played there a few times. I'd guess they dont think Forsters ready yet