I'd agree he's undercooked for Leigh. But if obrien plays full 80, then we have an extra bench spot available effectively so we can ease him in playing short stints against some of weaker teams in the league. Theres a few players we're going to have to down that route with due to them returning from injury or being late joining up.

If Ferguson is fit for the Leigh game do we need to give him a run out as we all know what he brings to a team from his days at Hudds. It is the new lads that Jimmy will want to see in a match situation. I am sure he has the bulk of the first 17 set in his mind already. It is a good point about O'Brien doing 80 mins as it allows 4 forwards on the bench. I imagine Ferguson and Lauaki could take two of them to give us two impact players for 15 minute spells. I would give Ferguson another month of training and work Lauaki hard for two weeks when he arrives.
Some people are getting irritated because they are not being told everything about the state of the team for the Leigh game. Don't forget that Jimmy is also not giving Leigh any clues either so we have to trust that the back room staff have the squad ready and raring to go in 3 weeks time. We have a squad of 30 not just 17 so who are the first choice players other than the two halves that we have?

@OfficialBullsRL: STARTING LINE-UP: Mullaney, Shaw, Purtell, Walker, Williams, Gaskell, Siejka, Tahraoui, O'Brien, Clough, Olbison, Mellor, Pitts.
INTERCHANGES: Halafihi, Sidlow, Henry, Brook, Ryan, Oakes, Ulugia, Martin, Walshaw, Kirk, Davies.

6-0 Leeds. Watkins with a breakaway try.

Very one sided this. McGuire try.

Leeds 10 Bulls 0

Try converted.

Leeds 12 Bulls 0

Purtell scores but it's ruled out by the official.

Bulls concede a soft try before HT.

Leeds 18 Bulls 0

Shaw having a nightmare under the high ball.

Leeds in again. All over before HT this.

Watkins try. Very very soft from the Bulls so far.

Leeds 22 Bulls 0

Too many mistakes from us. If we'd respected possession more it'd be closer.

Right side defence of Walker and Shaw looks weak. Shaw's dropped two bombs.

3 weeks away from our first game and we look very underdone.

Try from nothing from Ryan Shaw.

Leeds 24 Bulls 4

Would we actually see walker and shaw as a regular pairing though?. Would have thought regular pairing would be uiasele and Blythe/henry. Seems we're still trying out combos and not settled on strongest team yet.

Charlie Martin scores but Silverwood chalks it off for a forward pass. Decision made by the South Stand.