You can't get any lower than you lot.

The fact that Leigh are posting big scores means they’re having less problem with the slow PTBs than us – but then they’re a well drilled side that has been used to playing together for a few years and they’re very familiar with all the opposition teams and grounds. They’re a shade ahead of us and this is reflected by them being top. We’re not a million miles behind them though and we have plenty of improvement in us.

I think the speed of the PTB in the championship is probably suited to the part time sides. It’s just a fact of life. There’s a heck of a difference between that and SL. It’ll be interesting to see how games are refereed in the middle 8s. Will those matches be assigned to SL refs? Or will it be a mix of Champ and SL refs? If it’s a mix will we see the championship refs asked to speed things up or the SL refs to slow things down? Could be a real recipe for inconsistency…

On Adam Henry I thought he had his best game in a while for us on Sunday. He takes the ball up strongly but I do have reservations about his defence. Halifax managed to score through the gap between him and Siejka twice on Friday. I’d say when everyone’s fit he’s behind Baille, Blythe and Purtell for the centre spot.

On taking pressure of Gaskell I think it’s also a matter for Gaskell himself. He obviously pushes himself forward but I think sometimes he needs to take a step back or allow himself to be used as a dummy runner because opposition teams have him marked as our main playmaker. I think Addy, Siejka and O’Brien can play a role here but it’s down to Lowes to make sure It happens. Sometimes players need to be told to “butt out” when they want the ball too much.

Why would they? They've been in that league for years and have adapted to the slow PTB. The only other team that might be struggling with the difference would surely be London, who had a poor start.

It may even have nothing to do about PTB and simply a fact that Leigh are a better side and score more because of this.

It's clear to see the official's intent...

I think that may probably be the case. Even so they're used to playing this opposition and are used to the grounds and the refs which certainly helps.

Why should the PTB be kept to the lowest level? I can't think of any sport where referees are used to 'even out' the competition. SL refs [largely keep the PTB to the speed of the quickest sides and that's how it should be throughout the league, you can't seriously have parts of the game downgraded to the lowest common denominator.

May also because we're not fighting hard enough on the ground. If we're just accepting the tackle and going through the motions of playing the ball, we're not going to get penalties. I thought we were particularly guilty of this in the first half on friday

It can, because obviously having played at this level for several centuries, Leigh [ihave[/i had the chance to adapt to it




You may have a point. But they do seem to ignore it from minute 1

Daft as it may seem we probably didn't need as many Super League standard players.....The ones we recruited with Championship experience have generally shown up well. Leigh have several of the better Championship standard players and hardly any of SL standard. It's an entirely different ball game in the Championship and that's where we have gone wrong. Perhaps we should hold back the better players until the middle eights when they will play a game that suits them.

I don’t think our front rowers have a problem dominating the collision but our back row is a little lightweight sometimes and can get turned over. Versus Fax we had Pitts, Olbison and Addy in the backrow which I think is too small a combination and as a result we got dominated in the tackle and lacked a bit of go forward. This meant we were kicking on the last tackle well inside our own territory during the first half and hardly created any chances.. Fax had some big lads and they got numbers into the tackle. It was a bit reminiscent of last year when we played without any bona fide props. I hope Lowes learns from this.

If you add Walshaw and Ferguson into the second row we’re a different proposition. I’d say we need those two fit going into the 8s. If you look back to when we used to win trophies we had 4 big props but our second rowers were capable of playing prop too plus they were very mobile.

There’s no denying the PTB is much slower in the Championship. That might not be by design but just a symptom of having players that are slower due to them being part time as Nothus says. Refs have to be pragmatic and they aren’t going to set unachievable standards and turn matches into penalty festivals. That said I think some of the lying on is comically OTT. I think the 8s will be step up if we suddenly got to SL speeds.

I bet if you timed the PTB in both competitions the Championship PTB is on average at least a second slower.

Well oviously Leigh do have more experience of the teams and opposition players in this league. They're also accustomed to the difference in how a game is refereed so that has to be of some advantage. I'm not quite sure quite how big that advantage is but I think they're worthy of being labelled the best team in the Championship (the table doesn't usually lie). But I'm pretty comfortable with Leigh building up a bit of hype and allowing us to cruise under the radar a bit more than perhaps we would of. Their fans and head of rugby seem to be doing a good job of ing off other clubs so let them be a bit of a target that they're setting themselves up for.

I've seen supporters moaning because Leigh are putting teams to the sword most weeks but we've had a few games where it's been close. There are no prizes for being in good form now, we have to pace ourselves and build slowly for the important part of the season. You could argue there is perhaps a small advantage for finishing top in this league but even that is questionable depending on how you see things.

I think this is a good call. Against Dewsbury Walshaw made more metres after the initial contact than anyone else. Ferguson, Walshaw and Addy in the back three is mobile but powerful. It'll be good to see what Peterson is like to add into the mix. I'm also looking forward to seeing Davies again. I think he went well in the pre season friendlies and will hopefully be in front of Lauaki and Fleming.

As much as I get the point about the size of the back row, I think some may be doing Pitts a disservice.
IMO, he's been one of our best players this season. Not only in attack, but don't underestimate his importance in defence. One recent home game (I forget if it was Fax or Workington) he made a number of really important tackles that were essentially try savers, when others were dropping off or missing them.

Ferguson coming back in I agree would be a huge boost. But if I was picking our best back row, I'd have it as Ferguson, Pitts & Addy at the moment, with Olbison off the bench. Walshaw despite his size, hasn't stood out quite so much for me, but perhaps I'm expecting him to do more than he does because he's so big (kind of like Sidlow).

I agree Pitts has been good, but with the likes of Sidlow, Ferguson, Lauaki and Tahraoui spelling and running at people, tiring the opposition out, we have a decent go-forward. Obviously somebody has to be benched and somebody has to be dropped but if everyone is fit then we do have the grunt up front that looks impressive going forward.

If everyone's fit I'd have Addy on the bench with Samir, Davies (provided he proves to be as good as it seemed in pre season) and Lauaki.

Backrow of Pitts, Walshaw and Ferguson at loose.

I agree Pitts should be in the line up for his workrate and his offload game.

No Sidlow, then?

Also I think it's a shame we never signed Junior Sa'u, cos then we would have had the option of picking the smooth and lively combination of Samir, Davies, Junior.

Sidlow would be starting prop with Clough.

I think its very important that we finish above Leigh. If we cant finish above them in the league I wouldnt be confident of beating them in the Middle 8's at their ground. And thats a game I think we will have to win.

I agree that we should be pacing ourselves but I think we'll need to step up a gear when we travel to Halifax and London at the end of May. If we get through those games ok then the objective should be for Lowes to know his best 17 and start stepping things up for final 5 games of the regular season.

Halifax in may is at Blackpool and I happened to watch a sky football match that was there and it looked like they where playing on the beach the pitch looked trashed.

To progress we need to beat Leigh and an SL team, I think we have it in us but we need to improve drastically, and if we can put London to the sword on sunday and give KR a good game we will go along way to showing that.

I still struggle to see why people want Addy at 13. IMO he isn't big enough so doesn't bring enough physical pressence to the team. It is like playing with only 5 forwards. For me he is only ever going to be a fill in hooker/half.

That remains to be seen owd lad

I presume you are expecting some to be snapped up by SL clubs..........The one's that haven't had a shot at it maybe. Never say never.

I'd pick Addy at 13 every week. He's creative, good short kicking game and grabs a try.

Possibly at the end of the 2016 season.
McNally is a pretty decent players these days who is still young as are Brierley,Barlow and Armstrong.
Liam Kay is looking like a top winger and Tom Spencer is a big prop who should keep improving.
The one thing they all need tho is to remain fully professional.