Good point. Only the coaching staff would know whether a player needs to do more minutes to get fitness up or, whether they want to see how they perform when gassed and as you say, at different points in the season, if your team is assured of qualification for the playoffs etc, some coaches have the luxury of being able to "experiment".

I’m convinced that’s a major reason for McDermott doing that with the subs. If you notice in the finals we always use all the players.

I also think McDermott is a believer in allowing the players time to figure out the solution on the pitch if it’s not quite working rather than chopping and changing things which can have a positive effect but could also have a short term negative effect especially in defence when a sub comes on.

There’s also the argument that, say, a knackered Cuthbertson may still be more effective/useful in a certain facet of the game than a 100% fit Mullally/Keinhorst/Walters etc.

I think this is the key thing. Even if the players don't figure out the solution on the day they'll be better for staying out there trying instead of hiding on the bench. That's the one thing I think Leeds do better than anybody and that's learn from their bad games and keeping them out there when they've got it wrong arguably helps rather than say the game is done let's wrap them in cotton wool.

Looks like witless Widnes has done a number on clueless Catalans.

Surely you mean wonderful Widnes against calamitous Catalans.

it's always funny seeing our fake frenchman shot down in flames.

Widnes/Catalans result is not surprising.

It is a long season. Though crucial Catalans are expected to lose to a sensational St. Helens next weekend, they will surely improve as the season evolves, and especially with the return of Gregory Bird and Louis Anderson from injury.

Pretty much everyone on rlfans wrote Widnes off, but not I. That said, I didn’t think they would make such shirt work of Catalans.

Regards

King James

Catalans collapsed in the second half. It was 12-12 at half time.

Talking to yourself Jean?

4/2......the leeds result was always a 50/50 guess but I didn't expect Catalans to continue where they left off last season.......going to be an interesting Middle 8's this year.......

Three of those 'wins' were gimme's, it's predicting the difficult games that sorts the chaff from the wheat

Well, either the Cats players are not fit, or they just fancied a hot shower in the changing rooms, but they were terrible in the second half, especially the last 15 minutes.

And their discipline needs sorting also....

Looks like they collared Catalans on a bad day and tore them to bits with some off the cuff Rugby League. Amazing what you can achieve when you roll your sleeves up eh?

I'll still stick to my (not overly controversial!) prediction that the bottom 3 will consist of Salford, Hull KR & Widnes. We (Salford) were utter gash against the Pies and any team with pace in their backline will destroy us. Good job Wakey haven't got a left-side threat!