Not a chance!

Any person with eyeballs would agree but Waney won’t. I’m a big Sam Powell fan but he is dying on his backside at halfback and that’s because the lad is a hooker.

By superleague standards Williams and Woods could sort us for the next ten years. Please lord make it happen!

Watch the game again. Sam Powell apart from the poor kick that was caught in goal had a decent game. His pass put Sam Tomkins in space to put Davies in for the first try. Then in the last set he took two of the "drives" to get us upfield for the winning drop goal.
Yes Woods kicked the winning drop goal, but he was caught out for the first Wire try, and some of his passing was atrociously slow. He's young and hopefully will learn, BUT IMO will never be a halfback because of his lack of pace.

That kick at the end from Powell was absolutely criminal though!

Powell is as slow as Woods and he’s playing Half back.

I’ve been very critical of Powell but credit where it’s due, that was his best game in the 7 shirt. I’d still replace him in a heartbeat and hopefully when Williams is back we’ll see Williams and Woods paired up for a few games.

I agree Rogues.

I actually thought Woods had a fairly average game apart from the crucial kick at the end, although I don’t think it’s a coincidence Faz has returned to form since he has been in the team due to getting better ball than he gets off Williams.

Woods reminds me very much of Kevin Brown but with less pace.

I don’t see him long term as a halfback in a team wanting to challenge for honours.

Not sure how tall he is and if they can bulk him up put potentially have all the tools to be developed as a quality ball playing 13.

I’m just not seeing it with Powell tbh. There were two occasions second half when he wasn’t looking when players were trying to pass to him and in general our attack just dies when the ball goes down his side. He just doesn’t have the required skills to play as a halfback in a top side. No real running game, not a great passer, no kicking game from distance or close to the line. He has 8 assists this season which isn’t dreadful in fairness but I’d guess at least half have been from his rightful position of hooker when he’s brought Clubb, Flower or Sutton on to a short ball.

As for Woods I thought he went pretty well again. He made some wrong decisions but he also made plenty of right ones. He’s got a kicking game and he’s obviously got something about him to be able to strike a match winning drop goal in the last second. If a lack of pace is going to stop him making it as a superleague halfback then we better get Powell out of there as well because he’s as slow as they come in that position. I’ve said all season I don’t blame Powell for not performing at seven because it’s just not his position anymore. He is a good hooker but a very average halfback.

Returned to form?

He’s been having a great year apart from a three game blip like the rest of the side when Wane said he was going. His link up with George Williams is absolutely superb and they’ve been involved in numerous try’s for each other over a long period of time. I’ve backed Woods to the hilt but I don’t recall an assist by him for Farrell yet in the one game and twenty minutes they’ve played together these past couple of weeks (tough to judge that as a return to form when his loss of form actually consisted of three games) since Williams injury. He’s got him some decent early ball but there’s a way to go yet.

I’ve commented on another thread regarding Faz and got shot down but for me he hasn’t been the player he was since he lost his place in the England set up.

I guess it’s all about opinions but for mine the last 2 weeks in particular has seen him back in international standard form which I don’t think he has shown for a couple of seasons now.

Long may it continue.

I could see Powell being used to give TL a few games off. Woods needs to maximise his speed off the mark because he will never be a sprinter but as long as one half is quick that should not be a problem. Woods has clearly leap -frogged Shorrocks and could have a future with us if he is an organiser.
I also thought that for the first time this season we looked comfortable without SOL. Hamlin provided the brute force and Woods took over the passing.
One final point, I remember how we used to laugh at the passing in Rugby Union so why are we accepting such slow and wayward passing across the line. At least, being a left hander, Woods can pass to the right.

To me, we looked a better side when Powell was at #7 than at #9.

I think that was because we missed Tommy Leuluai so much when he went off. He was superb on Friday, my m.o.m.

I agree with this. Tommy has been at the top of his game this season back in his best position. On current form could definitely go round again. Still capable of long minutes too.

I would have Tommy in our top 3 players this season with Tomkins and Bateman. I really can’t bare losing all 3. Hope Tommy stays on at 9 for another season but it’s completely up to him.

On another note, who reckons we should lose to Hudds and Catalan so Leeds finish in the bottom 4?

Would be nice if Leeds spent another season in the Middle 8's but they'll do enough to avoid it in the end. They play the bottom two sides in their remaining three fixtures and Huddersfield have the league's worst points difference. They'll get in ahead of them.