[quote="Trojan Horse":snp1tr8d]I am not comparing them. You’ll need to read again. I suggested that Russell be trying to take a few pointers from Gale and his style of play. I felt that Russell needed to be a touch deeper personally. I do think Jowitt returning will give both halves a lot more options.[/quote:snp1tr8d] I think the issue in the first 25 was the lack of penetration from the middles... All three starting middles began the game at championship pace and intensity (particularly with ball in hand) ... I think Powell likes to play his halves quite flat, but that needs the defensive line to be in retreat... (disappointingly) the team didn't initially adjust well to that and Leeds intensity and line speed, and gave away field position and momentum. That said... There was some real positives in the performance and i think adding the likes of McMeeken, Atoni, Storton, and/ or Pitts into the starting line-up for the middle of the pitch will make a difference.

[quote="Adam_Harrison9":oohml8aq]This sums it up for me. We will need to be far better at competing in terms of intensity and line speed up the middle in future games as Leeds controlled territory and marched us down the field for the first fourty minutes which strangled us. We defended our line superbly well which was pleasing but if Leeds would have kept their first team on we'd have lost that by 30 in my opinion. However, we've got Atoni, Storton, Mcmeeken and Pitts to likely come into the seventeen in terms of middles as well as Johnstone who willg ive us some punch in our exit sets. I thought we looked extremely weak carrying the ball out of our own yardage which is my biggest concern this season I think in terms of our backline. Apart from Johnstone they're all a bit lightweight.[/quote:oohml8aq] You missed Jowitt, Hood and Doyle.

[quote="Trojan Horse":1g466jjb]You missed Jowitt, Hood and Doyle.[/quote:1g466jjb] I wasn't referring to all we had missing. Just the ones most likely to make an impact through the middle in terms of winning the arm wrestle. Not sure Hood, Jowitt or Doyle will necessarily help much in that department with ball in hand.

[quote="Adam_Harrison9":id1y4m6k]I wasn't referring to all we had missing. Just the ones most likely to make an impact through the middle in terms of winning the arm wrestle. Not sure Hood, Jowitt or Doyle will necessarily help much in that department with ball in hand.[/quote:id1y4m6k] They would certainly stiffen the defence up which in turn would improve field position and have an effect on where we play our sets out. Hood especially is a strong defender. Regardless, those 3 would strengthen the team in a few areas, not just down the middle.

The full game is now on YouTube, still the Leeds commentary not TC

[quote="Trojan Horse":31mluv5u]They would certainly stiffen the defence up which in turn would improve field position and have an effect on where we play our sets out. Hood especially is a strong defender. Regardless, those 3 would strengthen the team in a few areas, not just down the middle.[/quote:31mluv5u] Hope Hood is not around a lot ,struggled in is last stint in S L .Need more than a player who can tackle at 9 as not even got a kicking game. Defence looks decent, lot more work to do in attack . Hope Russell plays 9 and Lino 7 .If we are struggling to make some ground ,we got 3 good kickers on the park