if leeds keep injury free in their back 5 they may get away with it but their halves need looking at for the future

On current form Leeds will be nailed on bottom 4. Toothless in attack, too reliant on Rob Burrow and poor in the forwards.

I have a real soft spot for Leeds. Lived and worked there for 8 years in the 80s, daughter was born there and is an avid Rhinos fan, our friends all support them.

However, despite them being the best supported team in the UK game and their money generating trophy successes in recent times, the underinvestment in the stadium and the team in the last few seasons is disgraceful and plain short-sighted. Their bubble has been allowed to burst due to stubbornness and complacency. They deserve to fail.

Leeds, Huddersfield, Leigh and Widnes in the SL bottom 4 this year. Hull KR, London, Fev and Toulouse to join them in the middle 8s.

IF Leeds do drop again to bottom 4 they will be doing what rovers did years ago when roger was the coach the people in charge would not spend the money all the good players we had were to old and we went down and it took us years to get back up

Way way ahead of ourselves with this thread.


Start it with 5 rounds to go not 5 rounds in.

If Leeds play like they did last night they will be in top 8

Leigh have lost to Castleford and Wigan away this season. Probably the best 2 teams in the comp. They lost by 3 points to Leeds and should have won it. They also have a number of players out, notablty Glenn Stewart and Willie Tonga.

They currently lie 7th in SL, early days granted but I feel there is still some considerable improvement in them before the 8's

I know but that's kind of the point. Good to see how things change and opinions.

My apologies.

It will.

Our fortunes in any play offs will depend on how the Superleague teams cope. Injuries, changing coaches, recruitment, management. We got it all wrong last year. We need a Superleague team to capitulate.
Widnes and Huddersfield look most likely at present.
We also hope that Lunt is fit for us during the play offs. He looks the most irreplaceable.

If I was to put a bet on now, it would be you vs Widnes at home (with Rovers winning), obviously a lot can change with injuries, recruitment and coaches. My main worry if I was a Rovers fan, is the lack of intensity that this division is providing for you, it isn't the best preparation.

That is the concern (at this early stage) I agree. On the plus side we might have the luxury of rotating the squad and going into the 8s relatively fit, fresh and confident.

I think the ideal first game in the middle 8's would be widnes at home, I think that's probably the best SL team to get at home, and will get us upto speed and the required intensity needed.

That's the last thing I'd do. I'd rather play a mid range superleague side that got dragged into the middle 8's first, and then Widnes.
You only get one crack at each team, and I'd rather hope we were prepared for it.

Much rather play Salford at home. We need to get that monkey of our back.
Plus they are vulnerable to pace which we seem to have in abundance this season.

I had salford down for the middle 8's pre season but they're looking better than I thought. 2 from wakey, salford, les cats and leigh to join hudds and widnes in the middle 8's

The bottom 4 from the superleague will be very interesting this year.
There seems to be at least 4 teams who have not strengthened, and a couple more who are coming up short with ageing squads.
Who's ever got quarter space or cap money left will make the top 8