: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:55 pm  

ali lower titty is a great offloader against us and offloading is an area where we are often exploited. we need to remember it's a quick turnaround, we may be drained both emotionally and physically after last week and leeds have spanked us repeatedly in the SL era. i will be content with a wholehearted performance which gives us promise for the rest of the season

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:00 pm  

Snat Chunter wrote:

ali lower titty is a great offloader against us and offloading is an area where we are often exploited. we need to remember it's a quick turnaround, we may be drained both emotionally and physically after last week and leeds have spanked us repeatedly in the SL era. i will be content with a wholehearted performance which gives us promise for the rest of the season

worth a risk getting grix and jason waiting for the ball, a gamble worth taking to get the upper hand and halley owes us another try for tripping up

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:14 pm  

I feel Leeds have the best pack strength in SL, especially with their quality of interchange players. It is in this area that the game will be won or lost.

If our forward lose that battle upfront, there is a danger that the speed in their backs could cause us serious problems.

If we can close down their forwards we can win the half-back battle, especially with our superior kicking game.

Even if we can hold them attack they still have a formidable defence and it will take all the guile of Drew , slipperyness of Obst and top notch support play to breach it.

This is probably the most appropriate time (if there is such a thing) to play Leeds and sheer strength of desire could be deciding factor in our favour.

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:40 pm  

Wakefieldite wrote:

You're right, but this is LS16_RHINO and Forumjacker for their idiocy in other related threads....



There.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:39 am  

Last week when Leeds played you looked at the team sheet, and yes it was a good team, but it was nothing overawing for-man-to-man. )...Kallum Watkins maybe "sensational" according to stevo but I bet if Atkins is back, ran at him and got in his face he wouldn't be...Sometimes in rugby the very name of a team defeats the opposition before the game is even played. However, whtever team they put out they seem to a style of play which maximises a great offload game; I think there is a misnomer about leeds having outstanding backs, they don't, they have very good backs, but what they have is an outstaning pack off the immensinty of Jamie Peacock (arguably the best front rower in the world). So while I think we have nothing to fear (particulary with their injuries)... If they decide that they want to play like they did last year before the WCC challenge and have a completion rate above Wigan's abysmal 40% we could be on the thick end of a hiding.

Atually I have just read that back, trying to talk about Leed's weaknesses(whether their backs are world-class or merely outstanding...): and really its BS, Leeds are immense. We maybe competitive tonight but beating Leeds at Headingly any team is going to be at the very top of their game. So who knows.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:39 am  

Similar position to this time last year...we had just beaten the Bulls in our first game and were confident about beating Leeds (at last) at BV. They put 50 past us.

Same thing later in the season, we had just beaten Cas and Barrow and we were confident of a good show at Headingley. They put 50 past us.

Much as I would like us to do well, I fear a repeat performance and another hammering!

That been said, I would have settled for two points from our first two games!

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:13 am  

Yes it very similar to last year's start, they were quite simply immense in last year's corresponding fixtture, don't think we touched the ball in the first half. Leeds is a strange one, on the one hand its a total right-off game wise as you expect to be spanked: and we have been, but then again sometimes its a really competitive and you have a cracking game, the 13-12 dunnerman drop goal still sticks in my mind and then there is always the hope that you might just do it: 2000 anyone?Was it Adam Hughes diving on the ball to score in the last minute after Cummings dropped it in-goal (not too sure if they are the right players I think I was just too delerious with joy at the time)

It was kind of summed up for me by Jamie Field aftera close game which we lost in possibly the 2004 season, saw him suitably inebriated on Wakefield (had a marvellous recovery) and just kind of bellowed that it was a victory for them because it was 7 tries to 8 to Leeds (think we lost by 10 or 12 on goal kicks), when i pointed out that was in fact quite the opposite of victory and indeed a loss, that he stated that they weren't expected to win so getting close was "victory",

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:32 am  

FWIW I don't really think 50 is on the cards. Our attack didn't really click last week and with Webb, Burrow and Senior out that is unlikely to improve dramatically. I think tonight will be mostly about the forwards, and the backs will have to take their chances when they come. I am just about confident of a Leeds win, but Wakey showed some form and a lot of heart last week and there are still a lot of unknowns at this stage of the season. Anything could happen.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:45 am  

El Diablo wrote:

FWIW I don't really think 50 is on the cards. Our attack didn't really click last week and with Webb, Burrow and Senior out that is unlikely to improve dramatically. I think tonight will be mostly about the forwards, and the backs will have to take their chances when they come. I am just about confident of a Leeds win, but Wakey showed some form and a lot of heart last week and there are still a lot of unknowns at this stage of the season. Anything could happen.

to be honest although a leeds win is easy to predict statistically, what is more difficult is trying to work out what sort of a game it will be, tight or a stuffing. impossible to know and a lot depends on the opening twenty and how long we can keep you out for initially. i'm wary of a stuffing to be honest

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:01 pm  

I don't expect a win tonight but I will be more than happy with a good solid performance that makes Leeds fight all the way for a full 80 minutes.

If that happens and we come away with no injuries I will be happy. A win would be a bonus, but like most of the other posters I believe it will be the Leeds forwards that will win the game tonight.