Super League 14 Round 9 Spoilers

amacachi

Catalans Dragons v Wigan Warriors KO 17:20
Celtic Crusaders v Harlequins RL KO 15:00
Leeds Rhinos v Salford City Reds KO 15:00
St. Helens v Hull FC KO 15:00
Wakefield Wildcats v Bradford Bulls KO 15:30
Warrington Wolves v Castleford Tigers KO 15:00
Hull Kingston Rovers v Huddersfield Giants KO 14:00

I'm more than a bit late with this thread. Some ridiculous results so far today, not to mention those the other night. 3 losses in 4 games for Leeds now, with a tough away match to Huddersfield coming up. Time for a new manager? :P

couerdelion

amacachi wrote: »

Catalans Dragons v Wigan Warriors KO 17:20
Celtic Crusaders v Harlequins RL KO 15:00
Leeds Rhinos v Salford City Reds KO 15:00
St. Helens v Hull FC KO 15:00
Wakefield Wildcats v Bradford Bulls KO 15:30
Warrington Wolves v Castleford Tigers KO 15:00
Hull Kingston Rovers v Huddersfield Giants KO 14:00

I'm more than a bit late with this thread. Some ridiculous results so far today, not to mention those the other night. 3 losses in 4 games for Leeds now, with a tough away match to Huddersfield coming up. Time for a new manager? :P

Leeds losing 3 alreadyis very worrying and the bits I've seen they are looking very light in the backline. Ellis has been a huge loss and they just haven't replaced him. Going to be too late to get a replacement now although the money they've saved on Eastwood should be available to find a replacement. I wonder if Sonny Bill fancies a few games over the Union close season?

toomevara

couerdelion wrote: »

Leeds losing 3 alreadyis very worrying and the bits I've seen they are looking very light in the backline. Ellis has been a huge loss and they just haven't replaced him. Going to be too late to get a replacement now although the money they've saved on Eastwood should be available to find a replacement. I wonder if Sonny Bill fancies a few games over the Union close season?

Hmmmm, think we've had two massive games against Saints, the current SL form team in a very short space of time, (the fourth round draw for the Challenge cup was an unlucky one imo, in the run up to Easter) one of which we should, possibly, have won..and, while not taking anything away from the Bulls we were absolutely robbed at Odsal...I wouldn't press the panic button just yet, although we were disjointed and utterly clueless at Headingley yesterday, particularly in the first, but we finally started to play in the last quarter...

I reckon the challenge cup knock-out has hit the team hard as the final was one of the team's stated goals this year...

I'm really unhappy with our right sided wide defence at the moment and I agree that at times our line becomes chaotic and line-discipline seems to fail. Another major issue defensively is that Senior clearly hasn't recovered from the WC debacle and is really struggling to find form...

Agree that Ellis has been a huge loss, but we've got the talent in the current squad to cover him..as for Sonny Bill, he can stay in Toulon thanks...while a massive talent, he's not the kind of player who'll fit in at Leeds..with its strong 'no divas' team ethic.

couerdelion

toomevara wrote: »

Hmmmm, think we've had two massive games against Saints, the current SL form team in a very short space of time, (the fourth round draw for the Challenge cup was an unlucky one imo, in the run up to Easter) one of which we should, possibly, have won..and, while not taking anything away from the Bulls we were absolutely robbed at Odsal...I wouldn't press the panic button just yet, although we were disjointed and utterly clueless at Headingley yesterday, particularly in the first, but we finally started to play in the last quarter...

I reckon the challenge cup knock-out has hit the team hard as the final was one of the team's stated goals this year...

I'm really unhappy with our right sided wide defence at the moment and I agree that at times our line becomes chaotic and line-discipline seems to fail. Another major issue defensively is that Senior clearly hasn't recovered from the WC debacle and is really struggling to find form...

Agree that Ellis has been a huge loss, but we've got the talent in the current squad to cover him..as for Sonny Bill, he can stay in Toulon thanks...while a massive talent, he's not the kind of player who'll fit in at Leeds..with its strong 'no divas' team ethic.

To be fair though we never looked like winning any of the games I've seen us lose this season. The team just looks flat and whilst we were unbeaten it was just papering over the cracks and could have lost a few of those games easily. we also always seem to turn it on in the last quarter when it's too late (Manley, Saints, salford...)

The right side is light alright but there is no magic cure, the players who are filling that gap aren't good enough yet . i actually think Senior has been the one shining light at the back and is the only player who consistently looks capable of breaking the line.

If not SBW the how about getting Champagne Hape from Bath?

I don't want to be pessemistic but after following the team from the days of yore its inbred

toomevara

couerdelion wrote: »

we also always seem to turn it on in the last quarter when it's too late (Manley, Saints, salford...)

+1 Good Point, but I really thought we should have won the Bradford game, could have won the Saints SL clash and as for yesterday, well it was just one of those days that Leeds seem to have periodically

The right side is light alright but there is no magic cure, the players who are filling that gap aren't good enough yet . i actually think Senior has been the one shining light at the back and is the only player who consistently looks capable of breaking the line.

Re: Senior, don't get me wrong, the man's a diamond, but to me he doesn't look anything like the player he was last year. Bradford particularly did a number on him. Also was it just me, but when watching Leeds play Saints there was a huge size disparity in the back line. Saints just seemed so much more physically imposing

If not SBW the how about getting Champagne Hape from Bath?

Now there's a plan..did you see the line break the guy made against Leicester in the HEC last weekend?..beautiful. really showed the union boys what taking an angle, early, from deep and at speed can do to even the best defensive outfit.

I don't want to be pessemistic but after following the team from the days of yore its inbred

Yep, I know what you mean but I think the current squad, under the ever pragmatic Bluey, are big enough to take these defeats on the chin, learn from them and come back fighting. I'd be expecting a big performance against the exceptionally difficult to beat Giants next week. If we get badly duffed up at the Galpharm, then I'll start to worry...

couerdelion

Funnily enough since posting that last relpy I ventured onto RLFans; Southstander and there was a thread on there caught my attention.

Basically the gist of it was that Leeds have been hampered big time by the Eastwood situation. I tend to agree that a strong running forward who can cover any of the 5 positions (excluding hooker) is definitely missing. The backs will improve if the 1st choice team is there which would to me be Smith and Senior in the centres.

Like you say though, lets see what happens at the Giants match!

toomevara

couerdelion wrote: »

.

Basically the gist of it was that Leeds have been hampered big time by the Eastwood situation. I tend to agree that a strong running forward who can cover any of the 5 positions (excluding hooker)

Yep, the more I think about it, the more I'm coming round to agree with you...whats all the more galling is that Eastwood's having an absolute stormer thus far in the NRL...

Stev_o

Huddersfield look dangerous i must say and it will be a real acid test for them taking on Leeds on Saturday. Tbh i just hope it's not going to turn into a race between Saints and Leeds again this year but then again i doubt Castleford will do much to dent Saints title chase at the weekend.

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

race between Saints and Leeds again this year but then again i doubt Castleford will do much to dent Saints title chase at the weekend.

No fear of that Steve_o, this is going to be the most competitive, open SL comp in years. As for Leeds/ Saints, I think its Saints out on a level of their own thus far and a pack of 5 teams chasing, and when you factor in the new play-off system...well, all bets are off...

Stev_o

toomevara wrote: »

No fear of that Steve_o, this is going to be the most competitive, open SL comp in years. As for Leeds/ Saints, I think its Saints out on a level of their own thus far and a pack of 5 teams chasing, and when you factor in the new play-off system...well, all bets are off...

Well we will see how long they stay in form, Saints thrive when Sean Long is at his best but he seems to go slightly downhill near the end of the season. Im sure your just trying to somehow come up with a decent excuse to explain Leeds current losses aren't you!

toomevara

Stev_o wrote: »

Leeds current losses aren't you!

How very dare you!;) Seriously though we've lost form, simple as...Brian Carney (on Boots 'n' All this week) reckons its a 'blip', I'm not so sure...as CLD points out above we're missing a hard running forward to step into the shoes of Ellis and give us good, quick go-forward around the PTB....Huddersfield, surely after Saints the form team of the season, on Sat eve is going to be a massive test...promises to be a great game....can't wait....

Stev_o

toomevara wrote: »

How very dare you!;) Seriously though we've lost form, simple as...Brian Carney (on Boots 'n' All this week) reckons its a 'blip', I'm not so sure...as CLD points out above we're missing a hard running forward to step into the shoes of Ellis and give us good, quick go-forward around the PTB....Huddersfield, surely after Saints the form team of the season, on Sat eve is going to be a massive test...promises to be a great game....can't wait....

The same Carney that gave a sly wink when a fan emailed in would he be returning to Wigan

Could be worse though you could be a Celtic supporter.....dear god you have to feel sorry for them.