Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 7:35 pm  

With a better front-row rotation, Sinfield could quite easily play in the middle in the same way that O'Loughlin does for Wigan.

Problem is, Leeds have two props on their last legs (Peacock and Leuluai), one who is either fantastic or terrible (Cuthbertson) and one who is very, very ordinary (Singleton). Behind that, it's players out of position or kids.

Hence having a lighter loose-forward simply isn't an option, because the third man in that middle unit needs to be a bigger player like Delaney or JJB to cover the deficiencies in the front row.

If Leeds had front row options like Saints for example, then Sinfield could play a role at 13. As it is, he plays six or nothing in the current structure and McDermott has wedded himself to Sutcliffe and McGuire. These two are now basically undroppable, because there's no chance of McDermott ever admitting he got it wrong.

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 7:49 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

With a better front-row rotation, Sinfield could quite easily play in the middle in the same way that O'Loughlin does for Wigan.

Problem is, Leeds have two props on their last legs (Peacock and Leuluai), one who is either fantastic or terrible (Cuthbertson) and one who is very, very ordinary (Singleton). Behind that, it's players out of position or kids.

Hence having a lighter loose-forward simply isn't an option, because the third man in that middle unit needs to be a bigger player like Delaney or JJB to cover the deficiencies in the front row.

If Leeds had front row options like Saints for example, then Sinfield could play a role at 13. As it is, he plays six or nothing in the current structure and McDermott has wedded himself to Sutcliffe and McGuire. These two are now basically undroppable, because there's no chance of McDermott ever admitting he got it wrong.

I don't believe Sinfield is incapable of playing 13 in the current structure, but even if we say he is then he's not so small he couldn't fit into today's structure at 9...defending next to the winger and making 3 tackles a game...and still be around to make smarter acting-half decisions, manage the game, the team and the referee, and reliably convert tries. All of that offers a lot more at the moment than the guy who got the shirt.

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 7:53 pm  

craigizzard wrote:

I don't believe Sinfield is incapable of playing 13 in the current structure, but even if we say he is then he's not so small he couldn't fit into today's structure at 9...defending next to the winger and making 3 tackles a game...and still be around to make smarter acting-half decisions, manage the game, the team and the referee, and reliably convert tries. All of that offers a lot more at the moment than the guy who got the shirt.

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 8:03 pm  

craigizzard wrote:

I don't believe Sinfield is incapable of playing 13 in the current structure, but even if we say he is then he's not so small he couldn't fit into today's structure at 9...defending next to the winger and making 3 tackles a game...and still be around to make smarter acting-half decisions, manage the game, the team and the referee, and reliably convert tries. All of that offers a lot more at the moment than the guy who got the shirt.

if he's going to play 9 and defend next to the winger making 3 tackles a game - who's going to make the 30 tackles you'd expect aiton to make???

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 8:06 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

With a better front-row rotation, Sinfield could quite easily play in the middle in the same way that O'Loughlin does for Wigan.

Problem is, Leeds have two props on their last legs (Peacock and Leuluai), one who is either fantastic or terrible (Cuthbertson) and one who is very, very ordinary (Singleton). Behind that, it's players out of position or kids.

Hence having a lighter loose-forward simply isn't an option, because the third man in that middle unit needs to be a bigger player like Delaney or JJB to cover the deficiencies in the front row.

If Leeds had front row options like Saints for example, then Sinfield could play a role at 13. As it is, he plays six or nothing in the current structure and McDermott has wedded himself to Sutcliffe and McGuire. These two are now basically undroppable, because there's no chance of McDermott ever admitting he got it wrong.

You can't compare Sinfield to O'Loughlin size-wise in terms of playing at loose. O'Loughlin is significantly bigger and will have be conditioned with the plan of him playing there, whereas Sinfield hasn't for several years now. And it's one thing for him to play there in a few games, can he honestly do it for the next 20 weeks or so?

A bit extreme as well to say Sutcliffe and McGuire are un-droppable in McDermott's eyes in terms of bringing Sinfield back in. It's been all of 2 games he's not been picked for (the way some are going on you'd think it had been 10 games). He didn't pick Burrow at the start of the year for the grand total of TWO games....he's been back in the side ever since. It was also only a few weeks back everyone was full of praise for Sutcliffe and McGuire so why would they have been dropped before today's game? A poor game against Wire and disappointing 2nd half vs Hudds for the whole team and the halves should be dropped even though they were playing behind forwards who were losing the battle?

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 8:13 pm  

craigizzard wrote:

I don't believe Sinfield is incapable of playing 13 in the current structure, but even if we say he is then he's not so small he couldn't fit into today's structure at 9...defending next to the winger and making 3 tackles a game...and still be around to make smarter acting-half decisions, manage the game, the team and the referee, and reliably convert tries. All of that offers a lot more at the moment than the guy who got the shirt.

True and I think Burrow is the one who should make way for Sinfield to return to the 17. However whilst my plan would see Sinfield do a stint at hooker, Aiton has played well enough that it's been right for him to be out there for about 60 mins a game sometimes. Would be a waste just to have Sinfield on the bench just for a 20 minute cameo at hooker (I know their's an argument that it's a waste to pick Burrow for that same reason which I agree with, but it doesn't mean we should repeat the trick with Sinfield) so for me if he's in the 17, whether starting or not then he has to do a decent sized stint at loose forward defending in the middle.

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 8:44 pm  

Jonesy's a Legend wrote:

sinny will be back in the 17
i don't believe that there is anything sinister in sinny's non selection thus far irrespective of what ever decisions have been made and by whom either prior or since his retirement announcement

i reckon that he is being held back at the minute,i believe that he will be selected to play when the big games come around

This one.

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 8:48 pm  

Sinfield not big enough for 13, don't make me laugh. Suppose Burrow's not big enough for SL either? If he doesn't play next week it's clear there is a personal clash.

Re: Sinfield : Sun May 10, 2015 9:31 pm  

AJC wrote:

Sinfield not big enough for 13, don't make me laugh. Suppose Burrow's not big enough for SL either? If he doesn't play next week it's clear there is a personal clash.

Sinfield is a stone lighter than when he last played there, also most teams playing an extra big guy at loose running in the middle of the pitch. Factor in his age and also it's usually harder and longer for guys to recover from games in the days afterward.

Could he have played at loose today....yes

Could he have played at loose today, then next week vs Hudds, and then vs Wigan in a few weeks, and the week after that, then the next week and so on.....that's a different matter.

The guy himself has admitted in the past that he couldn't keep playing loose forward anymore for size reasons, and I reckon he knows what his body is capable of most.

I don't think their's been any sort of clash as why pick him in the original 19 man squad if you have no intention of picking him at all.

Re: Sinfield : Mon May 11, 2015 8:30 am  

Well something has to change. The bigger blokes we play at 13 aren't doing the job required of them, so Sinny wouldn't do any worse imo. We looked like a rudder-less ship yesterday, a clear indication that we need our captain back. Whether it's at 13 or 6 (with Sutcliffe 13) doesn't really matter. Gives us a decent goal kicker too. The days of our pack blasting it's way through the middle are long gone, so we'll never compete in that way - the Widnes pack took ours apart ffs!!! We need guile and Sinny has that in bucket loads.