Well Leeds certainly have the elements in their favour - doubt you get many nights like tonight in Townsville. Reminds of the night at Elland Rd for the first Rhinos v Storm WCC. That was the worst conditions I have experienced for a game in the summer era.

Making excuses just in case for NQC I see

Terrible conditions and completely alien to the Cowboys players. Must be worth at least 20 points to Leeds. Throw in a hugely favourable penalty count like at Saints on Friday and Wigan yesterday and that's another 10 to 20 points for Leeds right there.



I've decided to go tonight despite the lack of arm rests.

I coached juniors for 10 years and firmly believe that 'mini rugby' should be all about fun and involvement where skills and decision making abilities are encouraged by starting out with small sided games (eg 4 against 4 which increases with each age group) with less emphasis on structure and keeping the rules simple. I do not think that leagues or cup matches should be allowed before say U/13s. This way basic and more advanced skills are learnt without the pressure of failure in an important match. I say this despite having coached an U12 junior side to a Yorkshire Final Cup win.

Terribly alien conditions. None of these players will have ever been to say Canberra in June.

Getting in first with the excuses eh!

After two disappointing performances and results it is now up to Leeds to restore some much needed pride in SL. Let's just hope that Leeds can produce a special backs to the wall performance to pull it off.

GOOD LUCK LADS

It's amazing how many times the NRL teams break the line without a hand being laid on them. The line running, and decision making has been the difference over the 3 games.

Handly eeping Q in this

At full strength I'd back us to beat this lot. Hopefully we can restore some pride in the last 15 minutes.

great dig, it was like busted balloon though once Handley dropped that dolly and gifted them straight after HT with the game pretty even to that point, also got lucky with the third but we can be proud of the effort put in.Hope we don't collapse in a heap now

...should be shortened to just 40 minute games

Some terrible individual defensive efforts in this 2nd half.





Mitch Garbutt!!!

Commentators were a disgrace there when cheering Garbutt... guy throws a haymaker at someone not even looking at him.

...the concept was a good idea while it lasted



Bit of a disaster in its extended format sad to say.

needs to be scrapped, complete waste of time.

they put a massive effort in first half to be fair, Cuthbertson had done 26 tackles and 7 offloads by the 33rd minute! again we probably paid a price for not rotating a bit more we only used one interchange by half time and our go to men were pretty gassed, it must have been hugely deflating seeing that so soft first try go in so early after HT and i think we did give up a little last 15 minutes mainly due to fatigue and knowing game was up which enabled the wide margin.

Good show chaps..

We put a tough fight in first half but looked fatigued in second I proud of team tonight if we had a full squad I reckon game would have been a lot different well played rhinos



All Leeds aren't we!!!

Yep, I thought Mullaley should've been on earlier, he looked decent in his stint, but we really lacked size in the form of Keinhorst, and Walters. It's clear McDermott doesn't trust Achurch to do the tough stuff, but he'd offer more than 3 of the 4 second rowers in the Leeds 17 tonight.

I think he played Keinhorst and Walters for their contribution to the GF win which i fully agree with but like you say, it was clear he didn't trust them in the thick of the first half when it was nip and tuck.

I would scrap it for a while because it has run its course. Seeing players on the pitch afterwards laughing and joking around.....that's showing it up for the exhibition it's become. That wouldn't happened post CC or GF

I think he played them because we had no one else.

No mate , you are mixing him up with Westwood on Green , except Tamau was stood up not flat on his back , least not to start with