: Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:49 pm  

true, and he knows him alot better than me, but the people who watch the academy games tend to think he can make it. Maybe leeds is a bit of a big ask.

: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:34 pm  

looks like leeds are the team to beat this season and the mighty saints aint gonna beat em heavy loss me thinks

: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:50 pm  

Will Tony P. be playing next week or not?

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:40 am  

Betfair has Saints 7/10, Leeds 4/5.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:44 am  

sounds about right to me, very close i think

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:34 am  

For me the game hinges on how we play.

If we play as we have been doing then frankly, the skys the limit for Leeds, it could be an 18+ points win for them.

If we start to finish our sets and kick well then it will be a typical Saints v Leeds game, very tight. I think were defending okay anyhow so it depends on our ball retention.

Also, I'm not overly concerned with the forwards, we match up pretty well. Its the backs that concern me. With the exception of Gidley, I'm not convinced any of our backs have shown up so far this season. I just struggle to see where we can break the Rhinos down in the backs.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:41 am  

st.diggsy wrote:

looks like leeds are the team to beat this season and the mighty saints aint gonna beat em heavy loss me thinks

the so called experts said saints were finished last year when we went 6 points behind leeds, and ade took a whole heap of stick off these experts for saying we would win the league, a winning run of 20 matches later and we were top. You cant really gauge alot from early season form.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:38 pm  

Duke Eddington wrote:

Will Tony P. be playing next week or not?

No.

But the good news is that Ian Smith is ref in France at the weekend - we get Phil Bentham.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:50 pm  

If we defend like we have been doing we're in with a chance. Leeds' defence has been similarly tough and I don't expect us to be rattling in the points which puts the emphasis on our need to defend exceptionally well.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:47 pm  

McClennan wrote:

If we defend like we have been doing we're in with a chance. Leeds' defence has been similarly tough and I don't expect us to be rattling in the points which puts the emphasis on our need to defend exceptionally well.

(2)

Don't think either team has hit their straps going forward yet.

Leeds and Saints have the worst attacking records in the top 7 and the best defences. So I can see another brutal game again with the wingers seeing very little ball.

What's your likely line up then, just so we can compare to ours? ATM I think ours is up in the air with the injuries we seem to be picking up.