Firstly have you got a link to back up the story ? Other than the Serious About Rugby League fan site, which appears to be a couple of college students repeating gossip and reporting it as fact? Fev will certainly be playing a number of DR players, including this weekend in all probability, but within the laws (max 4 DR, max 5 DR/loan combined).



Secondly, are Bradford going to be another set of fans who get holier-than-thou about DR/loans whilst conveniently forgetting the heavy borrowing players from other teams their own club did just 2 years ago? When Bradford were playing four Rhinos plus a DR guy from Widnes in the same game, was that somehow different?

yes - maximum 4 DR, maximum 5 DR/loan combined, and the "story" about 7 is no more meaningful than saying Fev could register all 35 members of Leeds' squad.

You mean when a brand new club was set up in Bradford with no players? I take your point generally but yes I'd say that was different.

Fev were winning with there starting 13 fairly easily in the first half. Second have a lot off these were swapped with the reserves as its what friendlys are for and leeds cam back. Shows that leeds acadamey is a lot better than a lot of the other clubs acadameys

There's no point bemoaning the fact that Fev are making the most of the dual reg setup. We did exactly the same thing with loan players recently.

You can disagree with the rules but I don't get trying to shame Featherstone for playing by them.

Same source I think.



I don't have a problem with Fev doing it - they've had some issues financially and it's a way for them to compete but without having to spend as much. We had to rely on loans when we came back in 2017 when we started from nothing. What I do have a problem with is clubs like Leeds using a system that devalues the game as a whole.

The distinction surely is that we had little choice because we'd just started up again after liquidation. In any case it's not a stick with which to beat Featherstone, it's simply an absurdity generally that we devalue our competition in order to get game time for super league fringe players.

So who do you think will win? Bearing in mind of course that Bradford:

Nope we are certainly not ready, we are well under cooked at this point in time.







Spot on team of kids turned us over.





So on paper and thinking with my head, at this point in time Bulls to win by 12-16 points for me. Good job the game is to be played on grass and I am am comming over to Odsal in the hope of a Fev win.

Fev’s players should all be out to impress their new coach since he’s only just got here so they should be pretty enthusiastic.



I hear their centres are decent, that Teteh and the new Aussie guy were good versus Leeds apparently. Teteh is a big strong lad who takes some tackling so possibly we should have Webster and Evans in the centres to combat that. Their young lad on the wing from Hemel less so, I hope he’s opposite Ryan so we can take advantage.

Fair enough. There are definitely supporters of 1 or 2 Championship clubs who have used it as a stick to beat Fev with despite their having used it themselves on multiple occasions. Got no problem with someone disagreeing with the overall DR system itself.

On paper we (Fev) are right up against it this weekend and there's no doubt it's a good time for Bradford to play us from your point of view, our 30yo rookie coach arrived only just over a week ago and is up against the most experienced coach in the division, and five of our likely starters (including 3 pivots) only flew in from the other side of the world in the last 2 weeks.



We played ok in the 1st half last week against what was Leeds' U19 team plus Briscoe, Walters & Ormondroyd, but all our tries were basically bargeovers using superior strength, whether we can open up a full-time Championship team on such little prep remains to be seen.



On the plus side there does appear to be a very good team spirit building at the moment and we do have some talent in the team, but it might be a few weeks before we really start to gel.

There's a bit more optimism amongst Fev fans than there was 3 or 4 weeks ago, but that's because the overseas players have finally arrived. Like FevGrinder I'm more hopeful than confident, but it will be an interesting and informative game.

Put it this way I’m glad we’re playing you on Sunday rather than both our games being later on in the season. You’re bound to improve as you go along. How much depends on how players gel, who you get from Leeds and if the new coach is any good. If it all goes well I believe it’s probably between us and you for the 5th place spot.

Likely line up's:



20. Brandon Pickersgill

2. Ethan Ryan

3. Jake Webster

4. Ashley Gibson

5. Jy Hitchcox

14. Jordan Lilley

7. Dane Chisholm

10. Steve Crossley

9. Matty Wildie

19. Jon Magrin

11. Matt Garside

12. Elliot Minchella

13. Mikey Wood



21. George Flanagan

16. James Green

8. Liam Kirk

25. Connor Farrell/29. Matty Storton





Kiedan Hartley

Darren Forde

Thompson Teteh

Josh Hardcastle

Conor Carey

Ase Boas

Watson Boas

Scott Wheeldon

Cameron King

Anthony Mullally

Brett Delaney

Brad Day

Jack Bussey



Not sure on how Featherstone would line up on the bench but I expect it to include Walters, Ormandroyd and possibly Lockwood/Harrison.



On paper our back line beats theirs hands down but it will be a tough game down the middle. And I think this is where we will win/lose it. Unless we let our backs do the damage. Bulls by 8-10.

Will Hardcastle's red card affect him this week or next? Hasn't Bussey still got a while of his ban to get his teeth into?





I think Kear will go with this



Pickersgill

Hitchcox

Webster

Evans/Oakes

Ryan

Lilley

Wildie

Crossley

Hallas

Magrin

Minchella

Farrell

Wood



Flanagan

Green

Kirk

Storton



I don't think Chisholm is in good enough form to get in the side and Keyes is still out with back problems I think. I can see Wildie playing there with Lilley. Not sure if Gibson has recovered from his dead arm - if he has he might play right centre and Webster move to the left. The centres, halfbacks and fourth bench place are where I'm not sure what will happen.

I'd be amazed with Chisholm doesn't start. I can't see Kear going far away from.



1. Pickersgill

2. Hytchcox

3. Evans

4. Webster

5. Ryan

6. Lilley

7. Chisholm

8. Kirk

9. Wildie

10. Crossley

11. Farrell

12. Minchella

13. Wood

14. Flanagan

15. Green

16. Margrin

17. Storton



Must be a nightmare to coach against Fev as their line up could look so different on Sunday. This will be our toughest game for a long long time. We'll Need the same mental strength from the L1 final. When things our going against us, bite down on our gum shield and keep going.

The Fev line-up is likely to be a fair bit different to that.



I'd think there's a good chance we will see Golding and Luke Briscoe at 1 and 2 for Fev as neither are going to be in Leeds' squad you'd imagine.



I think there's very little chance of Delaney playing as his eye injury still seems to be a major issue.



Jack Bussey is suspended for the next few games.



James Harrison is out injured for the next couple of months.



Lockwood will start as he's our captain this season.



Luke Cooper, John Davies and Danny Maskill are likely to be in the 19-man squad, and probably Dan Smith who we have just signed on loan.



Ormondroyd and Walters have played for us a few times on DR in pre-season and might play though they aren't really any better than our other 1st teamers at their positions imo.



Harry Newman played a lot for us on DR last season but hasn't in pre-season so not sure if he will feature.

Usually a week after isn't it at this level? So would affect him for Round 2 not 1? Ah I forgot Bussey had a ban! Probably move Lockwood to 13 and have another prop/SR on the bench.







Chisholm gets in every time, may not be in your selection but will be in the team. He'll start in the halves barring injury. Especially if Keyes is out, we'd be stupid to go with a Lilley/Wildie combination.







Wildie is a class player and did really well in the halves when moved their but he's more dangerous at 9. Putting him the in halves weakens the side as it means we have to go with Hallas/Flanagan rather than Wildie/Flanagan. He'll only move to the halves if we pick up an injury mid game, even then Pickersgill is a great choice there.









Centres in my opinion should be Gibson and Webster. For me Gibson did enough last season to get the first crack of the whip. If he's injured and hasn't recovered then Evans comes in. Fourth bench spot is a real headache and for me depends on who starts at 11, 12 and 13. If we go with a Garside, Minchella, Wood. The bench spot either goes to Farrell or Storton.

I much prefer Wildie at dummy half too but don’t be surprised if he’s in the halves on Sunday.

I'm worried that (despite the Toronto loss) our guys will be heading into this with the same mentality at the fans. i.e. this is a pretty easy win.



Fev is normally anything but easy and I can see them proving difficult to breakdown. They have had a shocking off season and will have a lot to prove. The new coach may be a rookie but he will have some good ideas to bring and as we saw last year, Kear can be outsmarted by the younger coaches who perhaps are willing to try and take more risks.



I'm really not counting any chickens on this one... got a horrid feeling we may be heading home on Sunday a bit disappointed

Interesting that there are probably going to be 7 guys who have played for Fev in the Bulls line-up on Sunday judged on the forecasts on this thread.

I'm expecting a real 50/50 battle



Either way, I hope we'll all be realistic about things whatever the result. If we win it doesn't mean 'we're gonna win the League', if we lose then let's have no wrist slitting! It's only the first game!



I'm definitely staying away from Bulls Banter FB group on Sunday night - it will be one reaction or the other, that's for sure...

you could have written this about both teams.

I've never been one for counting chickens because games are won, and lost, on the field and not by comparing team sheets. It's pretty rare for a Fev side to not be competitive so I'm expecting a good game. Oh, and hoping for the best...

Agreed, I don't think (anyone except a few loud mouth numpties who are allowed access to social media) are expecting this to be easy.



I think it's just a case of a feel good factor and fans believing their side can win. Sure Fev fans fully believe they can beat us.



Be a cracking game between 2 evenly matched teams.