It is far too soon for some players to be classed as "not first choice". We dearly need a goal kicker and Shaw was described as an outstanding kicker. If he can't get into a team with no kicker and a winger short and possibly our fullback at 7 then we might as well let the lad go. It possibly is a warm up game for Fev but I see the next 22 games as warm up games for the SL teams play offs. If Shaw can't be chosen because he is poor under the high kick, then he has a lot in common with big Les when he arrived and he turned out OK. So my point is we have 22 games to find our best 17 so each game give one of the fringe players a go till we have the list of names nailed on.

We should get our first two points on the board today, just hope the weather doesn't spoil the game.

Dewsbury travelled up to Workington this morning for their game to be called off after a pitch inspection.

We're then.

A decent win to get us rolling and no doubt a physical encounter as is always with the Cumbrian sides. Game will be won in the forwards next week so it's biggest pack we've got. That will give our reserve half back the chance to get things going, whoever it may be. Could move Gaskell to 7 but will take our running game down a few notches as a result. Any news on Mullaney? Hand could be forced to play young Brook if Jake has an injury that will keep him out. For me though it's probably the game not to blood him because Fev on their own patch vs us and they will be coming out to hurt. If Jake is ok then definitely him to start at 7.

6- Gaskell
7- Mullaney

8- Clough
9- O'Brien
10 - Sidlow
11 - Olbison
12 - Pitts
13 - Walker

14 - Lauaki
15 - Walshaw

It was a tough ugly win in rubbish conditions. I thought Sidlow was excellent for us and he was my man of the match. Gaskell backed up well for his 3 tries. I also thought Pitts was very good too.

Really looking forward to seeing Pitts and Ferguson line up together in the back row. Both great ball carriers.

Awful Conditions and an ugly win. Lots of improvement needed. But we're up and running and plenty of games to improve and find the best combinations.

To be fair I though Whitehaven looked good. Organised in defence and got stuck in.

Featherstone up next. Onwards and upwards.

Funny sort of game really, a combination of the awful conditions and our rustiness meant that it was never going to be any sort of classic. But there was never a point where it seemed like we might lose, even from the first minute

I suppose we are going to get a lot of these sorts of games, where we are expected to win by quite some margin. We're on a bit of a hiding to nothing. If we smash them by 60 points, then its 'Oh its only Whitehaven or Hunslet'. But if it ends up close, then we'll get slaughtered for not putting them away...

Anyway, a win is a win. Onwards and upwards to next week when it will be much tougher challenge

I think the conditions dictated most of the play today. Freezing cold, constant driving rain and a pitch that looked quite heavy underfoot.
We were quite rusty with the ball but in all honesty, were never really threatened by Whitehaven. They just couldn't gather any momentum and our pack was on top for pretty much the full 80.

The usual suspects ran the show. Gaskell, Sidlow, Pitts and AoB all looked like SL players playing in a lower division. Olbison and Clough also put in some decent shifts.

I think next week will be a far sterner test for us. I suspect we'll line up with Mullaney at 7, Shaw at full back and Ulugia brought in to the side to play wing/centre.

In today's other games, no real surprises apart from that score at Sheffield - they beat London 40-6!!

Great start to the afternoon, paid fifty quid for car parking but was told it was "full". At 215, against Whitehaven, in shoite weather. Bloody Fred Karno's. X spaces, so just issue X passes, it's not bloody rocket science.

The weather spoiled the game. We were well in command throughout, but still managed to give up masses of possession, especially in the first half, hopefully it was the conditions but very frustrating to watch the ball being repeatedly turned over.

But we did show some very good attack in many spells, and look very dangerous when on the front foot, Whitehaven found our pack a handful. Sidlow and Pitts were good, and Tahraoui (sp?) looked useful as he got going. Big lad, that. Gaskell may be the class of the division, and Siejka had a better day. Even got the biggest cheer when he actually kicked a goal.

I think what most impressed me was our defence. Maybe after the second half Leigh debacle they decided that can't happen again, whatever, Haven were almost never in danger of scoring. Despite some excellent positional kicking.

TBH think Whitehaven could have quite easily gone in ahead at ht. they fluffed a couple of chances at taking lead late in 1st half. We looked very nervy in first half. That said we settled and showed decent improvement to close game out in 2nd half.
Mullaney looked like a poke to eye, so hopefully ok for next week. With lauaki close to fitness and maybe one or two others to come in we don't look in bad shape.

Crap weather today which i thought reflected in the play, however, we did bomb 3 or 4 chances within the opposition 5mtr line which we need to convert to try's to get on.