Mind games!

Hope so but Thewlis took that last kick at goal. Ratchford got an injury.

I didn't think he did, very surprised he got picked at all to be honest for this game.

Punching someone on the ground goes beyond a bit of biff IMO.

Sounds like I missed a belter literally! Thanks for the running commentary ot was worse than listening on the radio especially from the Dudson incident to the hooter ha ha

How did Maguire do? Do we think he's learned a bit of do's and don'ts during his enforced absence?

He was solid overall and made an impressive try saving tackle. None of the forwards stood out like in previous games as the Cstalan forwards were that good, though Philbin and Nicolson were the forward picks for me. It really could have gone either way and dare I say that Mikaele will be a bigger loss than we first thought, though the returning Bullock will be a welcome return as he'll replace some missing punch.

A great test and the highest quality game of SL I've seen this season so far. Catalan are extremely dangerous on that showing and their forwards are more than a handful. Our ability to attack has greatly improved and we look dangerous across the park with some great passing - we bombed a couple of chances where we should have perhaps pulled away early to mid second half.

Catalan mirrored our side in the sense that their forwards are big and their backs, especially wings nippy, but the difference was some resolute defence and our attacking structures imo.

Said it yesterday, Dudson, game over for him, as RFL will give him a double digit game ban, so probably, his top grade career...over.
Fairly sure Powell is already looking at replacing him, as he will have been hugely p..sed off with such idiotic and moronic actions (possibly a bit of history there ?), and whilst we do need 'pack grunt', we dont need that.
When we look back at this Season, yesterdays game will be seen as 'pivotal'.
We were clearly bested, in most parts of the field by an understrength, but hugely motivated, Catalan side but.....some of our defensive & attacking play was hugely impressive, and we took & created our chances.
Yes, we could have probably been stronger on the scoreboard (and prob should have), but had we, stopped those pot tries, we would be raving about our D.
Wigan shouldnt be as physically tough, but just depends for us, how banged up we are.
We cant 'win' the League/GF in the next 2 games, but we if we do lose them due to injuries, I'll take that and trust we will be there at the end, when it counts....
A truly immense performance, and Catalan must be thinking...how the +&%@ did we lose that one....

I think yesterday's game will take some of getting over. We took a bit of a physical battering. It really showed up just how tough Catalan are. When they get all their troops back they will be a right handful.
The Wigan & Saints games will be even more of a test than we thought.

We will have 3 key pack players out (clark, bullock, harrison) and dudson. If we lose against Wigan and Saints we will still be 8 from 10 and 1st or 2nd in the league with a series of winnable games to follow. It's a long season.

With 16 points in the bag already we shouldn't need to bust a gut getting into the top four. Winning the hubcap should not be a priority for us but getting to the play-offs with a fit and relatively fresh squad should be. We can afford to lose a couple of matches and make sure that we don't pick players that are carrying knocks, as there are eager alternatives from the Academy to fill their boots. Certainly they are not equivalent replacements, but the experience they gain will pay the club back in the future.

This, winning 1 from 3 of these tough fixtures, given were light in the pack, would not be the end of the world. As long as, like yesterday, we can stay in the game against Wigan and Saints, I wouldn't complain. If we can one of them, then happy days*. Hopefully, we'll be stronger across the park come the next run of tougher fixtures and the playoffs. Mikaele looking a bigger miss than I ever would have thought last season!

*If we win both, then there will be a huge shortage of Harvey's Bristol Cream in the borough.

You've got to remember Wigan are bashed up too. Cooper out, I'd guess, plus others bruised and battered. Should be a great game.