Big man W71.

I assume you, Duckie, are going to lay off Chris Hill too.

Not sure I've bagged Hill since he cut out his cheap penalties.
I've been supportive of him as captain and he was emense at times for us in 2018.

No one is immune from criticism when they deserve it.
Including myself.
I can only recall letting rip on one player this season and that was Roberts.
I questioned him as far back as March but I still stuck by him until his disgrace in the GF that earned me a yellow card off FMC.

Back on topic I have high hopes for this squad based on a little bit of the players listed being better on paper than last year and preseason optimism why not have some positivity? Austin has said all the right things about his move which might actually make us a little easier on the eye I can't wait for Feb I'm really happy with Price from what I've seen and think he's planning with the help of our board (investors not forum).

As far as the Patton debate goes I think this will be a pivotal year I don't want to get into how many chances is he ever going to be good enough 'discussion' he's here and that's the end of it for now for me. I hope that he earns his place but I'm convinced that either way the Club will be looking at something to keep us chasing the Holy Grail and if Austin is happy and sets the place alight then we might have an idea of how and who would be a best fit partner.....I'm not writing next season off but 2019 recruitment could be quite interesting

Players DO deserve criticism. As does everyone in life. When I served my time it didn't matter how well I fabricated, my mentor would look at it call it Sh** and make me do it again. and when I did fab something well he'd look at it and say "it'll do, give it here" then go on the tell you it's still a couple of mm out on one side and something else needed doing, you wondered what you can possibly do to be perfect. Then after 3 years I came out my time and it clicks and you realise... No one can be perfect, it's impossible to be. However what you can do is try to be perfect. Make the effort to put everything into every job you do 100% of the time in order to try and be perfect. And when you have such high standards, just like the tradesmen around you once you turn up and slack off its glaringly obvious. Maybe you're having a bad day and you think "ah I can't be @r$ed, it'll do". Prepare to come under fire from everyone around you to critisise your work and not accept what you're producing until your effort is where it should be.

These lads are doing a job a vast majority of the male population in this town would give their right ball for, my self included. Nothing I can imagine, would be a greater feeling than running out at the HJ in the P&B on a packed out Friday night under the lights.

So if I don't think they're (or someone) pulling their weight, after I know that if I had even a snippet of their talent, I'd be leaving that field with absolutely nothing left then yeah, I'll say exactly what I think and they should expect it. It comes with the stripes. And I hope they do see the criticism and I hope their families see it and tell them everyone's pee'd off about the way they're playing because frankly, using Roberts as an example as he's most recent, the way he played was an absolute joke. 10 points behind with 15 minutes to go what can we all see? That bleeding t1t strolling round the pitch with his chewing gum like he hasn't a care in the world. If there was ever a visual description of someone who looked like they couldn't give a toss it was him.

I'm not bothered if you're not if you're homesick I get it, it's a huge change and you will never know till you try that's fine. But at least show respect for the shirt and the colours what mean so much to the town. Especially your halfbacks, they should be screaming instructions, dragging players to where they want them telling everyone around them exactly what they want them to do. You know.... Putting 100% effort in.

And if they can't handle the criticism or the pressure that comes from high standards in everything they do 100% of the time then they should be shown the door.

I get it I really do, but, this thread is about Squad Numbers and I'm sorry, but, for someone styling themselves as Moving On....

I understand as well. Those three years have left their mark on "moving on".
Anyway good squad. If we don't get too many injuries Rochdale will be rubbing their hands. Can't wait.

The club might well rub their hands but players from the local catchment might not be as happy about it. SL players who can't get a 1st team game being shipped out to play at a lower standard, so when they are called up they're not used to the intensity of SL. Then when they are called up the players they've pushed out aren't up to speed there by hindering the team there as well.

If only there was some sort of way we could field a 2nd team in a compertition against other SL clubs...

They're happy enough when they are receiving winners over losers pay.

Is playing SL Alliance closer to SL intensity than playing in the lower leagues? There's more at stake playing competitive fixtures surely.

I'd say it would be if it was mandatory for every team to field and 'A' team. In a proper competition with worthwhile rewards at the end of it. and 'A' team training with the first team, all using the same plays and the same style of rugby at the same intensity would strengthen the game no end and allows players called up to the first team to slot into the set-up with not too much of a shock.

Why would a local lad working his socks off want to get picked up by Rochdale where it doesn't matter how well he plays, he will always be dropped for a SL player who cant get a 1st team game and needs game time. Must be soul destroying to know that he will always be picked over you no matter how hard you work.

The game should be creating a pathway which creates ways for players working hard to progress in standard, not drop lower.

I would prefer to have an Alliance competition, but even taking finances aside, I wonder if there is really enough talent going round in the UK to support having a good quality reserve competition on top of an Academy.

If we want to have a functioning multi division league, where there is credible promotion and relegation, then it is better to try and get more quality in the second tier, so it becomes wasteful to have a bunch of players that are better than those in the second tier, hanging around SL reserve teams. I'm talking here about players that are over 21.

Would be good to understand how the Aussies do this. My basic understanding is that there are two systems, some of the Sydney clubs field sides in the NSWRL (effectively running a reserve grade in a second competition), but others like Melbourne Storm and the Queensland clubs don't have a formal reserve grade so have link ups with teams in the Queensland Cup and allow them to use their fringe players. The Queensland Cup is then quite a tough competition and some fringe NRL players have got great experience there. I could be wrong on this so happy to be corrected.

My main concern about us using an Alliance system is that it would be a substandard competition that doesn't really mean much and was just used to give players a run out every week so they retain match fitness, and it would result in players stagnating.

Or it could mean that previously discarded 19 year olds would carry on and receive another 2-3 years full time training at a professional level to improve them further? There might be a bit of a reduction initially of 19 year olds dropping down to lower division teams, but after a few years those reserve players from year one would be released and could then start to filter in to the championship with a few years more full time training behind them?

It also allows players such as Patton, Sita, Matt Davis, Mamo etc to continue training and playing in a team that has the same attacking & defensive structures and set plays etc as the first team.

why not run an A team comp which is also capped with players only allowed to remain in the club for 3 years after U19's?

That way clubs would keep hold of the players they believe would are worth while and will be pushing for 1st team shirts, whilst the rest that don't get picked could be offered up to championship clubs up in a draft system like NFL?