It tells us in the championship that we're going to have to roll our sleeves up, get our hands dirty and do some hard work. Do some think that proud clubs like Bradford and fev and a few more are just going to roll over and die.

Really enjoyed the game conditions meant it could go either way, I thought when we got level we would get the result, but other than the last play a couple of areas cost us, Gales knock on with about 10 to play when we had them on the rack for territory and in the first half Hood failing to ground the ball, a kick dead by Fev to beat the fingertips and some poor decisions going out wide from the halves.
To be fair to Fev after the Gale knock on they raise their game again. Fair play in the conditions but it probably did us more good as team looking forwards. Cannot wait for the league to begin. Finally Atoni take a bow I thought he was brilliant and Vagana is going be a handful when he gets up to speed.

Hopefully v Bradford it’ll be something like…

Jowitt
Walmsley
Pratt
Thornley
Croft
Lawford
Gale
Bowden
Doyle
Atoni
Ashurst
Griffin
Pitts

Subs
Vagana
Cozza
Uale
Smith

Unless Hood is injured he should start.

We have a target on our backs from the off.
Every side will raise their game to try and gain our scalp, every one.

The one plus side from yesterday is that any complacency that may have been in the camp before the game, will be long gone.

Fridays games will show whether our attitude is right.

Well let's hope we do beat Bradford. There is a massive feel good about the club right now, thanks to all the effort and generosity of Matt and the people around him. They have worked hard to put the club back in a good place. Hard core support is not an issue, but newbies and returners can be fickle. Rubbish on the pitch can undo all the good work.

Sounds like Hood may have picked up a knock and might not be available Friday, Hope Jowitt isn't too serious, when Jones slid into him when the ball went dead, looked at first Jowitt was hurt but seemed to carry on, ankle sprains usually you can do that but hope he's good to go Friday

I'd go exactly the same. I imagine Lino will play over Lawford, mind. He's obviously a much more rounded, experienced player, and has bags of ability, but it's been painful watching him the last year or so, which is a crying shame because he's got the ability to tear these teams apart. If he strings together say 3 more poor games I don't see how Powell can justify keeping him in over Lawford.

Yesterday doesn't worry me too much. We wouldn't have gone any further in the cup, it's just a bit embarrassing isn't it. The conditions just levelled the game, and some of Fev's less-praised players - Jones, England, Gale, Hardcastle - did a great job making it a 50/50 contest.

As the ground dries up I still think we'll be very hard to stop. Thornley and McGilvary would've really suited that game in a way that Franco and Walmsley just didn't. They're not powerful and as soon as they're hit they're easy to wrestle. But Walmsley particularly will be a weapon on a fast track when he can actually try and evade defenders in yardage. Franco was probably intended as cover but is going to end up playing most of the season - he'll be fine this year but I don't think he has much improvement in him sadly.

On a slight side note, I thought Harry Bowes had a 9/10 jumping in as a ballplayer. Fair play to him.

We were pants, they were good and it still went to extra time. I thought Antoni and Vangana were the only forwards to look like making meters and none of our back line bar Pratt looked like doing anything either but I think a lot of that was down to the conditions. Fair play to Fev they were the better team and deserved it.

I think when were were on top and took the 2 to level it was a bit of a turning point. We were going well had just scored a couple of try's and had the momentum but we took the 2 rather than running it and never really got into their 20 again.

I thought it was also a strange choice of team with Doyle at 13 and booth on the bench. Nothing against them as they are both promising layers but I think yesterday was obviously going to be a big battle down the middle and another big body could have made the difference.

Yeah, said at the time that was a strange decision - we had them on the rack in their half and should have gone for the try.

We had them on the rack after that it turned when Gale dropped the kick Fev put up. They got back on the horse at that time.

Still out played Gale who as been bad over last two games ,so do you agree same rule for him

Personally I would play Lawford and bring in a half from NRL (with a view to leading team over next few years). The new rule should have made some quality halves available. There was a list of players ready to break into nrl and I’m sure a 24 year old half was on that list and it was an impressive write up. Otherwise I’d try bring Hampshire in and play him with Lawford.

Gale and Lino back end of last year didn’t fire together other than 1 game and then playing together the limited times I’ve seen them this doesn’t inspire me with confidence. I don’t know if it’s the fact they don’t compliment each other or not but i really really hope that the halves can find something that works.

I will support Gale and Lino while ever they pull the shirt on and I really hope they prove me wrong (I welcome it) but I can’t see it. They will be fine against mid - lower championship but against the top teams where packs will match up to us I’m not sure.

Whoever gets the nod on Friday I’ll be cheering them on naturally. But I do worry a bit over the season.

I can see Lino going out to Bradford or York in a similar deal to Torfua, at a push I think someone like Cas might take him if we were picking up part of his wage.
Before anyone starts, I’m not just judging him on the one game. I’ve watched him in almost every match he’s played since he arrived and apart from the match at Warrington where he looked really good attacking their line he hasn’t merited his place IMO.
I have no answer as for why Carter gave him a new 3 year deal, just lost for an explanation with that one!

I like the suggestion that we look for a really good overseas halfback, someone around the age of 22 to 25 who can do a Garen Casey and lead the team around whilst also possessing their own attacking threat. Let Lawford partner him and form a solid, young halfback pairing that can see us right for a few years. Gale as an emergency cover or play every now and then to rest one of the other two.

I’d take Hampshire in the short term, he can cover a few positions including Full Back where we really only have Max.

Maybe I’m over reacting a bit with my last post. It probably hasn’t helped that Gale or Lino have been injured or banned most of pre season and haven’t played together hardly. Add to the conditions yesterday I probably should reserve my judgement for these next two games where we absolutely must set our marker down.

Like you I’ve just never seen it with Lino. But he’s here and I’ll back him so long as he’s wearing the shirt.

As for Hampshire, watching Wigan highlights he scored a try but looked to have injured himself in the process last week. In reality it’s probably too early to start making changes but there’s a lot of hard work to do in those pivot positions. Let’s see how they go vs Bulls this week.

Speed in the spine as been a problem for years now ,and a bigger one since Miller left( Love him or hat him he could still make a break and had a decent pass ) Though it would be one of the first things Powell would have sorted out.We are struggling in the three -quarters got a reasonable first pick but when one of them is out for 10 week ,after coming to this club following a poor injury record last year You got to ask why did we sign him It is like ground hog day as far as most of the back seven are concerned.just like last year with a East Stand that is a credit to the Club

With the talk of Russel being signed up for next year, I can't see us looking to bring a half back in

McGillvary and Thorniley both came to the club with recent injury prone records and were a bit of a gamble despite their impressive careers which already at the start of the season being injured isn’t paying off.

How many more weeks is Thorniley out? Powell just mentioned Hood and ‘a couple of other injury issues’.

Hope there’s some more work going on in the background trying to bring more players in with what Powell referred to as a ‘skinny’ squad.

Surprised Bain wasn’t on the bench v Featherstone hopefully he’s fit to play v Bradford.

This is surely what the duel reg is for?

Players like Douglas, Eckersley, Rocky, Farrimond are all Super League standard backs who are unlikely to get regular game time with the exception of injury or squad rotation as Wigan did on Saturday v London.

It’s only right we give our signed players first crack but if they do not deliver to the expected standards or the squad becomes too stretched then we need to start using that arrangement.

Whilst we obviously signed Walmsley as a winger he is also quite an accomplished fullback plus we now have Noah Booth who looks really useful and let's not forget Mr Versatile too - Liam Kay

Walmsley isn’t an accomplished full back. By his own admission he played there many years ago as a young lad. He was a decent fill in against amateur opposition but he needs to be on that wing as we aren’t flush at wing either.

Booth looks decent but is raw and I’m happy for him to develop as the season goes on but I don’t think he’s on a first team contract. Think he’s on a reserve contract and stepping up as the club haven’t officially announced his signing.

Full back isn’t the issue anyway. It’s the right edge presently. All tries past Franco and Griffin last week and looked sketchy the week before that.

Thornley will go a long way to improving that but McGillvray is a big blow.

I’d happily see Croft return to the right edge but if Thornley is out a while we need to look at options that side. Jake Bibby is being offered out on loan short term I think and can play centre or wing. Certainly has the size to return well on yardage too.

We are now...Bibby could be a good shout at centre

We are in a better position now at least but Walmsley has to play on wing being last seasons top scorer in that position.

Let’s hope that we don’t need to have to use a back up full back and Max stays fit. Lad looks like he’s hit another level so far in pre season and excited to see how he goes this season.

Still though, I’d rather see Booth step in if needed and keep Walmsley on the wing.

Bibby would be a good shout but I’d rather see Croft get game time as Bibby would only be short term. Think we will be fine at centre if Thornley is fit again.

Apologies if this has been posted already https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/lu ... ys-new-era Both talking a good fight, but now it's time to do the work

Apologies if this has been posted already https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/lu ... ys-new-era Both talking a good fight, but now it's time to do the work