Although he didn't show it today Mariano is much better than a decent championship player, Wilkes is now a proven Super League player and Ellis is a very good hooker who would have benefited from a quicker play the ball. Thought the ref was pedantic at best but Batley deserved their win and I think they'll have another decent season in the Championship. Lets hope we don't get too many injuries as I don't believe so many of our back up players are quite ready for Super League just yet. Would like to see Walshaw, Trout and Slater get a chance at some point and the part timer Fletcher on the wing looks pretty handy.

For what it's worth, here is my take on it.

Batley used the slope to their advantage in the first half to get them in and keep them in the game, whilst our more experienced players were on the field.

I thought that we would take similar advantage in the 2nd half but Batley showed up well and we removed anybody who might have a chance of being involved on Friday. Gareth Moore did what we all knew he could do and pinned us down with a good kicking game and stopped us getting that roll on.

It was a good run out for Wilkes, Ellis, Amor and that was probably more important than the result.



Out of the youngsters on show Trout and Slater are the 2 for me that will feature in the most games this year, both of them look a cut above any of the rest of them.
I do agree with a few posters that the young lad (Fletcher??) on the wing looks like he might make a decent player, given a bit of time.

My god you talk some crap. Why would any of our props feel the need to play at full grunt as people like you put it. You get real cocker, it was a run out nothing more If you're so insecure that you worry about this result call it a day fella.

But then it's easy for cretins like you to hide behind their keyboards and snipe - as you would say. I now apologies for calling you a cretin because I have manners.

It was a good old fashioned game of RL in a nice little ground.
I felt very nostalgic!

I thought Kyle Wood was our best player in the 1st half.
Hope Matty Wildie is ok.

Bring on Widnes!!

For the time players are on the field then they would/should always play at full grunt. To suggest otherwise is silly and shows a lack of understanding so great that you could be Stevo or Eddie.

Wow, chill guys. I think we are all on the same side.

Firstly, you can't deny that the intensity of a friendly against Batley is not going to be the same as a Super league game, and even more so one that matters or a derby game, so there are different levels of playing ability dependent on who you play. You don't have to be "not bothered" to play at a lower level.

Saying that, of course those players named shouold have shown up as significantly better against lower opposition.
It depends on position sometimes too. A hard working prop does not suddenly become a Willie Mason or Gordon Tallis, just because he is playing against less experienced opposition. They are still hard working prop. Same with a winger. If you don't give him the ball even Martin Offiah is going to look average.
If Tim Smith played and looked ordinary I would be more concerned as his position allows him to look better against lower opposition.

At the end of the day, it was a tune up game for the guys who are on the fringe, and those first teamers that have not had enough game time due to injury recovery.

It's hardly worth an arguement over. Those same players could ahve a great game against Widnes. The two are hardly related in my opinion.
What it does say to me is that some of the youngsters are not ready to step up yet. Not a bad thing, that's just the way it is.

Bring on Widnes and lets get back to discussing some rugby that matters.

Indeed you're right - but some folk

I think what people need to remember is that "friendles" are there for the purpose of the coaching staff to get a feel of players strengths, weaknesses, areas for development game play/team wise and to develop an overall purspective of the players they have to work with in the forthcoming season. Which I think the game yesterday highlighted these points perfectly.

Personally, if we had kept the structure of the first half with limited interchanges I think it would of been a different result altogether. I think the 2nd half was diluted with too many interchanges (which is a downfall of friendlies imo), this reflected on the half backs which lacked any insight into what was happening on the field. The pack failed to make any impact on the game as the players coming into the game did not stand up well. Motu Tony, although an exceptional player, looked slightly lost at times and did not give any direction to the younger members when required. For the young players that have been raved about over the last couple of seasons in the reserves and are now on the fringe of the 1st team, Trout was average and Walshaw was lacking in impact. For the players that stood out to me, Slater never stopped working defensively for the full 80 minutes he was on the field, Wilkes, Amor and Wood didn't take a backward step.

None of the above takes away that Batley had a good defensive game and had players with points to prove, which unlike some of our players, they took.

Probably, but the point remains that in this run out games against lower league opposition only the kids give it 100%. Wood will know where he stands and nothing he did at Batley will change that. Nobody should care about the score or how most players played, we should just be glad we got no injuries and a bit more fitness.

The team to play Widnes played Cas with the almost certain addition of Wilkes, Raleigh and probably Mariano though I accept Kirmond may well be chosen before him.

Let's face it Batley are a very good championship side, had home advantage and a coach and one or two players with a point to prove. They were up against a mostly young inexperienced side. I don't think the result is anything to be ashamed of or an indication that the players didn't try.
We have short memories but surely the way we played against Cas was a far more accurate pointer of what we can expect.
As someone else said, the match was another chance for players to try different things and enhance match fitness.
Let's focus on Widnes because it seems like they think the points are in the bag!
We'll have to be at our very best because a fired up home crowd and biased sky commentary are assured!

I think that Kirmond will be in and Wilkes, not sure about Raleigh, he didn't impress me that much yesterday, also I think Marriano iis still a bit away from being match fit, Walshaw is not a million miles away for SL IMO shows good pace/strength and deffense, just need to have a bit of vision for offloading and passing and then job sorted, I also think when matt james comes back from Fax in March he will almost certainly be straight in to the 1st team