Was a decent hit out...exactly what you want from a pre-season friendly with the season 3 weeks away.

Fev are a strong championship side and to come from 0-12 at half time and cope with the adversity of losing Hood and Lino in the space of about 30 seconds was quite pleasing...good signs in that we turned it around and whatever MA said at half time he certainly got a reaction which bodes well moving forward.

Been a good pre season so far though...as good as I can remember...we've put strong sides out against good opposition the last twice, so have been good tests and we've won all matches comfortably. Should put us in a good position to start the season strong, even though we've a tough looking start on paper.

For all the talk a few months ago of losing all our stars and hardly signing anyone I think we've recruited very shrewdly and have a feeling all the new recruits are going to have big impacts on the season and really looking forward to it.

One last point...

I also thought Dean played very well for Fev first half...looked dangerous every time he had the ball and think he'll be a cracking player for them this season in the championship!

To me as yet another arm chair coach , we stepped up a gear or two in intensity ,ran with more purpose and showed the differences in quality in the second period . I’ve been to Fev and watched our team get mullered in the mud ,the classic being fev kicking off and the ball dropping at Richard moors feet under the sticks , the fev play bet rich to the ball from the half way line .This team were up for it every bit as fev were the difference is that quality showed in the end between the teams . Great run out for both teams ,Fev threw the kitchen sink at us and we hit back with some purpose. Really liking Proctors constant barking at the players ,can’t wait to see him match fit , not too fussed like some on here where he plays just so long as he does , he will be a cracker for us .

Vastman, you are making things up again, which is funny because whenever anyone else does you seem to throw a hissy fit. He`s played 27 out of his 43 SL appearances at hooker so how has he "virtually never played there"?

Blind faith? Surprising from you PT.

It's interesting to see how fans of other teams see things. I like Morgan a lot, he has a terrific attitude and he'll never let you down, he'll stick to the coach's game plan 100%,and he's deceptively hard to stop near the line for a small guy but for me, at the moment at least, he just lacks that creativity and ability to create gaps for his runners that is ideal in a top-level half back. He played on the same side as Leilua all last year and rarely seemed to create an opening for him, and I think that's why Morgan was dropped in the play-offs.

He might be a good pairing with Lino though as Lino seems a bit more mercurial from what I've seen, capable of flashes of brilliance like the try he created for Battye on Sunday but also maybe the type of half who sometimes disappears for stretches of the game?

Pretty much spot on there, Horseman...that's been our main issue with Lino.
His best game by far was away at Warrington last year (think it was the cup game ??), when he won us the game almost single-handedly, but unfortunately that appears to have been a one-off as he doesn't do that often enough. Hopefully him and Smith can bring out the best in each other but it depends when and where Smith gets to play as Gaskell looks like being our first choice 6 so far

Hard to disagree with any of that, Jonh

Well FIL and Jonh, I'll have a go at disagreeing, because I think you're both wrong. Not so much about Lino, I tend to agree there, but certainly regarding Cas.

Widdop is where Broughy was when we signed him, only difference is Broughy always had more heart than Widdop.

Miller hs never regained his pace but he's still a decent player, but combined with Widdop that is one slow HB partnership by anyones standards. True Fin was slow but we are not Cas, Classy Cas as they love to call themselves play a fast game, and that team is no longer fast. Lino and Smith are far quicker, even Gaskell is faster than Widdop, and imho that will count. Added to that McShane is also now older and slower, though pace was not the cornerstone of his game.

The current Cas team is IMHO slower than the Powell model in certain key areas, if we can't exploit that then shame on us.

So yes Miller will do ok, but only if Widdop does, with Richardson out, Trueman gone, they are thin on the ground for alternative.

Widdop isn't fast but im sure he isn't as slow as you think. I guess we'll see.

They really are fragile at HB should either of these get injured. I honestly think they will struggle

I was more agreeing regarding Lino TBH (although TBF I didn't actually state that).
Widdop is definitely not the player he was 5 years ago and obviously I hope that our half-backs out perform both him and Miller, but time will tell I guess

I don’t recall Lino being touted as a Finn type player… but the memory might have failed me..

If you watch NRL regularly it is clear that the 70s/80s type of organiser doesn’t really exist.. teams are coached structure and certain players are tasked with holding pivotal roles in that structure - Dummy half and other halves with full back providing width options… there’s very little ‘off the cuff or ball handling’ except in broken play.

What I have seen of Applegarths coaching is it seems to follow that technical structure, which I believe, will work very well in SL

Lino was brought up in that structure and he seems to be responding well to the new coaching set up! Personally I like the skill set in the pivot group .. Kay is beginning to revel with the new role…

And I think the pack looks really mean!

1) I don’t care where Smith plays but I do think he plays somewhere..
2) love what I’ve seen of Camplin (with a nod to his dad on here) but he strikes be as a Nige Bell type utility… plays to potential whatever role he’s given
3) with due regard to Harry B … who I really like … I think the best young dummy half prospect I’ve seen in decades has just progressed through to the academy this year .. and that’s Harvey Smith… watched him on video in many games this year and he really impressed me!

Think you could have a point with regards jake the plan at moment is to start games at 9 moving to 13 in the games,but as his body size develops i do believe he is going to be more a 13, who can cover 9 when needed. wholllas for smith yes from what i see and hear in training he is very quick out of DH and and it will be a threat v tired defences