I think that if we go into the season with a weakend halves pairing, we deffo need to have a more ball playing 13, I'm thinking Westerman, just to give us more options as we may lack creativity.

Of course they wouldn't. One thing you can be sure of is that if we get a decent draw and get to Wembley they'll all be in front of you and me in the ticket queue.

Think you will find I did say the younger lads did do alright but you can judge them properly till they play against super league teams , people will build them up then if they play against top teams expect them to be world beaters

Nobody on the forum has done that. All people have done is comment on how well some of them did against Donny, people commented that Williams was further developmed that they thought. No one has mentioned world beaters!

The trouble is any kind of positive talk on here has some people frothing at the mouth!

Good hit out for the lads, could obviously tell who the first teamers where and i bet Bovill is aching today after getting whalloped by Big Sam.

Think a few are being a bit harsh on Washy, needs a bit of time to fit into that role and get his timing , pass making and distance/accuracies right and his decisions although that will be helped with stronger halves.

Whiting was a class above, Turner did some good stuff ball in hand and has a very good long pass.

Impressed with Williams, seemed to have a better game than any i'd seen him in at reserves, obv shows how easier it is to work with better level of players.

Notable mention to Green, but all the young lads held there own

No not at all I was actually at the game and yeah williams did do well and couple others but I just want to wait till they do it on the big stage before building them up

Jamie Bovill?! Saw him at that petrol station (the one with flags of the 3 clubs) on the A63 on way to our game, to be honest I assumed he was playing amateur rugby these days cos hadn't read/heard anything about him still playing at NL level.

Pretty much agree with your points although I'm still not sure on Washy but like you say bit of time needed just dont want to see him put in the halfs as cover as time has proved that doesnt work.

Thought Green and Kent looked good as did in fairness alot of the younger fringe players. Have to say I left Donny feeling a little more optimistic of the season ahead just hope that these young guys are given the chance.

One negative for me is that Tansey although doing some good work is still letting the ball bounce instead of taking it in the air!
Apart from that is was a successful excercise.

What it has shown is that our club need to look seriously at trying to loan some of these players out to some of the National League sides to help bring them on further.

On the whole it was a good performance all round and blew the cobwebs off both players and supporters.

Washbrook needs to sort his discipline out, he's not the answer at hooker in my eyes.

Williams did well, but he lacks the final pace to be a SL halfback from what I saw today, but I've only seen him play once.

It's all well and good having a good game behind a dominant pack, playing in SL is totally different.

A good run out, some good signs, only concern is the number of times we were offside, Laughton did like the sound of his whistle, granted, but we would get murdered giving away penalties like that in a SL game.

Was good to see so many FC fans there, it was blumin cold though!

I'd be a little worried if Houghton got injured and Washbrook had to play 80 minutes but as a utility man on the bench who comes on to give Houghton a rest for 20 minutes he is fine. Decent distribution and a strong defender. His disclipine does need a bit of work though. I noticed him get pulled for interference a couple of times and thought if you feel the need to slow the game down against donny what are you going to do when Wigan or Saints are running rampant.

As for Williams, he's hardly rapid but I think it's a little early to write him off yet, I certainly don't think he was found wanting for pace although the likes of Burrow or Eastmond would probably have scored if they had made that break that culminated in a Tansey knock on.

I'm not writing him off, just stating things as I saw them, not all of the top half backs have the speed to finish moves off themselves, but he just seems to lack that extra yard, which has me wondering if we wouldn't benefit from a sprint/speed coach at FC, a number of players over the years have come through and lacked the last little sparkle of an added bit of space.

Think its pretty clear who this seasons scapegoat is going to be

I thought you weren't going. 2.8115234375:5