I've always liked Dowes, but on Sunday he looked disinterested TBH. Played like someone who knows his career is effectively over and no matter how he plays he isn't getting another contract. He's finished IMO and I can't see us getting value for money out of him no matter how cheaply we signed him.

Very sad to say it as I think he's been a great servant for the club over his time here.

You think?

He has been a good player for us, Standee, surely you can recognise his contribution.

Sadly his contribution became ineffective in 2008 but he was an integral part of our squad for 04/05/06 and to a lessr extent 07.

He has been a decent player who has been paid for his efforts, like any employee.

Think exactly the same, Kosh. Hope he proves us wrong in the coming weeks.

Regardless of the stats you can’t get away from the fact that Rovers always carry out their game plan well in derbies. They kick for field position, look to put FC under pressure in our own half to force the mistake and then use arguably their two best players in Newton and Galea as wide running 2nd rowers.

I thought in the first 15 mins we had finally realised how to negate this by using our forwards a bit wider of the ruck. Especially using O'Meley to run at Galea, who shouldn't have been allowed to recover from the battering O'Meley had given him. As soon as O'Meley was interchanged Galea was allowed a breather and our replacements never continued with the targeted running.

I think we've had good value out of him for most of his career with us, yes. Not looking like that'll be the case this season though. Hopefully he'll pull himself together and want to leave a decent impression with the fans.

Don't disagree, just don't think that is the criteria to be described as a "great servant", this is one season too far, but FC knew that and were looking to recruit if at all possible, can't be easy for him to reconcile that in his own mind.

I could have thrown him further!.

I was rolling in the impeccable behaviour on and off the field when making the 'great servant' comment. He's always struck me as being completely dedicated to the club and to being totally professional, above and beyond the minimum standards expected from someone in his position.

To be fair to Dowes he made 19 tackles in this spell, so it must have been the time that we didn't have the ball. Shocking going forward though. Compare him to Mike Burnett and looks as we have sent the wrong player on loan. www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2010 Can we swap?

To be fair to Dowes he made 19 tackles in this spell, so it must have been the time that we didn't have the ball. Shocking going forward though. Compare him to Mike Burnett and looks as we have sent the wrong player on loan. www.superleague.co.uk/statistics ... eason=2010 Can we swap?

If these stats are true - it makes for even more depressing reading. So we have the top off loader and top 'buster' - with that sort of ammunition we should be really hard to play against.

Imagine if we had a top coach, some one who could give us structure, more planned moves to add to the off the cuff, individual class we undoubtedly have. Some one who would recruit around our strengths as well as weaknesses. Hate to say it but with someone like Morgan in charge we would be a top 4 club now.

So have I, I thought he got a pretty hard time on here last year, but he was really poor Sunday. I think getting spelled has worked in the opposite way it would for someone like fitz as He doesn't offer any impact just graft.

I have said it before, I will say it again, most Hull FC players have plenty of talent and ability but far too many come with a 'flip' side!

Either too old; too injury-prone; not capable of enough minutes; inconsistency; too error-prone; too unprofessional; not specialised in a position; etc, etc, etc.

Say what you like about Rovers' squad but man-for-man, their players are more 'rounded'.

The vast majority of their players are 'the right age', fit, ultra-professional, disciplined, and settled in their position.

They may lack some of the 'X factor' of Hull FC but, ultimately, the Rovers approach to recruitment is the best way!