Moy Barron Chamberlin Rapana Martin Cust Sezer Ese Ese Balmforth Aydin Lane Fash Asiata Sao Salabio Kirby Hutchinson

[quote="RockNRolla":t3m0cp48]Moy Barron Chamberlin Rapana Martin Cust Sezer Ese Ese Balmforth Aydin Lane Fash Asiata Sao Salabio Kirby Hutchinson[/quote:t3m0cp48] Hell, weak bench. This one could get ugly which is disappointing in front of a big crowd (again)

[quote="RockNRolla":1xspfxpn]Moy Barron Chamberlin Rapana Martin Cust Sezer Ese Ese Balmforth Aydin Lane Fash Asiata Sao Salabio Kirby Hutchinson[/quote:1xspfxpn] You wouldn't have Briscoe in ?

Moy Barron Rapana Briscoe Martin Cust Seizer Ese Balmforth Aydin Lane Chamberlain Asiata Subs Soa Sabalio Fash Kirby

All lower tier seating now sold out apart from W12 in the NW corner and N3.

Rapana Martin Chamberlain Briscoe Barron Cust Sezer Ese Ese Balmforth Aydin Lane Fash Asiata Ashworth Sao Salaibo Hutchinson

So disappointed to have so many absent for our first home game, a big crowd and the champions coming to town. It will take a monumental performance to wrestle the two points, hope with the resources we have available, some squad strengthening is imminent. After a great start, we seem to be instantly up against it.

[quote="Riderofthepalehorse":37jvtv95]So disappointed to have so many absent for our first home game, a big crowd and the champions coming to town. It will take a monumental performance to wrestle the two points, hope with the resources we have available, some squad strengthening is imminent. After a great start, we seem to be instantly up against it.[/quote:37jvtv95] really good post sums up what we are all thinking. COYH!!!

The win in France gives us an opportunity to enjoy the occasion tomorrow night. Let's get behind whoever takes to the field, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the big crowd, and give everyone a night to remember.

[quote="Faithful One":nr2bslr3]The win in France gives us an opportunity to enjoy the occasion tomorrow night. Let's get behind whoever takes to the field, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the big crowd, and give everyone a night to remember.[/quote:nr2bslr3] Yup, I was always going with the hope of a win but not expecting one, which was pretty much how I viewed last Friday. Whilst I don’t expect us to be challenging for silverware I have renewed optimism that we will at least show promising signs and not see the collapses we’ve seen all too often the past few years. I’ll gladly settle for another positive performance to back up last Fridays regardless of the result. Even with the players missing for tomorrow I’m still actually looking forward to taking my seat tomorrow night which is night & day from how I felt last season when it just filled me with dread. Onward and upwards

[quote="Faithful One":2ckruzks]The win in France gives us an opportunity to enjoy the occasion tomorrow night. Let's get behind whoever takes to the field, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the big crowd, and give everyone a night to remember.[/quote:2ckruzks] Absolutely this, it’s a free hit nobody expects us to win. No expectations except to see a few old faces, sing a few songs and have a good laugh. I think whatever happens we’ll just eventually be out muscled, but the hope to cling to is that there’s still some fire power still in the side. I’d go with Moy starting and Rapana in the centres. If we get a bit of luck and get the first try it will be bouncing.

If we turn up with the same attitude to show the effort we gave last week, then we'll stand a good chance. You can't beat Wigan if your effort levels are below par. Some bad losses for us on the injury front this week (More than we'd like, but pretty normal for us) But it gives some others a chance and gives us a look at the strength of our squad. Results aren't that massive at this stage, it's about getting up to speed and getting some continuity and confidence going. But getting that early win takes a bit of pressure off us results wise at this stage

[quote="Cuddleclub":q2248f8n]That’s alright then as long as other teams have got injuries we don’t need to access why they keep happening [/quote:q2248f8n] We have concussions because of head high tackles and other injuries because it’s a tough fast athletic contact sport. Last season perhaps we were hard hit because of poor conditioning. Possibly the older players are more injury prone and recover slower. The question is a bit like why do boxers get black eyes?

On team selection, I'm torn if which way I'd go. Either keep it as same as possible to last week, just plug the gaps with players for those positions we have lost OR have a bit of a reshuffle which could disrupt the side more... I think I'd rather go with the first option. Put chamberlain in place of hardaker, bring Moy on the beach incase plan A doesn't work and then maybe reshuffle later.

I'd have definitely taken 1/2 from the first two games, so bit of a free hit, hopefully given them a real tough game and if we play really well and they are a bit off, we have a chance. Games so far have either been a bit of a shock or alot closer than people predicted (except salford last week)

This game is more about the performance than the result. With the same side as last week I think we go in with a chance of an upset, now not so much but we absolutely can't roll over and get a drubbing in front of a big crowd. At worst, we need people to go home disappointed but entertained, not disillusioned again. I wonder if baldy is sneaking in on a kids for a quid ticket to break his recent FC duck?

I would've been quietly confident with the same side as last week but Hardaker, Bourouh and Cartwright are significant losses. We still have experience in Rapana, Sezer and Asiata but it's hard to see a win. Hopefully a spirited performance, improved discipline and no injuries and we move on to a winnable game next weekend.

The issue with big attendances like we are going to get tonight, and the injuries we have, is that a lot of the bandwagon jumpers are fickle, and if we do lose by 12-16 points which I am expecting, will they see it as a defeat as always, or see the differences the club are trying to make

hard to see a loss as anything but a defeat TBH

[quote="Irregs#16":1ajudbwe]The issue with big attendances like we are going to get tonight, and the injuries we have, is that a lot of the bandwagon jumpers are fickle, and if we do lose by 12-16 points which I am expecting, will they see it as a defeat as always, or see the differences the club are trying to make[/quote:1ajudbwe] True. We had the same situation in 2022 for the first home against St Helens.(the Luke Gale tripping one) There was a ticket offer and we got a decent crowd. I was sat next to a fella who said he hadn't attended a game for a few years and was only there because of the offer. Of course it was another dreadful performance and he left early saying he won't be back in a hurry. A win is not out of the question but very unlikely. I just hope the new/returning fans realise this. What we need is not necessarily a win but to create an atmosphere and a performance which will lure them back.

Hopefully a few high bombs in the swirling wind, may give us a chance as the ball could go anywhere

Looking forward to tonight, in a manner I would not have believed possibly when I walked out of the stadium last September after the Catalan game. Like most on here, I'm simply looking for attitude, work rate and commitment from all 17 players, a continuation from last Friday really. Losing to Wigan is hardly going to define our season, irrespective of the circumstances. These opening few weeks of the season are more about the bigger picture for us, rather than any pressing immediate need to stack up wins (although winning is always a nice feeling). Think all we are looking for is positive signs that we, as a club as a team, have passed the bottom of the curve and we are, at the very least, travelling in an upwards direction once more. Having said all that, after the win over them last year, who knows? Let's face it, whatever happens later tonight (short of the ground being struck by lightning!!) no one is going to be any more stunned than we all were last year!!! (to this day I still cannot fathom out how Hull Fc 2024 beat Wigan 2024, it still defies all known logic!!!). So I'm going to take my seat in South stand, as nervous and edgy as I always am as kick-off approaches, and see how the night pans out. The opening few games of SL 2025 haven't quite panned out as most would have predicted before last Thursday (the Salford debacle notwithstanding, obviously) so, fingers crossed, maybe that unpredictable start to the season will continue tonight. It can't be as big an upset as last year, so here's hoping for a cracking night under the lights. Let's hope we make some noise and rock the place to show the rest of SL that we're back and we're serious once more!! COYH

[quote="Marcus's Bicycle":1wrrmw28]True. We had the same situation in 2022 for the first home against St Helens.([u:1wrrmw28][b:1wrrmw28]the[/b:1wrrmw28][/u:1wrrmw28] [u:1wrrmw28][b:1wrrmw28]Luke Gale tripping one[/b:1wrrmw28][/u:1wrrmw28]) There was a ticket offer and we got a decent crowd. I was sat next to a fella who said he hadn't attended a game for a few years and was only there because of the offer. Of course it was another dreadful performance and he left early saying he won't be back in a hurry. A win is not out of the question but very unlikely. I just hope the new/returning fans realise this. What we need is not necessarily a win but to create an atmosphere and a performance which will lure them back.[/quote:1wrrmw28] Ah yes! Talk about starting as you mean to go on! Gale being sent off that afternoon feels now like a microcosm of everything that has gone wrong around our club these past 4/5 years. Decent crowd, dreadful performance, weather even worse (seem to recall it snowed for a decent portion of the afternoon), high profile signing sent off. Honestly, if it could go wrong it did go wrong that afternoon (and most afternoons after that as well!!!). Hoping that one day I will wake up to find that these past few years have all been simply a bad dream and they haven't actually happened!!! Let's hope that isn't repeated tonight, it's not going to snow at least, that we do know for certain!!!

[quote="BP1":9xy9syy0]Ah yes! Talk about starting as you mean to go on! Gale being sent off that afternoon feels now like a microcosm of everything that has gone wrong around our club these past 4/5 years. Decent crowd, dreadful performance, weather even worse (seem to recall it snowed for a decent portion of the afternoon), high profile signing sent off. Honestly, if it could go wrong it did go wrong that afternoon (and most afternoons after that as well!!!). Hoping that one day I will wake up to find that these past few years have all been simply a bad dream and they haven't actually happened!!! Let's hope that isn't repeated tonight, it's not going to snow at least, that we do know for certain!!![/quote:9xy9syy0] Just three years ago but the only players from the XVII that day still at the club are Lane, Fash and Sao.

I haven't purchased a season pass this year as circumstances could mean me missing half of our matches........But I've purchased my merchandise and have managed to squeeze in tonights match......So shirt all ready and looking forward to it......looks like it could be a dry night ......Just hoping for the same commitment and energy levels as last week ....The rest will take care of itself ...COYH