After watching last nights game between Keighley and Featherstone it only goes to show the huge step up in class from League 1 to the Championship.

Keighley have invested heavily in Luke Gale , Dane Chisholm and Ben Crookes hoping to make a push for the play offs, however last night they were shown the reality and quality of the lower leagues.
Fev continually targeting Gale's edge in attack highlighting his weak defence which will be a spot for all teams though-out the season.

Surely that was a reality check on life in the league above , its ok.giving it the big licks when your pumping sides like West Wales, Cornwall and the rest of League 1 ,however the proof of the pudding is when you come up against a quality side and you realise your not as good as you thought.
The ruck speed was so much faster than most of the players are used to , with the Featherstone forwards punching holes all over the Keighley line giving the likes of Riley Dean free range to play off the back of a dominant pack.
I was surprised to see Keswick as the starting hooker, this may change when Doyle is available but I thought he and Robbie Storey were two who could leave the field with their heads up , Gale and Chisholm looked like the only thing their interested in was picking up a fat wage for little effort.

A trawl around the respective clubs social media sites etc this morning backs up what you have said KLD. One poster describing the Keighley effort has the worst he had seen in 44 yrs (big pinch of salt methinks). Be interesting to see how Mr Lovegrove adapts to that hammering and if the signing of Gale really does pay off for them

I shall be following the progress (or not) of both promoted clubs with interest.

Given the fact Jack Miller was league 1 player of the year and announced as captain for 2023 are we to assume he was dropped for the pairing of Gale and Chissy or was he absent through injury?

A very poor display from the Cougars which wont worry many of their future opponents , a tough trip to Widnes next weekend followed by a home game against Newcastle which is a must win if they plan on making the top 6.
I have seen some of the bookmakers quoting Keighley to finish as high as forth , however after last nights showing they could be in for a long season trying to avoid the drop.

A poster on one of the Keighley sites has stated that they will allow Miller to go out on loan. As usual nothing to back that statement up and a bit of a stretch IMO. It might be he is injured as you say, what I wouldn't be surprised at is that Gale was a fanfare signing with loads of publicity for the Cougars and all that goes with it. He wont be cheap even when part-time and therefore should be played irrespective of form. We have all seen that in this sport over the years and in reality it stink's.

The jury is out at the moment as to League positions and it remains to be seen if they can replicate what Barrow did at the first part of last season and punch above their weight.

Rumour has it Gale tried to get a Super League club but nobody would touch him, hence the drop to the Championship.
I also heard Miller had been offered to Newcastle but again only hear-say , feel for the lad as he was a standout for them last season but to be announced captain and then touted out must be a real kick in the teeth if true.

I would give the kid a go after the garbage Chisholm served up yesterday, cant be any worse.

I am sure Keighley will still finish mid table, but last night was a sobering watch. Keighley's real games are against the likes of Halifax, London etc. Swinton on the other hand should be worried about the year ahead, Newcastle at home should be a game they would be looking to win but to get 1 try at home against them is a bad start.

I said at the time and I say it again, I don't know why they signed Gale. I don't think I would have taken him at Doncaster now and he certainly wasn't a player that Keighley needed other than as signal of intent. Miller and Gale are too similar in style to play together and neither are going to be a 6.

Miller has been the heart of that club since he joined and if he gets kicked out (I have heard about him possibly going to Newcastle from a few sources now) for a disinterested journeyman then it proves there's no loyalty in sport. He has been their captain, player of the year and poster boy. He joined the club when it was on its backside and dragged them up, setting the foundation for the money to do the rest. Keighley have sold an image recently of a "we are family" as a club and at the first sign of change they go all Bradford.

It was indeed a sobering result considering the Cougar's "investment" and how much better they were than the rest of our league.

If our recruitment this year is enough to get us out of this league then recruitment for next year will pretty much need a full squad rebuild which isn't ideal.

I wonder if the Keighley fan who said it was the worst display he had seen by a Keighley side in 44 years was at Lawkholme Lane on 9th September 2018 to witness Keighley Cougars 6 Doncaster 50

Hats off to Swinton today, that is a superb result at Batley and Keighley much improved it would seem at Widnes.

Some of this aged badly

I certainly am

It turned out to be a 'hard to predict' relegation battle in the Championship. I felt sorry for Keighley losing out on points difference in the end.

Kyle Kesik wasn't on the list of Keighley players released so I don't know whether he'll still be with them next season. Players leaving are: Thomas Doyle, Billy Gaylor, Lewis Young and Harvey Spence (both going to Australia), Alix Stephenson, Jake Sweeting, Mo Agoro and Lloyd Roby.

Jack Miller has just signed a new two-year contract. Jake Webster is now Director of Rugby.

Does anyone know what's happened to Aaron Ollett at the Dons? He's hardly had a look in this year. He's always struck me as a good hard-working type who has played well for us. He was previously at Newcastle. I wonder if he might go back there?

Kyle has a new contract for 2024 with an option for 2025

That's good news. Do you know how old is he Jemmo? He seems to have been around forever.