changing the subject slightly most rovers fans I have spoke too after the initial shock and embarrassment of going down seem more enthusiastic about this coming season than most for a while, maybe its because they are looking forward to watching a winning team for the first time in quite a few seasons and looking forward to going home from a game with a smile on their face after a game you could say has a club you are where your happiest a big fish in a little pond , this may explain to great uptake of shirts and passes

That is one way of looking at it and if those supporters you have spoken to said that they want to stay in the championship then you have hit the nail on the head. However, I think for most of us there was a realisation that our club needed us. I think the reaction to relegation is more of a Blitz/Dunkrirk spirit kind of attitude rather than looking forward to winning some games.

Although watching a team that wins more than we have recently will be nice.

Back handed compliment duly noted.

I always like it when people say "Duly noted", as if they have a little book that they record these things in.

I'm now just waiting for Kross Keith to come and tell me off again.

Never mind coming away from the game with a smile, I'm looking forward to going into games with optimism. We couldn't really compete with half the league over 80 minutes by the end of our SL tenure. Hope for a win had become trepidation about an embarrassing defeat. And ultimately resignation.

I'll certainly be happier if we do turn out to be a tuna in the Championship than I was last season, when we were a small, wounded and confused whitebait. We had our share of misfortune, and then some, but tbh it was a bit of a shambles. I can't imagine many won't be very eager to get back though.

I think there are a few reasons, a little bit of Dunkirk/blitz attitude as hezza mentioned but also the realisation of how badly we had lost our way in SL.
We now have a great coach and a decent squad that has a good balance of experience and young raw talent. The positives are that we can use the experience to learn and blood the young lads and hopefully return to SL stronger and better.

After watching championship rugby for many seasons I definitely don't want to be here I just think we need to take a step back to go forward as we've been going nowhere for about four years

to all who replied all fans are the same look at hull city they was getting better crowds in the championship on there promotion run than they are now in the premier league it would not surprise me to see your home support increase after a few games people love a winning teams no mater who you support or who your playing after all rugby is entertainment and we pay to be entertained and go home happy, what ever happens this year in the middle 8s if you do not make it back at the first time it will not be for lack of support I'm certain of that the truth is no matter how good your support is its a lottery being based over a few games rather than a whole season

It can go the other way when your going to a game knowing your going to win easily that can get a bit boring I am looking forward to the season and it will help seeing a winning team with players who want to play for the club I just hope it's one season

there is no way we will get better crowds in the championship than superleague but they may increase if we get in the middle 8s as we should most rovers fans were just happy to be in superleague and not expecting to win too many games . but we were not the worst team last year you saw yourself what happened so we may be able to pick off wakey, Salford. leigh . etc next year and be a bit wiser if it happens and maintain superleague status

We are in the Championship on merit. Any team that cannot prevent the opposition from scoring twice in the final 2 minutes of a "must win" game deserves to be in our position right now.

That said, we weren't the worst team in SL last year, but our coaching and recruitment went into reverse after Justin Morgan departed.

The relegation should give us a great opportunity to regenerate our optimism and refuel our winning mentality under one of the game's top coaches. It will be far from a walk in the park but it is an opportunity we ought to capitalise on. The signs are promising.

One of your issues next year will be a lack of competitive games for the first 23 rounds. Doesn't look likely you'll be challenged on a regular basis so won;t really prepare you well for the middle 8's

Also rumoured you have quinlan and shillington coming over so you will easily have the best team in the championship but look a bit short of experience in key positions for me. Having said that I think leigh, widnes and salford will al be poor next year so I still think you have a strong chance of being promoted

I would have agreed with you on the first point if it wasn't for the fact that the season Leigh failed miserably in the middle 8s they played a few SL teams in the CC beaten two of them last season they hadn't played anyone decent all year and were unbeaten except for the first game so who knows

It's optimism that we can learn, build and come back stronger that is driving our supporters at the moment. Not the possibility of watching a winning team every week at a lower level. Different mentality to that encountered at the kcom.

The lack of competitive games should not be to the detriment of the squad. Tim Sheens challenge is to keep players on their game by regularly rotating the first 17. With so many young players on the fringes the competition for a starting place should keep things sharp and help with development.
If we are professional in our aproach to every game, come the money end of the season the team should be focused.
Plus the opportunity to earn a super league contract in 2018 should act as a very good carrot to every squad member.

I agree I think there maybe a bit of a gap opening in super league with the bottom 4 been away off you could well be very competitive against these teams barring injuries it could even work in your favour playing easy teams you maybe a lot fresher than the super league teams which I think was the difference with Leigh you will have best coach for sure