Lions 22-22 'Yeds this aft, but draws are no good to us in our precarious state.
To have any realistic chance of staying up, we had to win today, coz the result still leaves us astray of Oldham, and rock bottom.
Was it fair result? Probably, coz we were awful in the first half, and trailed 12-0 at the interval, but bossed the second period, scoring four tries to their two.
So short of (yet another) moving of the goalposts, we'll be heading for the likes of Wrexham Llanelli, and Coventry next term.
We host Batley next week, then in a fortnight, we're at 'Fax, so it's not gonna get any easier!
Spelly.
You've recalled Owen Buckley according to our 'site, so our depleted numbers will be even more tested on Sunday against the Men from the Mount.
Thank you to him for his efforts in a Lions' shirt.
Spelly.
Hi Spelly, just pondering in an idle moment about Central Park years ago. Do you recall pre-season 7-a-side games with all clubs entering a team? Iirc it was an annual event with less chance of injury than full on pre season games.
Could be revived, especially with all weather pitches, and be attractive to BBC, after the Olympic competition.
I have a bee in my bonnet where our game seems to be excluded from Olympic consideration. The RFL/SL could establish it as a parallel comp to the regular games as a pipe-opener for early fans!
Any thoughts?
The pre-season 7s at Central Park were still going until the early 90s, I remember going to a couple. They were a brilliant watch.
Hi Spelly, just pondering in an idle moment about Central Park years ago. Do you recall pre-season 7-a-side games with all clubs entering a team? Iirc it was an annual event with less chance of injury than full on pre season games. Could be revived, especially with all weather pitches, and be attractive to BBC, after the Olympic competition. I have a bee in my bonnet where our game seems to be excluded from Olympic consideration. The RFL/SL could establish it as a parallel comp to the regular games as a pipe-opener for early fans! Any thoughts?
Yeah, it was staged around the first week of August I think.
We won it once, beating Wire (inc Andy Gregory) in the final, and it lashed down all afternoon! It was 1985, just after we'd won promotion to the (then) first division. A mere 36 years ago!
Your idea defo has merits, but we'd now be talking end Jan / early Feb to stage it, and it could well be (more than) a bit nippy! So would that go down well with the fans / sponsors? Although, as you say, a plastic pitch, like at your gaff, would ensure the comp went ahead. Arguments for and against.
I agree totally however, that XIII is wrong to be excluded from the once in four years sporting extravaganza.
Back to you mate!
Spelly.
Writing to Rimmer - more in hope than anticipation!
Lions 6-38 Bulldogs this aft, and another nail in the relegation coffin for my mob.
We scored first with a try from Roberts off a Ridyard kick, which looked (to me) just offside, but......
From then on, it was all Batley, and the score line flatters 'em not one bit!
Long before the final hooter, the body language of our guys looked like they'd already thrown in the towel, and are resigned to the dreaded drop.
I gave you a bit of duff info last week, saying our next away game is at 'Fax, but it's the Bulls next, then the trip to the Shay bisects visits from the Broncos, and you mob, before the curtain comes down on this sorry season.
Spelly.
Bulls away on Sunday, and whilst I'm not (by far) expecting a win, I just hope there's more heart than there was against Batley.
We beat 'em in a pre-season friendly (when Kenga was injured, and he won't play again this campaign) and ran 'em to within a point in the home league game, but things have soured since, and we're bottom coz we deserve to be.
As ever, W, L, or D, my biased report will appear on here!
COME ON YOU LIONS!!
Spelly
Bulls 30-26 Lions at Odsal this aft, and we're down now, even mathematically.
Five tries apiece, but they landed all their conversions, whilst we could only manage three.
12-10 to them at half-time, then two needless penalties were given away, which cost us twelve points, and it looked game over, but............
Unlike last week, we didn't throw the towel in, and two converted tries pulled us back to just four astray, and at the end, they were hanging on, but..........
When you're at the bottom of the league, luck seems to desert you, and the "there's no justice!" feeling is there, but it's yet another L on our record, in this season to forget.
Next week it's 'Fax away, so let's hope they don't take today's result out on us! Congrats by the way!
Spelly.
Just one addition to the above...........
Today we got a 20-40! I didn't even realise it'd been introduced here, and thought it was only in Oz.
It's defo the first I've seen. Have there been any in your games?
Spelly.
Just one addition to the above……….. Today we got a 20-40! I didn’t even realise it’d been introduced here, and thought it was only in Oz. It’s defo the first I’ve seen. Have there been any in your games? Spelly.
Does it count on the stamp size pitch. Having been watching Crusaders this season. I bet your secretly excited to get to a new ground Stadiwm Zip world 👍
Just one addition to the above……….. Today we got a 20-40! I didn’t even realise it’d been introduced here, and thought it was only in Oz. It’s defo the first I’ve seen. Have there been any in your games? Spelly.
1) Does it count on the stamp size pitch. 2) Having been watching Crusaders this season. I bet your secretly excited to get to a new ground Stadiwm Zip world
1) The pitch (so I was told today) is now "legal" again.
2) North Wales seem to be playing some good stuff at present, and had a good win at Worky today, so promotion is very much on the cards for 'em, meaning we could miss out on a trip there, but.......
They're hosting 'Ornits on Saturday, so may well have a trip to Colwyn Bay, and add another ground to my CV.
Spelly.
I was at the u17 Wales England today. Talking to scouts from Wigan. One said it reminded the of Illawarra's ground. Ha it is nice and crusaders are playing great
'Fax 48-12 Lions at the Shay this aft, but I would imagine that you must be feeling even worse than us!
You stuff Grix's Guys last week, they give us a right tatering today, yet you ship 60+ in up on the West Cumbrian coast!
26-0 at half time, and we were awful. We got back to 26-12 not long after the re-start, and dared to dream, but it wasn't to be, with the scoreline telling no lies.
Their last try sums our season up in a nutshell. We were awarded a pen on the hooter, and ran it. We got another when one of our lads was taken out, so we ran it again. This time we lost the ball, their bloke picked it up, and went summat like 80 metres to score! All this after the hooter!
I don't know if there was anything potential signing for next season in it, but I did notice that just after the game, as the players were shaking hands, Grix was having a word with Mike Butt. As I say, it could be summat quite innocent, but there was more than me saw it.
It really is grim being a Swinton fan at present (and it's getting grimmer) and we were singing songs like "We won't see you next season!" and "West Wales here we come!" much to the amusement of the home supporters!
London at home next week, Sheff at Donny in a fortnight, then in three weeks' time, this season to forget concludes when we host somebody called Widnes. Ever heard of 'em? LOL
Spelly.
So Tsang's Tribe await us on Sunday eh? What can we expect?
They gave Sheff a tatering last week, whilst we shipped in 40+ at 'Fax.
They're only just above the dotted line at present, so will defo be up for it.
Our only hope of a bit of glory (wrong word) this season, is to avoid being the basement boys. So if you can do us a favour by doing the biz over Oldham, and we get the better of the Broncos, that target would be a little more achievable!
Come on you Chemics and Lions!
Spelly