Albeit only against Rochdale Hatton did ok for his second half spell nothing spectacular but no mistakes & hexwas steady driving in. Max Roberts looked very useful on attack. He played the full second half & seems to have a burst of speed & took his try well beating two men with a step & swerve. He is not the biggest though & was not tested defensively yesterday.
How did the 3 ex vikings go for you yesterday?
Difficult to say coz (like you mob) we were up against a team from the league below.
Nobody really stood out, and nobody had a stinker.
Saints Reserves should be a stiffer task for us, and it's also away, so we / I should be clearer after the trip there as to who Coleman reckons his best XVII are.
The opening league game against Thunder is huuuuuuuuuge, and if we can put a W in the stats after that hit-up. it'll be a massive boost for us.
None of us, either on or off the park, are under any illusions. We know it's gonna be tough from day one of the campaign to maintain our middle tier status, but...........
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!
Spelly.
Saints-ish 24-32 Lions at a cold Ruskin Park this aft.
The game was switched from the TWS earlier today, to Pilks' plastic pitch.
We won both halves 16-12, scored six tries to four, were never behind, but it was competitive throughout, and our clincher was that late, there wasn't even time for the re-start. A far better workout than the Hurricanes' game last week.
A shed-load of substitutions on both sides, and the hosts seem to have a few useful kids on their books.
So it's the Pinks next week (and I doubt very much that Rowley will put his kids out) in our final friendly, before the season "proper" kicks in a fortnight today.
Spelly.
I hope they put kids out against us next week but doubt it in a testimonial game. I fear if they play Walmsley & co we could get worrying injuries. We already have 3, including one in training to Craven. The young lad from your mob went over on his ankle yesterday & Brookes went off early yesterday too.
Pinks v Lions tomorrow, in our last pre-season friendly, and the hosts have named a squad of 37!
Not sure if they'll all get a game, but it might be a bit crowded in the dug-out! 🤣
I wonder how many of those "avid" fans (3,000 ish I seem to recall) that went to Saints in the play-off, will be there tomorrow at the Ding Dong Bell? Cynical moi?
It's a tenner to park, so needless to say, and as I live nearer than most Pinks do anyway, I'll be walking it, and calling for summat distinctly unhealthy to eat on the way.
1.00pm kick-off, and my report will be on here tomorrow evening.
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!
Spelly.
Pinks 26-22 Lions this aft, but that only tells half a tale!
Rowley paid us the compliment / didn't take any chances, and his starting line-up was very close to what'll be there when SL kicks it. It was 26-0 at the break, and they'd not got out of second gear, but.........
The re-start saw their lesser mortals string opposing us, and we won the second half 22-0, so.........
What did we learn?
I fully accept that we're only talking about two lots of forty minutes in a friendly, and also that I am hugely biased, but if / when a few injuries are there, the Pinks don't have a lot of strength in depth, and every one of the thirty seven in their squad got on the park.
We lasted very well, and had the game gone on a bit longer we might have nicked it.
Newcastle at home next week now awaits us in the Championship opener.
Spelly.
It might seen daft to say, as there's not yet been a ball kicked in the Championship, but................
Sunday is massive for both Thunder and my mob!
When the fixtures were announced, I'm sure our friends from the North-East were thinking "Swinton away in the opener? Gotta be more than winnable!"
And of course, if we van secure the victory, it'll be the first hurdle negotiated in the daunting challenge we have of maintaining our middle tier status.
Most experts / pundits have us nailed on to be basement boys come end of term, but................
As I've said countless times - If you're a Swinton fan, you're a born optimist!
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spelly.
Like you Spelly, I start every season full of optimism for the year ahead. Inevitably, as the season progresses, that initial optimism usually fades away and it just becomes another Widnes season!
Like others have said on here, I believe we have a better squad this season that is capable of a top six finish.
This week’s results will be interesting and may give some indication on the chances of teams aiming for a top six finish.
The league is more competitive than in recent years and certainly the top six positions, if not promotion, is certainly more open.
After the disappointment of relegation and the loss of several players, will Toulouse be as competitive as their last stint in the Championship? Similarly with Featherstone, missing out on promotion again last year, can they justify their promotion odds? After their disappointing season last year, are London in any better position to mount a bid for the play-offs in 2023? Will Keighley be able to justify their spending, with a successful season? Are York in any better position this year, after their disappointing 2022 season? Will Bradford be in a position to improve on last season in their quest to recover their glory years? Will Barrow, Batley and Whitehaven be able to build on their top six finishes in 2022?
Finally, after recent disappointing seasons, will the improved squad and John Kear’s leadership, result in a top six finish for Widnes at least in 2023? A win against York this weekend may just set the scene for the season.
There's gonna be five meetings between your mob and mine next term!
Our ladies' team have (like the men) been promoted to the Championship, so will be clashing with Widnes.
The season starts mid-March.
COME ON YOU LIONESSES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spelly.
Lions 6-18 Thunder, at Heywood Road thus aft, and on the strength of eighty minutes football, it's gonna be a struggle to stay up.
Newcastle are nowt special, but they were still too good for us.
They had the vast majority of the possession in the first half, but good defence kept 'em out, and almost on the hooter, we scored in the corner, and went in at oranges 4-0 to the good.
They went 6-4 up, and we levelled it with a penalty, but two late converted tries sealed the deal for the visitors.
Batley away is our next game.
Congrats on your win today.
Spelly.
'Dogs 16-30 Prediction League Busters at the Mount this aft! YESSSSSSSSSSS!
Playing uphill in the first half, we went in just 10-6 astray at the interval.
They scored first after the re-start to lead 16-6, but from then on it was all the Lions!
Some of the home fans were drifting away before the hooter to be greeted with "We can see you sneaking out!" from those in blue and white.
Will we team of the week in League Express tomorrow?
Barrow come a-calling next week on P2, L2 record. Can we send 'em home on P3, L3?
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!
Spelly.
@spelly In your unbiased view Spelly 😁 did Swinton play very well, in the second half or were Batley a lot poorer than last season?
@spelly In your unbiased view Spelly 😁 did Swinton play very well, in the second half or were Batley a lot poorer than last season?
Unbiased? Spelly? Same sentence? 🤣
8-4 to them in the penalty count. Their second try looked marginally offside, but............
For about the last 25-30 minutes, we were awesome!
Superb defence, and a couple of spectacular breaks to produce tries.
I've never seen Allan Coleman as animated as he was when he came over to the fans at the end!
I'm not gonna get carried away, and we need to kick on from this, against Barrow next week at ours, but......
Based on our performance today, we're not in this division just to make up the numbers!
Is that (un?) biased enough for you mate? 🤣
Spelly.
👍😁
When was the last time you took the spoils at mount pleasant spelly?