So Sunday will be the end to the ifs buts and maybes. I think preseason has been a complete mixed bag some great performances against Doncaster and bradford,poor against Whitehaven and swinton and a very mixed bag against a solid Batley side. How do we all think we should line up from what we have saw? Personally I would go with
Roby
Ince
Edge
Fleming (maybe a duel reg player)
Brookes
Lyons
Gilmore
Murray
Fozzard
Field
Lloyd
Wilde
Bent/whitehead
Johnstone
Walker
Langtree
Roberts
I would play Owens in the halves.
I think Roby's best game has been in the halves. Would be tempted to give Roberts a run at centre.
A good shout that team and I would play Roby at halfback, or for that Tubby Captain Fantastic at fullback. I lose my crunchie if Coleman keeps playing Lardy over players like Roby. Tubby is too slow and not that great anymore.
I would try Roberts at centre and look forward to Dixon back. I quite liked Max Roberts at 13 and Bent is an option with his tackling work load. 🥖🥖🥖
Despite the mixed bag, I have some faith. Certainly defensively, we have looked better organised so far this year.
Batley result was obviously disappointing, however if we build on our defensive performance for 60 minutes and extend it to 80 mins then we will be okay 👍
I still believe that we are at best a mid-table team this year and a probably competing with Barrow,Batley, Halifax, Keighley, Whitehaven and Swinton for a mid-table finish and finishing outside the relegation places.
If we can’t beat Barrow at home, then the season will be looking bleak indeed.
Let’s hope for a good result on Sunday, with wins against Swinton, Dewsbury and Halifax in the following three fixtures.
As it happens, what is the point of this season? We could win every game and would not get into SL. As has been mentioned, perhaps that is why we have signed average players (but hoping that I am proved wrong) and saving our money to buy some advertising boards and maybe give Hamilton a pay rise!!!
Coleman stated at the fans meeting that we would be playing entertaining RL, our backs excited him and that Lyons is a talent and he will be getting one to one coaching. We didn't bust the line at all and the RL is like watching paint dry. Seems he hasn't a clue and to all the fans blaming Owens and Lyons you should be directing your anger/disappointment at Coleman as he selects the team.
Coleman stated at the fans meeting that we would be playing entertaining RL, our backs excited him and that Lyons is a talent and he will be getting one to one coaching. We didn't bust the line at all and the RL is like watching paint dry. Seems he hasn't a clue and to all the fans blaming Owens and Lyons you should be directing your anger/disappointment at Coleman as he selects the team.
Agree he picks the team and Coleman will get the crunchie thrown at him if this carries on. Buck stops with the coach.
Coleman did promise a top five finish but he has no chance unless he finds a leader on the field and two half backs .Happy with the forwards we have signed , in fact I can see two or three of them becoming crowd favourites .
I take the opposite view to you inasmuch as our forwards, new and old, are too small. We are consistently battered in the pack, leaving our backs having to do too much "donkey work" in the middle of the field to the detriment of their own duties.
Wilde, Lloyd, Bent, Gregson etc may be grafters but don't have the physical presence to dominate an opposition pack.
A sweeping statement I know, but it happened again against Batley.
Put our backs, including the current half backs, behind a dominant pack and I suggest you will see different results.
Gilmore, previously behind a bigger pack, was one of the better players in the league last season. He doesn't all of a sudden become a bad player.
Leader on the field? I can't understand why Fozard isn't at least Vice Captain.
Well I am off to Tenerife this weekend for 8 nights so will miss the game. As much as I am frustrated with our up and down performances I be behind the team. Glad we got Murray as a permanent player, who has some size. I wasn't a fan of Walker but slowly warming to him, because brings something different by attracting players around him with an offload. Hoping Langtree brings some steel to the pack and I have decided to try some encouraging of players I don't like too. After the joke system of dual and loan which means nothing I want to support the players we have now. Tilleke and Lyons are not the best, but I do want them to come good, because at least they will play for the shirt.
On a positive let's hope the club look for more investors like Matt Taylor, and keep up the good community work.
Sunny Gilmore was dominant behind our pack at Bradford so your theory is wrong.I take the opposite view to you inasmuch as our forwards, new and old, are too small. We are consistently battered in the pack, leaving our backs having to do too much "donkey work" in the middle of the field to the detriment of their own duties.
Wilde, Lloyd, Bent, Gregson etc may be grafters but don't have the physical presence to dominate an opposition pack.
A sweeping statement I know, but it happened again against Batley.
Put our backs, including the current half backs, behind a dominant pack and I suggest you will see different results.
Gilmore, previously behind a bigger pack, was one of the better players in the league last season. He doesn't all of a sudden become a bad player.
Leader on the field? I can't understand why Fozard isn't at least Vice Captain.
Sunny Gilmore was dominant behind our pack at Bradford so your theory is wrong.I take the opposite view to you inasmuch as our forwards, new and old, are too small. We are consistently battered in the pack, leaving our backs having to do too much "donkey work" in the middle of the field to the detriment of their own duties.
Wilde, Lloyd, Bent, Gregson etc may be grafters but don't have the physical presence to dominate an opposition pack.
A sweeping statement I know, but it happened again against Batley.
Put our backs, including the current half backs, behind a dominant pack and I suggest you will see different results.
Gilmore, previously behind a bigger pack, was one of the better players in the league last season. He doesn't all of a sudden become a bad player.
Leader on the field? I can't understand why Fozard isn't at least Vice Captain.
Don't think it is - the Bradford pack isn't particularly big. Remember the Swinton pack also took us apart.
Anyway, I wonder why Hillview wants to replace Gilmore.