20 man squad named:
Owens, Spedding, Tyrer, Cross, Craven, Smith, Edge, Roby, Buckley, Brookes, Hill, Clough, Grady, Jewitt, Lawton, Dwyer, Wilde, Tilleke, Else, Lyons.
Presumably the only 20 available after injury and isolation.....
Jewitt needs some minutes!
Don’t think Jewitt will be fit, so that leaves us with 19.
19/20 fit players after round 1. How has it come to this?
Farnworth and Baker self-isolating due to covid; Cook injured back last week; O'Neill recovering from head injury; Hatton close to return; and Tomkins long term injury. We do seem to be relying on loans to bolster the small squad.
Just hope we can get this game out of the way without picking up any injuries really. At best we will have only two forwards on the bench. If Jewitt isn't fit we won't even have that.
Don’t think Jewitt will be fit, so that leaves us with 19. 19/20 fit players after round 1. How has it come to this?
It’s not good enough.
Only used 16 players round 1 because we didn’t have enough forwards and a week later we haven’t even got enough players to name a full squad.
A sad state.
Just hope we can get this game out of the way without picking up any injuries really. At best we will have only two forwards on the bench. If Jewitt isn’t fit we won’t even have that.
We really do have to hope!
Can't see us finishing a season without some signings, either on loan or real. I can understand caution in the early pre-season but to start the season this short of players can't be a game plan surely, there must be a shortage of funds? Otherwise we should have at least held on to the youngsters that have been allowed to go.
Quick look around on the web, assuming the info is up to date:
We have a squad of 26
Halifax have 26
Dewsbury have 29
Oldham have 29
Bradford have 32 plus academy
Sheffield have 30
Interesting.....
With covid around you have to allow for the potential of a few being sidelined. To go into the season with such a small squad, especially in the forwards is a risk. We are relying on 2 young lads aged 20/21 to play week in week out in the forwards. Without 2 props, a hooker and a 2nd row to rotate from the bench it must affect the game plan.
Even more of a worry, this is only after game 1! Forwards get injured as its a tough position, as the absence of O'Neil and Cook shows. What state will we be in 5 or 6 games in. Is that why we didn't play any friendlies?
Don’t think Jewitt will be fit, so that leaves us with 19. 19/20 fit players after round 1. How has it come to this?
Injuries, COVID, a lack of Finances and nobody available with the quality we have or want for the money we can afford. Just as an aside, the three games we have played after a year off have been 2 wins and a draw (or half a win as the RFL would have it). Keep some of your powder dry for next week after the Salford game 😁😁
You really seem to be struggling for numbers, but.............
I soooooooooooooooo hope you can pull off a shock win!
It happens very rarely I know, but we did it at Huddersfield a year or two since, so it can be done!
All the best from your Swinton member!
Spelly.
It's a funny old game as they say.
If we had managed to build on the half time lead against Newcastle and win comfortably as many predicted, the discussion on here would be about the (remote) possibility of bringing off a shock result by beating Salford. Now we have stooped to discussing whether or not we could withdraw because we are likely to be hammered!
Salford have not exactly had a brilliant start to the season, but a good result for us would be a decent performance, giving Salford a hard game and no more injuries.
I am not sure about spending £4.95 to watch it all unfold!! Maybe better investing it on a horse in the Grand National.
Cloth Cap - the RL image that SL have been trying to ditch for years
Any Second Now - Capey may say something positive about Widnes
Taking Risks - What Widnes have done by having a small squad and signing players with a history of injuries
Shattered Love - How many fans have fallen out with the game
Definitely Red - Spelly's selection and his prediction of the result on Saturday
The Long Mile - How this season will feel if we don't bring in some further signings
My selection Kimberlite Candy at 12/1 - probably as much chance as Widnes for a win!
Good luck to everyone, particularly Widnes for a shock result.
It’s a funny old game as they say. If we had managed to build on the half time lead against Newcastle and win comfortably as many predicted, the discussion on here would be about the (remote) possibility of bringing off a shock result by beating Salford. Now we have stooped to discussing whether or not we could withdraw because we are likely to be hammered! Salford have not exactly had a brilliant start to the season, but a good result for us would be a decent performance, giving Salford a hard game and no more injuries. I am not sure about spending £4.95 to watch it all unfold!! Maybe better investing it on a horse in the Grand National. Cloth Cap – the RL image that SL have been trying to ditch for years Any Second Now – Capey may say something positive about Widnes Taking Risks – What Widnes have done by having a small squad and signing players with a history of injuries Shattered Love – How many fans have fallen out with the game Definitely Red – Spelly’s selection and his prediction of the result on Saturday The Long Mile – How this season will feel if we don’t bring in some further signings My selection Kimberlite Candy at 12/1 – probably as much chance as Widnes for a win! Good luck to everyone, particularly Widnes for a shock result.
LOLOLOL
Spelly.
I don’t believe ‘lack of finances’ as a reason. Forgive me if I’m wrong but on James’ podcast Finney said we were in a strong position that wouldn’t suggest lack of finances to me. In our position with injuries already and Covid risk and showing we can’t even pick a 21 man squad we have no choice but to dip into the market because this can’t carry on after 3 competitive games
I agree that if we had won on Sunday there would be a different feel.
But we were always going to get injuries and isolating players, whether it be now, next week or in 6 weeks time.
Equally, we knew last summer we had one senior hooker. We knew last summer the twins, Moran and Wilde were leaving. Johnson also left. We have not signed a replacement senior winger.
You can argue that we have had 3 props come in for the twins and Moran, plus Lawton for Wilde. That has not fundamentally altered the make up of the squad.
Like him or loathe him, Leuluai was vastly experienced and has effectively been replaced by Josh Wilde (who has done fine btw!)
We ran with a 24 man squad, plus reserves and academy last year. Let us not forget we needed to use reserve players like Hulme and Wood, plus DR which doesn't exist anymore. In fact we used 25 players in total in just 7 matches!
I just feel the squad is generally understrength.
Anyway, I hope we play well tomorrow and I'm sure there will be no lack of effort!
I don’t believe ‘lack of finances’ as a reason. Forgive me if I’m wrong but on James’ podcast Finney said we were in a strong position that wouldn’t suggest lack of finances to me. In our position with injuries already and Covid risk and showing we can’t even pick a 21 man squad we have no choice but to dip into the market because this can’t carry on after 3 competitive games
There is a difference in between not having debts and being able to spend.
The club are obviously on the look out for affordable options - like the lad from Wire we have on loan, but anybody who thinks they are going to make it in SL would be looking for more than we can afford (as a pat time team) and outside of SL there aren’t many options that are available that are better than we have and who might not necessarily want to sign for us.