70 replies to this topic

[John Drake]

Discuss the Northern Rail Cup Final between Halifax v Featherstone Rovers here.

[John Drake]

Gannon targets Cup final win

#NRCupfinal

Halifax prop Jim Gannon is aiming to settle a score when he plays in his fourth consecutive Northern Rail Cup final with Sunday’s showdown against Featherstone Rovers at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool (3.00pm).
Gannon has won the Cup twice with former club Widnes Vikings but suffered heartache in the 2011 final when Halifax were beaten by a last-minute try from Batley Bulldogs. This year he is hoping that the painful memories of that experience will help Halifax claim the trophy.
“I can’t wait for the final, this will be my fourth year in a row,” said Gannon. “I’ve lost two and won one so I want to equal out the scores on Sunday.
“There’s not just me who has experience of the final, we have plenty of players who were in the Batley Bulldogs side that won in 2010 so we know what to expect and will help some of the younger lads prepare for the game.”
Halifax go in to the game standing 80 minutes away from achieving one of the goals set them by new coach Karl Harrison at the start of the season but Gannon is aware it will be a tough test against Championship winners Featherstone Rovers
Gannon said: “It’s always a hard task against Featherstone, they are a very physical side.
“At the start of the season winning the Northern Rail Cup was one of our targets and now we are so close to achieving it.
“It would be great for our fans, especially after we lost in the final minute of the final last year against Batley, it was a cruel way to lose.
“Karl (Harrison) has really good man-management skills and we all have so much respect for him. This year there has been a lot of competition for places in the team and that’s kept us on our toes we know that we have to play well to keep our place.
“We realise that if we are going to win the game we need to be at our best, if we play to our potential then who knows what can happen."

The Northern Rail Cup final will be played on Sunday July 29 at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool. Tickets cost from just from just £14 for adults, and £8 for concession and are available by calling 0844 856 1113 or by visiting www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk
For more details on Northern Rail visit http://www.northernrail.org/ and for information on Blackpool, offers and where to stay visit www.visitblackpool.com/rugby

[John Drake]

Powell targets first Northern Rail Cup win

Featherstone coach Daryl Powell says nothing less than victory will suffice for his Rovers side as they prepare for the Northern Rail Cup final at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road on Sunday July 29 (3.00pm).
Featherstone go into their first ever Northern Rail Cup final aiming for a second trophy in two seasons but Powell knows opponents and close rivals Halifax will be determined to make amends for their dramatic 20-16 defeat against Leigh in the competition’s showpiece last season.
“It’s always important to win no matter what game it is,” said Powell. “But it would obviously be great if we could beat Halifax and take the Northern Rail Cup home to sit alongside the Championship trophy.
“We’ve had the experience of winning the Co-operative Championship Grand Final but never this one and I’d love to add it.
“Winning the Northern Rail Cup has been a target for us for many seasons but we’ve never quite managed it. This year we’ve cracked it and got there, but it means nothing if we don’t get the win.”
Powell will be aware of Halifax’s big-game prowess having watched his side fall to dramatic golden point defeats to their West Yorkshire rivals in both the 2010 Championship Grand Final and last season’s Northern Rail Cup semi-final.
“Halifax are a good team and they’ve got some quality players so the game really is 50-50,” he said.
“We’ve been exceptionally consistent this season and our defence is very strong so it would be great if we can keep that going to add some silverware to our cabinet and give the fans something to cheer.
“Our fan base is fantastic and the support that we get not only at home but away as well is great. We want the fans to have a great day out at Blackpool and hopefully win the trophy for them.”

[John Drake]

Featherstone Rovers v Halifax (Premier Sports, 3.00pm)

Featherstone Rovers coach Daryl Powell will check the fitness of James Lockwood (ankle) and Matty Dale (calf) before finalising his squad for Sunday's mouth-watering Northern Rail Cup final.
However, Powell has hinted that the Blackpool bonanza could come too soon for Tangi Ropati.
Featherstone's 31-28 win over Batley last week extended Rovers' winning run to 10 successive games.
Powell said: “We had to dig deep to win it. We were a little bit scratchy and we gave too much away.
“We just about edged it, but there wasn't much in it. However, having a tough test helps going into a big game. You don't want to be playing soft games.
“We'll go to Blackpool and have a real go at what's going to be a pretty special day.”
Rovers have never been to the Northern Rail Cup final, but Powell is confident ahead of the clash between the Co-operative Championship's two best attacking teams.
“We've had a couple of real tussles with Halifax,” said Powell.
“We just beat them early on in the Northern Rail Cup, but then we got absolutely hammered at home. We'd just played Wigan and they put the cleaners through us.
“We know what they can do. They're a clever side with loads of pace. Hopefully it's going to be a great final.”
Halifax coach Karl Harrison expects to be picking from a squad of 22 or 23 fit and available players, although Ross Divorty (ankle ligaments) will not feature.
Halifax also travel to Blackpool on a high, having seen off Hunslet 52-22 last week.
Harrison said: “It was a good run out. For 60 minutes of the game we were very, very good and very ruthless.
“Some of the tries we scored were magnificent, but we probably went a bit soft defensively in the last 20 minutes.
“But I told the players to make my decision really difficult, and they certainly have done.”

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Fev by one score - might even go to extra time.

[Chris Taylor]

Fev by one score - might even go to extra time.

Hope not!! Flipping hate them

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Fev are massive favourites being the best team outside of SL and have a very settled squad. They are the form team. They have the best halfbacks and a good solid pack and excellent backs. BUT Is very hard to call as despite all the signs are that Fev will win, Fax have a habit of being either brilliant or awful. They have already smashed the likes of Fev and Sheffield but have been lucky to beat alleged weaker sides like Swinton, London, Dewsbury,York this season. If Fev allow the Fax Pack especially Barlow, Ambler and Aizue to get on top then Penkywicz will destroy Fev like he has done before. Fax have players that can score from inside their own 10 metres in Worrincy and White. Worrincy in fact scored a try against Fev picking a loose ball up on his own try line. A unpredictable game and one that has the potential to be a classic or one sided affair depending if Fax turn up or not. Hopefully the final will help the fans to mix and get on better. Both clubs, players and many fans have gone to some length to help build bridges after a couple of idiots from both sides caused problems a couple of years ago in the Grand FInal. Hopefully the final will be a great event on and off the field whoever wins

[hindle xiii]

New trophy unveiled...

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Could have come up with different headlines! They're both pretty much the same!

[Trojan]

Fev are massive favourites being the best team outside of SL and have a very settled squad. They are the form team. They have the best halfbacks and a good solid pack and excellent backs. BUT Is very hard to call as despite all the signs are that Fev will win, Fax have a habit of being either brilliant or awful. They have already smashed the likes of Fev and Sheffield but have been lucky to beat alleged weaker sides like Swinton, London, Dewsbury,York this season. If Fev allow the Fax Pack especially Barlow, Ambler and Aizue to get on top then Penkywicz will destroy Fev like he has done before. Fax have players that can score from inside their own 10 metres in Worrincy and White. Worrincy in fact scored a try against Fev picking a loose ball up on his own try line. A unpredictable game and one that has the potential to be a classic or one sided affair depending if Fax turn up or not. Hopefully the final will help the fans to mix and get on better. Both clubs, players and many fans have gone to some length to help build bridges after a couple of idiots from both sides caused problems a couple of years ago in the Grand FInal. Hopefully the final will be a great event on and off the field whoever wins

I think it will be very tight. Obviously I hope Fev win, but in Karl Harrison 'Fax have a very good coach. If anyone can win it for them he can

[Bourbon Rat]

Good Luck 'FEV'

[Lobbygobbler]

Have both teams ticked the box already?

[MADREDNIGE]

no don't think so - rl are too busy trying to save ONE OF THEIR OWN - the bulls !!!

[Matt J]

Have both teams ticked the box already?

Featherstone, Sheffield and Leigh have ticked the box.

[longboard]

Come on Fax!

[jackknife]

I must be the only cas fan that wants fev to win apart from feisal nahaboo come on fev!!!

[my missus]

good game 6-6 knocking the hell out of each other.

[Lobbygobbler]

Featherstone, Sheffield and Leigh have ticked the box.

Ok so Fax have more to play for really if Fev have aleady ticked the box.

[my missus]

12-6 to fax great effort from sam barlow that.

[my missus]

half time great game 12-6 to fax