23 replies to this topic

[marko9]

Think we will finish 3rd this year,final of northern rail,good challenge cup run fingers crossed get some money in,think we got an improved squad from last year,although some players have retired who would have been great retentions,think preece is still a great fb,lythsey was playing well at LF

[Blind side johnny]

Duck, it's a pig!!!

[M Hopkins]

Main aim is top six. Once we know weve got at least that then we should push for as higher position as possible. Would love another trip to Blackpool. And a home game against the rhynos in the challenge cup would be good!

[Keep The Faith]

preece over greenwood? greenwood offers a alot... i think top 2 and maybe a grand final apperance and semi final in northern rail also any of the top 4 in challenge cup QF at home.

Ce message a été modifié par Keep The Faith - 20 novembre 2012 - 05:16 .

[DOGFATHER]

You honestly think we have a better squad than fax Fev leigh or Sheffield ?

5th or 6th for my money at best.

[DOGFATHER]

dupe post

Ce message a été modifié par DOGFATHER - 20 novembre 2012 - 05:15 .

[distantdog]

preece over greenwood? greenwood offers a alot... i think top 2 and maybe a grand final apperance and semi final in northern rail also any of the top 4 in challenge cup QF at home.

Calm down. What last season proved to me was that our third place a couple of seasons ago was a magnificent achievement as I believed we had a better team and squad last season and stilll only ended up in fifth. If we repeated that this year I would be happy. Then once in play-offs who knows what might happen.

[Keep The Faith]

we have strength in depth for once in the backs.. also proven talent in easders,davies,faal and johnson also having spoke to some players and coaching staff there is a buzz around the club that we can go one step future in 2013 don't forget 12 months ago we were still signing players when we started pre season. but then again i'm only going on what i know and i'v heard and all the rest of it. leigh don't look stronger than us have they signed anyone big again this year? fax have strengthed in murrell and fev have lost there best player or he seemed it when he played against us in stu dickens. i think a dark house to make the plays off this year if they keep there half back fit in danny grimshaw is hunslet.

[fredm]

I think we probably have more depth to the squad this season which should allow JK to rest players when he thinks fit. Personally I think the front row may hold the key - if we can get enough impetus there to take us forward the rest may click into place.

Hopefully more points (pro rata) than last season and if so we shall have to see where we finish. That should be enough to get into the play offs and then it's game on.

[Griff]

Think we will finish 3rd this year ....

Who do you think is better than Batley ?

[grumpyoldram]

we have strength in depth for once in the backs.. also proven talent in easders,davies,faal and johnson also having spoke to some players and coaching staff there is a buzz around the club that we can go one step future in 2013 don't forget 12 months ago we were still signing players when we started pre season. but then again i'm only going on what i know and i'v heard and all the rest of it. leigh don't look stronger than us have they signed anyone big again this year? fax have strengthed in murrell and fev have lost there best player or he seemed it when he played against us in stu dickens. i think a dark house to make the plays off this year if they keep there half back fit in danny grimshaw is hunslet.

Faal and Esders are very good attacking players, but I think you'll find you ship a few more tries through the centre because they ain't the best defenders in the world - that's not sour grapes, ask anybody from their previous clubs and they will tell you the same. IMO Esders is a second row and should be played as such - stick with danny boy at centre. I think you will finish fifth again, which will be a major achievement given your budget compared to the top four - something I'd more than settle for with the rams.

[Ackropj]

I think you can well and truly throw the form book into the bin, No team is going to be consistently the same this year except Fax and Fev ( playing roster ), All the other teams with Partnerships etc will be different most weeks i would expect, my team Fax and Fev will be under alot more pressure to succeed this year with less recouperation time and if injuries hit like they did towards the back of last year for us then its game over for fax and fev, The twinned teams can bring in cover who are equally capable or better, Fax and fev will have to patch up where they can. Also i see the " lower teams " pulling off many more upsets and making it a close league all the way to the end again. Whether this is fair or not is open to debate, I wish your team well and look forward to losing my voice again when you visit the shay.

[buford t justice]

Ive not been overly imptressed with the recruitment and there are a few players ive yet to see in action, so time will tell, far too early for predictions, just got to trust John Kears judgement and see what happens when the league campaign gets underway.

After 25 years watching Batley, i have learnt not to make predictions for the upcoming season, that way you are never dissapointed, and unfortuinately we often are.

Ill settle for beating Dewsbury home and away to start with, oh and avoiding relegation, anything else will be a nice bonus!

[grumpyoldram]

Ive not been overly imptressed with the recruitment and there are a few players ive yet to see in action, so time will tell, far too early for predictions, just got to trust John Kears judgement and see what happens when the league campaign gets underway.

After 25 years watching Batley, i have learnt not to make predictions for the upcoming season, that way you are never dissapointed, and unfortuinately we often are.

Ill settle for beating Dewsbury home and away to start with, oh and avoiding relegation, anything else will be a nice bonus!

If you're in the bottom four I'll wear a dogs shirt on the town hall steps - if you'll lend me one.

[marko9]

In answer to keep the faith,meant preece aswell as greenwood,if preece didn't retire still would have signed greenwood,diff players who offer diff positives to the team,preece was a great fb,good hands,fearless and scored tries,think we have recruited well although not see all of new signings play,we have recruited based on weaknesses seen in games,we will have a lot of physicality and aggression in the pack,this can be our season we already have turned into top 6 material,we can improve on last season,john kear is an excellent coach looked what he has done to Alex walmsley and players who were deemed not good enough such as Hirst

[marko9]

Think every team is under pressure to succeed even Batley,not just fax and fev,fev have recruited 3 super league players who won't be cheap so would expect those players to be great quality,but having to patch up while other teams can get players from their sp partner,I'm sure Halifax will loan players from super league same as others in a partnership, if in trouble injury wise

[Ackropj]

I would hope that we would not need them with so many back from long term injury, Mick Nanyn and Ian Morrison, Along with Murrell, Tony Tonks, Andy Bracek, if they can stay injury free will make welcome additions to the team, I just pray to got that we play different to the boring rugby we played last year, Grinding out results is one thing but we were lucky last year, We owned fev in the NRC final but never really got back to that afterwards, match winners like penky "stole" some games for us but he has gone and we have to get used to it. it'll hurt us im sure but Ces la Vie.

[DOGFATHER]

we have strength in depth for once in the backs.. also proven talent in easders,davies,faal and johnson also having spoke to some players and coaching staff there is a buzz around the club that we can go one step future in 2013 don't forget 12 months ago we were still signing players when we started pre season. but then again i'm only going on what i know and i'v heard and all the rest of it. leigh don't look stronger than us have they signed anyone big again this year? fax have strengthed in murrell and fev have lost there best player or he seemed it when he played against us in stu dickens. i think a dark house to make the plays off this year if they keep there half back fit in danny grimshaw is hunslet.

Hunslet, you must be dreaming mate,they simply do not have the quality. As good as Grimmer may be, with the likes of Menzies running off him I cannot see anything but a struggle for them again.

Leigh have signed Sean Penkywicz from Fax arguably the best hooker in the division; they have also kept hold of Bob Beswick. If you want a team to go forward and get on the front foot, then these guys are the lads you want in the Championship, I'd bet my bottom dollar Leigh will be above us come the end of the season.

Our season hinges on Walmsley and Fleming playing for the majority of the season, If they play for us for the majority of the season we should do well. Sadly though that is a very big IF, I'm really not convinced our other props can set the platform we will need if these 2 lads make it in SL.

Ce message a été modifié par DOGFATHER - 20 novembre 2012 - 05:30 .

[thundergaz]

We have lost stu and he is a big loss to us no doubt about that. But I think he started to struggle last season so a good move for him IMO. But I think we look a lot stronger this season than we did this time last season. I'm in no doubt we will be their or their abouts again along with your selves and Leigh. Fax look weaker than last season up to now IMO. Also I don't see the eagles strengthening at the minute. But as we all know the eagles are hard to predict but the top 3 IMO will be us Leigh and you guys.Dont know what order though.Also we look to have great strength in depth for next season which we have lacked for quite a bit now. We have some great cover for injuries for a change.Penky is a good player but I think fax have let him go at the right time I think his best is behind him and I think we have the best hooker in Ellis but next season will sort that debate out I guess 😃

Ce message a été modifié par thundergaz - 20 novembre 2012 - 05:33 .

[Ackropj]

Thundergaz, I like your optomism, But penky is by far past it, He is the best hooker in the league and is pure class and a game winner, especially against you guys, Fax are not weaker by any means, we have got Murrell, Tonks, Nanyn, Morrison all back in the squad, We hav eyoung ashall and will also have manning back, If anything we will be a bit stronger but unless our style of play is addressed and our attacking is better we will still be grinding out wins instead of putting teams to the sword, The half backs are my worry and i am sorry to say that Handforth needs to stand up and be counted this year, he had some great games last year but few and far between.

Cant freakin wait now.