bulldogtrev

It was good to see the return of Manning and Brown yesterday. What Moxon needs is the tools to do the job and a settled team so he can sort the defence out. Making loads of changes and playing players out of position game after game does not work. Batley need to bring in a couple of players before the Doncaster game who are available until the end of the season to plug the gaps in the squad. Not plugging the holes in the squad and not being able to defend will result in relegation.

Could the club give an update on the injury list situation before the Featherstone Rovers game? I did not see anything in the the Bradford pre-match information about Joe Burton or Lucas Walshaw. Do the club have plans to sign any players on season long loans or attract Academy players who could fill the gaps in the squad? The only positive at the moment is being on 6 points. The points gained against Widnes, London and Barrow from losing positions.

I did not know Batley was down to the last 17 against London Broncos. In regards to Greensmith and Burton I did write taking into account injuries and suspensions. I still think Moxon as been making too many changes. Whatever the reason is for what Moxon is doing it is not working and something needs to change. Batley are looking like relegation favourites. Hopefully the change will start today.

Taking into account injuries and suspensions Moxon is making too many changes. When players play well they are dropped or moved out of position. Greensmith, Burton and Dean being examples. Alfie Dean scored the winning try against London, did not miss a tackle and fielded every kick. Dropped against Hunslet. Hoping for a win on Sunday but I fear a lack of team cohesion will cost Batley. I predict Barrow 24 Batley 16.

The weather forecast is for heavy rain. If you know there is a possibility of playing the first 40 minutes in heavy rain where the players are going to get soaking wet why wouldn't you take a spare strip in case you need to change the strip at halftime?

The weather forecast for Oldham on Sunday is gusty winds (yellow weather warning) and heavy rain. If the weather forecast is correct it will be a difficult game to predict. Butterworth (fullback) and the wingers will be tested under the highball. I hope Batley have the sense to take an extra set of shirts to change into at half-time.

The Rugby League have to review how the IMG performance score is awarded for Super League teams. From the Love Rugby League website Hull obtained 2.8571 points out of 4 due to finishining 9th, 10th and 11th over the last three seasons. The performance score should take into account a teams league position over the three seasons but also how competitive they are during the current season. I would introduce a rule that to be a category Grade A team you have to qualify for the play offs/finish above halfway once out of the three season finishes. I would introduce a second rule that all Super League teams have to win a minimum number of games during a season. If a team fails to reach the minimum number of wins then the points awarded for a league position finish that season is reduced.

I would not have retained Mitsias, Senior and Burton (Oli) based on performances during the 2024 season. Mitsias improved during the season but Batley need a centre who can tackle, score tries and pass to his winger. Mitsias can do 1 out of the 3. Senior misses too many tackles and Burton (Oli) will be a good signing for Rochdale who with more game time can improve his game. Looking forward to seeing who the club sign.

Halifax are the League Champions after winning yesterday that is the rules of the competition. Featherstone have been the best side in the league all season. Yesterday Featherstone had a 'dumb' last 20 minutes.Not dropping a goal when the scores where 22-16 and trying to play at 100 miles an hour instead of slowing the play down and running down the clock. Thought the fire alarm also changed the game when the fire alarm went off Featherstone where on a roll and Halifax's defence was all over the place. Good luck to Featherstone next season.

Wakefield look to have little chance of retaining there Super League place. Wakefield's new ground at Newmarket Lane, Stanley is being partly built on Leeds City Council green belt land and is being objected to by Leeds City Council and the residents. The site is also a breeding ground for the little ringed plover so there will be objections from birdwatchers, conservationists etc. http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/Published/C0...neWakefield.pdf

Even if Leigh do reach the National Rail final.I do not see how Leigh can have any chance of getting a Super League franchise.The Rugby League should give the licence to the team that ticks the boxes and have also been consistantly successful over the three seasons i.e finishing in the top six in every season should be an absolute minimum of obtaining a Super League franchise. The Leigh situation appears simillar to Doncaster and Oldham(2 clubs who have recently been in administration).Clubs who rent there ground and spent alot more money on wages then the amount of money they are bringing in.

I watched Batley when Carl Gibson played and he regularly played centre/winger before being transferred to Leeds. He was not a stand off if he played there it would have been due to an injury crisis. Benji Marshall and Frano Botica are other examples of black men playing at stand off.