hunsletgreenandgold

We (Hunslet Parkside) are definitely aiming to take on the League 1 clubs this year and will be very disappointed if our exit from the CC isn't at the hands of a Championship/SL club. Our entry into the preseason Yorkshire Cup comp should give us some good practice in testing ourselves against the best.

Yeah he's cut more from the Burgess twins cloth than Sam/Graham. Potential to be the 'go forward' for Leeds for many years to come - just has some defensive naiveties sometimes which i'm sure Furner will iron out in time.

This truly is an all time low for the sport - it is a form of discrimination. As much as it would make even more of a shambles of the CC I wish some of the perceived bigger clubs would pull out as well - to basically make clear if they treat TWP/TO like this then they won't be used as the RFL's gravy train.

You lads will go well - no doubt about that.

How's about 2 aggregate scores this season is the winner?

Yeah it's our understanding the Challenge Trophy has died a death......looks like we get to keep it forever haha.

Okay but even with a 40m target, to kick it from inside your 20 would require an angled kick over 60m to benefit from the additional 20m ‘target area’ - I don’t know about you but I can’t think of too many players with power and skill to do that? So again I’d say if they can then the kick is well worth it’s reward.

Sounds like it’s in addition to, well at least that’s how it reads to me... https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/11/29/20-40-kick-nrl-coaches-to-consider-trial-for-rule-proposal/

See I don't see it that way. RL is often accused of being a little one dimensional (5 drives and deep kick) - especially the NRL with it's obsession with completed sets. For me this allows the creative players to change it up a bit and as Southern just said, have the defensive team make decisions about dropping players out of the line etc. Like I said previously I don't expect this to be utilised anymore than the 40/20 currently does and the rarity of that means that it is applauded as a piece of great skill when it works - I think this will be the same. Some will cry it kills the 'arm wrestle' of the game - well I say good, the arm wrestle can be very boring sometimes.

Why would it? It requires the exact same level of skill as the 40/20 does but under arguably a lot more pressure (as the ball will be your opponents from where you kick if it goes out on the full) so I think the reward on offer if it is achieved is fair. It's also worth bearing in mind we get a successful 40/20 kick on average once every 2 games - personally I think the 20/40 would be utilised (and therefore successful) even less than that, so let's not be worried about turning into union where pretty much any ball inside the 22m is kicked to touch.

This is great news - I'm sure lots of neutrals will make the trip over for this! Please please please let's not now make this thread about how good/bad the attendance could/should be. This can only be seen as a positive move.

I think they've had to though because other reports were suggesting he's leaving now and I think they wanted to clear up that he will be there next season but most likely not after that. It would require a hefty transfer fee for him to leave before the start of the season. Only way I can see Dragons allowing this is if they've agreed something with SJ.

The Dragons statement pretty much reads as he will stay for 2019 but expect him to leave after. I'd expect his future post 2019 to be confirmed before the start of the season. In knowing this I think Leeds is a real possibility now. Myler would have a year left but I'm sure if he knew Widdop was coming he'd be looking elsewhere for a longer deal rather than sitting a year out at Leeds.

Sydney Morning Herald and Fox reporting it now. Maybe not as pie in the sky as some on here suggest. https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/homesick-gareth-widdop-requests-early-release-from-dragons-contract/news-story/4eac42662fae6db1207caa456fb33bd4

Whilst as always it's easy to joke about 'why would <insert NRL player> want to come to the north of England, I think Widdop is quite different. Homesick obviously isn't the right term as he's lived there 13 years but let's not forget he spent his whole childhood in the U.K. and as someone else eluded to, maybe he wants the same for his own kids. I'd also add for all the UK's current political crisis, Australia isn't much better and to many expats out there a very different society/environment to what's it was say 20 years ago. If this 'rumour' does carry any weight then I'd guess it'll only be after this next season at which point you're looking at a 30 year old Widdop who could probably command a four year contract from a top SL club which would outweigh the remaining deal of his Dragons deal.