Reverend Ram

And on viewing a second time it looks little better- paper thin defence does not augur well for the games against the likes of Widnes, TWP and Toulouse or even Dewsbury cast offs (aka Sheffield). However I will keep the faith as you would expect from a man of the cloth and let’s see how demoralised Barrow are this week after their mauling.

Nowt to do with me though I am pleased as I can now attend!

Wonder if that Wigan half back Harry Smith will appear for the Lions this weekend? He was instrumental in beating the Oz schoolboys and is apparently rated the hottest prospect in years. Will be good to see how he goes against seasoned pros and in ye olde days he would have been paggered by a knarled prop for any impudence or improvisation. Let’s just hope we don’t go over the top and yield to indiscipline again but should have enough to win by 10 at least.

I will congratulate you on a good victory as you took advantage of our weakness in letting our heads drop if a dubious decision goes against us. Think what was pleasing was that it was very competitive and with the Barrow/Sheffield game also close it means there will be healthy competition in the lower half of the table. A good crowd too and fair and knowledgable support from you.

Let’s look at the positives- we were competitive and deserved something from the game for our efforts. We scored three decent tries against a strong defence, I thought our right hand side defence in particular was good. It is a bit of a failing of ours to drop intensity when a decision goes against us and BSJ is right in that no matter how bad the decision is against us it won’t be reversed so you just get on with it and concentrate. However I am still optimistic for the season; the only dark cloud is the growing habit of balls being deliberately dropped in the expectation of a penalty. Feath & Barrow did it last season if I remember correctly and it is no doubt on the increase to judge from yesterday. Two refs, anyone?

Looking forward to a good game and a healthy away following to make for a good atmosphere. I’m hoping the combination of our first outing and the subconscious relaxation of the Knights following their hard game vs the Wolfpack will just give us the edge by 4 points. But in any event let’s hope it is a good contest with a good ref and a solid hot dog for half time (far better than the stuff at Mount Unpleasant even on the south side!)

Widnes by 4; Sheffield by 4; Dewsbury by 4; Bradford by 44; Toronto by 44; Halifax 4 Leigh 4; Feath by 5!

For an oldie like me it must be “Cindy’s Birthday” in his Shane Fenton persona!

I think a few posters have missed the point of my original statement- but first I will agree with Manx RL on that franchises as such did not actually exist during the licensing era but they were in effect a similar thing. The real point was that if you raise the debate about the virtues of promotion and speak to Ealing RU on the subject, a decent journo would’ve picked up on the Broncos being promoted given they play at the same ground .

Just seen the article on BBC 1 six o’clock news on the RU debating whether to can relegation and have a three year respite from it, with a play off every 3 years. Where have we heard that before? No mention of our experiments in franchises of course. But annoyingly they then interviewed the coach from Ealing trailfinders at their ground - it was crying out for an RL “we’ve been there and done that” and “by the way the Broncos have just been promoted at this very same ground” illustrating ambition positivity &c&c but instead another lazy or biased journo. Plus ca change.

This could be interesting from the York perspective- they were heroic in defence against the Wolfpack but given it is us up next can they sustain the same level of performance? I suspect that they will subconsciously relax and that gives us a good chance on Sunday - I’m happier playing them now than if it were the first game of the season- though it is ours of course!

First match of the season, time for a few surprises: Barrow to win at Mount Unpleasant; Feath upend Bulls; Wins also for Dews, Leigh, Swinton and York. Widnes draw with Fax. Don’t fret Kman I am sure you will go up this time but just don’t take it for granted.

Slightly off sport but the same broad topic- I was about to enter Love Street in Paisley with a black pudding supper when a copper stopped me and said I could not go in with that - I had to eat it before entering on the grounds that I may throw it at a player....

I don’t disagree with you BSJ but it is interesting to look back - it is 40 years since I was running around ST but go back another 40 years and everyone was preparing for war - roll back another 40 years and Northern Union was only five years old....roll on 40 years and who knows what may be - if it is amalgamated rugby then I hopefully will be spared seeing it, but then again there may be a sports renaissance on the back of England winning the centenary RL World Cup in 2054.....maybe I will merely stick to happy memories like Margaret Watson in t’Reporter though I suspect there will be at least one more success for the Rams before I (hopefully) go upstairs!

Sat in a warm kitchen with the snow outside I find myself nodding off and remembering being a callow 18 year old on the rugby pitch at Savile Town turning out for a pre season game for Banks’ vs Shaws in what I think was the Mermaid Cup - sponsored by the chip oil in the town centre perhaps? Banks’ were a Ravensthorpe team based at the Ravensthorpe pub on Huddersfield Road but I am not sure about Shaws - was it associated with the old Cov Climax factory on Bradford Road in Batley? I also seem to recall a Dewsbury Albion at some time, but no idea where they played? There was a team at Staincliffe I think, where Batley Boys now play. What other teams have we lost in the HW area?