John Drake

Very enjoyable first semi-final last night, I thought. I don't actively dislike any of the songs, but the ones that stood out for me... Ireland: Blimey! The song is very shouty and disjointed, but the performance was everything. Like a musical nightmare. Disturbing, but brilliant. Fair play to them doing something different. It's in another universe to Johnny Logan or Jedward. I'm glad it qualified. I wouldn't choose to listen to this kind of music, but I want to see this again. Croatia: I loved this one. Easy to see why it is one of the big favourites to win. Lively, colourful performance and a chant-along chorus that gets the audience involved. Cha Cha Cha, er, sorry, I mean Rim Tim Tagi Dim! Finland: If the UK had done something like this at Eurovision, I'm sure I would have hated it, but this was pure fun. The Austin Powers style camerawork was genius. The chap doing the bulk of the singing while Windows95Man prats about in the background has a decent voice too. Lithuania and Ukraine were the other stand-outs for me. Nice to see the 'big five' and the host country getting to perform during the semi-finals, even though they don't have to qualify. The United Kingdom performance by Olly Alexander won't be everyone's cup of tea, but after years (and years, geddit?) of moaning that we don't send established stars or make much of an effort with staging, both those criticisms can be binned off this year. I don't think it can win, there are better songs in the contest and the performance will no doubt alienate as many as it enthuses, but if this doesn't do better than James 'Double-0' Newman or Jemini on Saturday, there ain't no justice.

Aaaaand locked.

Loads and loads and LOADS of off-topic posts removed. Folks, the clue is in the thread title: 2025 Transfer Tracker Stick to that subject in here please. Thanks.

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Please stick to discussing the match in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

Please stick to discussing the match in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

Please stick to discussing the match in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

Please stick to discussing the match in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum. FRIDAY 3rd MAY Sheffield Eagles v Wakefield Trinity KO 19:30 SATURDAY 4th MAY Dewsbury Rams v Toulouse Olympique KO 18:00 SUNDAY 5th MAY Barrow Raiders v Batley Bulldogs KO 15:00 Featherstone Rovers v Halifax Panthers KO 15:00 Swinton Lions v Bradford Bulls KO 15:00 Widnes Vikings v Doncaster KO 15:00 York Knights v Whitehaven KO 15:00

Please stick to discussing the match in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum. SUNDAY 5th MAY Keighley Cougars v Hunslet KO 15:00 Oldham v Newcastle Thunder KO 15:00 Rochdale Hornets v Cornwall KO 15:00 Workington Town v Midlands Hurricanes KO 15:00

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