Leaderboard

Grim news, this. Hope the treatment he receives does the trick.

Another 1000 tickets sold since Wednesday to take it over 19k now.

Surely it's obvious we're in a transition stage? It's well documented that we are on half the budget of last year and having managed to retain nine or ten of last year's squad plus a handful of ex-SL additions for next season, we don't have a lot of spare cash left and are having to fill the gaps with some cheaper players, plus DR. Remeber the last time we were in a similar position, at the end of 2018? We played 10 triallists in our first 2019 pre-season friendly at Castleford, and lost 56-0 against a Cas team that was largely composed of fringe or academy players. The doom and gloom brigade were out in force after that game and I suspect it will be the same after Sunday's game (which we may well lose heavily) but it had very little to do with how we fared in 2019, when we went on to reach the final, and this Sunday's game won't be anything like a proper indication of how we'll go in 2024. We're obviously a bit thin at the moment in terms of depth, but let's keep a bit of perspective.

Mike Ogunwale signed up. Complete unknown, fingers crossed he'll prove to be a gem.

I know there was talk of the Hearns getting involved in the game a few years back that never came to fruition but what could've been? What would you do to add the glitz and glamour that darts has been given? Personally, I would bring back 9s (I know, I know, it's not everyone's cup of tea). I'd scrap loop fixtures and magic and have a mid season 9s tournament, 4 rounds and a finals day at 5 different city stadiums. A full tournament at each round which would take place over a weekend. I'd also chuck every novelty I could at it. A goal kicking competition for bonus points (extra points for props), mascot races and big name pre match entertainment. Throw in a few t shirt cannons and you've got an event that can be packaged to a marketeers dream. Now before you all choke on your cornflakes, I know this isn't to everyone's taste but there is a group of people that are willing to throw tradition our of the window just for a chunk of the season to put RL in the spotlight.

Watched Trains, Planes and Automobiles for the first time over Christmas (Don't @ me). Loved it. Genuinely funny movie. Raises the question, what films should you have seen, but for reasons never did? Big one for me would be E.T, never seen it. I probably should.

I’m led to believe this won’t be the case unfortunately.

He played very well at the testimonial.

Think he’ll do well. Playing in the halves with one of his best mates he played plenty of junior rugby with will help

Poor old Cesar Rouge.

Don't say that they'll end up in georgia chicken

Squad numbers out today think we still need an interchange hooker. A lot resting on how walker goes at 6 as well. Squad is look very good though, pack is the best it's been for years!

Jordan Abdull to Catalans on a season long loan.

Mick Worrall deserves a mention here, as do Ray Ashton & Paddy Kirwan. Great players in a very different era for the game. In the CH era, my favourites were John Hough, Keith Brennan, Danny Langtree, Lewis Palfrey, Richard Lepori, Lucas Onyango & Neil Roden.

Great to read the names of so many quality players….some before my time watching the Yeds but lots of familiar names I agree with. it got me thinking to the best single performance I have seen from an Oldham player and I immediately think of Bobby Lindner when he was Oldham player/coach in an away game at St Helens. Oldham facing relegation needed some big results at the season end and came up with a 26-30 win at Knowsley Road. No one player can win games but I remember walking away from the ground with the biggest smile, sore throat from shouting and completely in awe of the shift that Lindner put in that day. It was tiring just to watch

Some very facetious responses Sometimes you need to sit back acknowledge that Darts is having it's moment in the sun and try and learn what's contributing to it and adapt it for RL. We in RL are not in a position to be so righteous about how RL is so much more exposed than Darts 90% of the time. That superiority complex and attitude is sheer small mindedness and is not what will drive success for RL.

Bentleyman is from Yorkshire, taxis aren't an option!

Seems really strange to think now that as kids we'd open our presents then leg it down to the Boulevard or do the two bus journey to Craven Park for an 11am kick off on Christmas morning.

Notice most championship clubs that have announced squad numbers have squads of 24/25 players this season , not 27/28 as in previous seasons

Such sad news. I hope he can make a full recovery. All the best Tom.

Noticed there’s no number 21 yet, hopefully a hooker! Sam Dowsett would be good!

Here's a bit more information about Sunday's squad

Fev probably demonstrate what massive turnover is. Only 5 of the 19 man squad for Sunday were contracted last season.

First Fev squad of pre-season announced. 4 trailists and 1 DR.

Ruan Sims?

Well, the reception this series has got has brought a few more of the Post Office's victims out of hiding, which is good news as as the search for justice goes on. I also see that Rugby League's very own Neil Hudgell is representing some of them - good man!

And right on cue.

The next round of the Lord Derby Cup is this weekend. Fixtures here: https://www.ffr13.fr/competitions/coupes-de-france/coupe-lord-derby/ I haven't seen any info on which (if any) will be streamed. Does anyone know?

For two or three years now the club's social media have only tended to give out squad news on the Friday evening, including for regular-season games, so this isn't anything new, especially for a pre-season game.

But darts is expanding into new territories. At least attempting to.

Aye, best wishes to the lad.

Widnes squad numbers announced as follows: 1 – Jack Owens 2 – Ryan Ince 3 – Matt Fleming 4 – Joe Edge 5 – Kieran Dixon 6 – Joe Lyons 7 – Tom Gilmore 8 – Callum Field 9 – Matty Fozard 10 – Sam Brooks 11 – Rhodri Lloyd 12 – Danny Langtree 13 – Nick Gregson 14 – Jordan Johnstone 15 – Liam Kirk 16 – Max Roberts 17 – Liam Bent 19 – Sam Wilde 20 – Mike Butt 21 – Ollie Brookes 22 – Ant Walker 23 – Will Tilleke 24 – Lloyd Roby 30 – Martyn Reilly The previously announced season long loan (Harvey Wilson from Wigan) and dual reg (Lucas Green & Tom Whitehead from Warrington) don't appear to have been allocated numbers in the press release, which seems odd. Mid-table seems realistic, with a chance of making the play-offs in 6th.

That explains the live audience, but not the 4.8 million tv audience. The sport is obviously doing something right to capture the imagination of that many people.

You really don't like facts do you? As usual you are doing nothing but spouting fantasy nonsense, making up figures and failing to provide a shred of evidence to backup what you say.

The only change Darts has made to make it popular is to make it a peee up for young people, that is all. From announcements to 'hush and best of order' to basically stand up with your back to the stage, get drunk, wave your arms about and sing, they've not changed the game or the setting just the type of people they want to attract. I used to love watching the darts but it makes me cringe now seeing the state of the audiences.

There's still an unlimited-possession/RU tone to RL media coverage. All through a game, the tactics of the tackle count are misinterpreted or ignored. When a team opt to run the ball on last tackle, commentators will typically assume an individual player must have miscounted. When a team kick on tackle 4, they often don't even notice that it was tackle 4. Much of the drama of modern RL is inextricably linked to the risk/reward decision-making of the tackle count, yet our commentators appear to regard it as a minor detail. Opportunities to engage audiences are consequently missed. Inconceivable that Darts commentators wouldn't be fully across significant facts and figures as a match proceeds. Similarly unthinkable that Gridiron callers would neglect the relevance of Down and territory to the type of play being run.

Paul Taylor, wow I was on Shaw market one day in the 1980s. Well I think Paul was living on Oak St Shaw at the time, so it was a great surprise to see him walking towards me. The guy with him was no other that one Peter Sterling. Two legends on little old Shaw Market, who would believe it.

Speaking of which, absolutely incredible viewing figures for the final on Sky: A record audience of over 4.8m people tuned in to watch the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship final, with a peak audience of 3.71m - the highest ever non-football peak on Sky Sports. https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13042165/world-darts-championship-final-record-4-8m-tune-in-to-watch-luke-humphries-win-over-luke-littler And Sky going to milk Littler for all its worth. Its certainly something RL can learn i.e to strike why the iron is hot and make announcementsl like this when the sport has the medias attention:

He left ITV in 2017.

I'll be following their season. Probably out of curiosity. Love an underdog.

In terms of quality probably Goodway pre wigan/leeds and back again ,but in terms of excitement when he had the ball in space was Des Foy for sheer speed,when he got away he was difficult to catch. Handling and defence was dodgy at times though

Agree we need a back up 9. I think that's the priority.

Great pick up. Solid, durable and reliable. Capable of big minutes exactly what you need when your running a smaller squad

Disturbing number of athletes with heart issues in the last couple of years. I wonder what the cause might be........

There's some 'football' scores there. Must have been some tense games with them scores and great atmospheres.

That explains why the Kangaroos never play England any more.

roosters should go great in Las Vegas - they are used to blowing a load of cash on hookers who don't give value for money (brandon smith)

Thanks for the link, Gomersall. I am mildly amused to see that the quirk of an open draw has thrown up a tie between the two Elite 1 teams who are, in fact, reserve sides - Toulouse Olympique Elite and St Esteve-XIII Catalans. I am pleased to see that, where two teams from different levels of competition (e.g. Elite 1 and Elite 2) are drawn together in a cup pairing, the FFR is continuing with its practice of awarding the home ground advantage to the lower side, regardless of the order in which the two teams came out of the hat. I would like to see this replicated in all rounds, up to and including the quarter-finals, of the challenge cup.