The Blues Ox

If it does end up being 2 divisions its going to be a bit of a kick in the teeth for any team already running a reserve team if they end up in the 2nd division. In my opinion this is a big part of what is wrong with the game. Hopefully in future players like this will be sent on season long loans as in my opinion DR has just given teams a way of stock piling players which in turn dilutes the quality of the competition as a whole.

FYP.

Once the cuts in funding are made it will be no surprise to see a number of teams either go bust or go back to fully amateur status. Id expect standards to drop as well with players having to take big reductions in wages.

I think if it wernt for Chisholm and King having visa problems Fev would have won that.

I remember Fax signing numerous players at 50k+ with Karl Harrison been around the 100k mark and turned out to be worth every penny. Sadly as well the transfer fees pushed some players out of the game as well. I remember Leeds putting a 250k transfer fee on the head of the late Mick Shaw who would eventually within a few months be back playing for his local amateur team.

Winning the league and not getting automatically promoted is not fair either. The top team should get all the advantages they can because they have earnt it through the season.

At Fax we have only used DR when we have not had players available in the reserves in the desired position. Our squad players have taken preference over DR players all season hence why we have used it so little.

London will struggle when they come down. A load of their team leaving, only the worst full time players left available for them and then only a fraction of those will be willing to move down to London. It will probably take them 3 or 4 years I would think to rebuild and maybe have another push. Giants would manage easily and be at the top of the table and the same goes for Leeds. Hull KR have recent experience of how to handle it and they should also cope.

Makes you wonder how different the league table would be without DR.

So any way at all of watching the Fax game tonight?

Our game not on TV for certain now? No red button or anything?

Just on the crowd size, that must be the first Fax V Fev game that has attracted less than 2k in quite a while? I really expected more than just over 1500 Fax fans to turn out for this one despite our recent form.

I honestly don't think the semi final has had any impact. Other than the game against London and a home game against Dewsbury we have been average at best and that's been kind. Its hard to put a finger on what has gone wrong compared to the last 3 or 4 seasons where we were very competitive. Its a great competition Im just sad that we wont be part of the battle at the top this season but like you say if a team has an off day they will get beat although I would expect Toronto to be clear in 1st and then Leigh, Toulouse and Fev will make up the next 3 and on their day any of those could give Toronto a game in the final. Whoever makes 5th will be there just as a token to make the numbers up.

Yeah not quite sure what goes on in peoples heads. What a world we live in when someone thinks a blind side attack on a totally blameless victim leaving them in a wheelchair is something to laugh and joke about. I love a bit of banter with the Fev fans as you know but these idiots end up tarring all the fans with the same brush.

Scratchy probably sums up both teams performances although we are at the lower end of scratchy. I was surprised the contrast in performances from the Fev side I saw play at the bash and was worried we could get a big score put on us the way we are playing. From a Fev point of view you lot must be happy with any away win in the Championship and from a Fax point of view not really much to build on as it were the same problems that have cost us all season, discipline, unforced errors, and poor defence on our own line. As for Leigh having seen you both recently I would say that Leigh are the better team and they look like scoring every time they have the ball however I thought Fev were the 2nd best team in the league up until last week so it could all change again after next weeks game.