David Shepherd

Definite playoff contenders, but I've not yet seen anything that should worry us.

I would too. Joey has always attracted negativity ever since we signed him. I think lots of people expected him to be a world beater and win every game by himself. Last year under McDonald's Cheeseburger he never got the space or the good ball to make an impact (and he was carrying some timber). This year he's getting more space and good ball. I really want to see him play with Ford now he's back to his best. Also, watch him without the ball, he draws in defenders and creates space elsewhere. Hardy would get a spot in the 17 every week. I'd play him in the back row and use him as cover if one of the backs gets injured.

I get that RP and agree to an extent. The thing is though, the R word and the S word are in common use out in society and their usual use is not directing hate towards a particular section of society. They're throwaway playground insults and have been for as long as I remember. Does that make it acceptable language? - no, that's why I say a fine and service in the community or some form of education is more appropriate as a punishment.

Are we really giving out lengthy bans for hurty words like this, said in the heat of battle? Something very wrong when this kind of thing attracts a longer ban than physical violence. I think a substantial fine, coupled with some community service / education would be a more appropriate punishment.

March next year, probably.

Don’t worry, club RU is saved. Ralph to the rescue.

Whatever happens, we'll be having a go at beating one of them next year.

It needs to go if it's not making money. It seems to me that the only time it can have possibly done that is in Blackpool. Much as I can't stand the place, it's really the only suitable place up north. The only other option I can think of is to incorporate it into Magic and have that as a three day event (4/5 games per day) over a bank holiday weekend.

That a home win then. We all know 'fax need a fast and dry track.

They're the unflushable turds of Rugby League, they'll find a way to escape relegation. TBH I hope they do, Cas going down would be way funnier.

Wouldn't be shocked if Ponte (5 min drive) had a similar amount in it's centre.

Fair point. Perhaps this is where IMG or even The RFL can help with a central repository of customisable content. Some of my larger suppliers do it, we just copy it, taylor it to our business and post it. It works very well. Fev do have a person who's job it is to run the socials, tbh I'd have thought the bigger clubs like Bradford and Halifax do too. Maybe not.

Nowhere near as insufferable as I'm hoping to be after 15th October

Can't see them winning the LLS or SL title, but could definitely see them winning the cup. I hope they do, it'd be a great story for the game to tell. It's the kind of thing the cup has been missing since Sheffield won it. Harry, Sweaty and Gubrats will be absolutely insufferable like.

Fev certainly made a big thing of "buy it from us, we get the benefit" this year, so I'd guess it's still true. I follow all of the championship clubs on socials, most just had sporadic posts promoting tickets. Only Fev really got in anyone's face about it. No shock that Fev outsold everyone else. It's almost as though clubs don't want to make any money.

No such luxury at the other end of the table though. If we're having a skewed league, surely there should be some kind of play off to determine relegation?

Leigh will knock 501 for 6 and declare.

The RFL could and should have been marketing the event in the city. The clubs involved were fairly silent about it on their social media channels. They bear equal responsibility for the low attendance. IIRC most of the direct sales they made went straight into their own coffers.

That's really poor. We've got half the league in Yorkshire and tickets could be got for as little as a tenner. Clubs bear a lot of responsibility here. Didn't see much of a sales push on socials from anyone except Fev (who managed to sell about 1/3 of the Saturday attendance). IIRC clubs kept most of the direct sales they made. 'fax, Bulls, Batley, York etc have literally let easy money slip through their fingers.

Certainly would have more of an event feel to it than it being just another away game outside York. There's plenty of reasonably priced accomodation in Cardiff (I got a nice looking hotel for the cricket in Sept for less than £100 a night). Love the idea of giving tickets away to local kids. Welsh kids already know Rugby, might as well let them see the better version.

Shame there's no suitable venue on the east coast. Scarbados and Brid would be ideal places (plus I've got a flat in Filey, so it'd be nice and cheap for me ). That said, it's probably a bit posh for you lot from the scruffy side of the hill.

Agreed. I may be in a minority, but I've not been that impressed by Dean. He had one blinder of a game at Keighley and has been fairly ordinary ever since.

Toulouse Olympique v Halifax Panthers Batley Bulldogs v York Knights Featherstone Rovers v Barrow Raiders Keighley Cougars v Swinton Lions Sheffield Eagles v Whitehaven Widnes Vikings v London Broncos

We’ve not really had a settle halfback partnership yet. Or team for that matter. When we do finally click, someone is going to be on the wrong end of a biblical shellacking.

Anyone got a recording? Bet it's hilarious.