The Voodooguru

Apparently Will Evans had an extra suitcase on the plane back to Oz on Sunday, wonder what was in it.....

Just watching the first 10 mins of the game. Budsy appeared to clash his face on either the back of Phillips head or shoulder as Callum tackled him low. It just shows how much rhubarb some of the Jambos spout. It's also very noticeable how many Haven players look to put arms or hands in the faces of tackled Town players trying to provoke them, another ref wouldn't let that go. We have been so poor at ending sets and attacking patterns in general so far this season. I know the rain changes things and Haven also defended well but it's frustrating to watch.

Wishing Jordan a speedy recovery from a nasty injury. I thought we did enough to win that, and defensively we were pretty good. Discipline was decent and considering the conditions so was the error rate. Still work to do with the ball and finishing sets but that said it was just great to get the win. Our neighbours dug in and defended well and competed to the end even after losing a couple to injury. But their game plan to disrupt was a tightrope so they gave a few pens away. Imo they were lucky the ref was quite lenient as another would have penalised all the hands in the faces of tackled players and messing about at the PTB. I also thought Tomposh escaped a card when he started the scuffle that got two others sin binned late on. If the penalty count was unbalanced it was their own fault. My only gripe on what was an excellent day was trying to get a pint after the game. Only one bar open and after half an hour of queueing we gave up along with many others and headed up town. This is in no way a dig at anyone as a lot of people worked their socks off yesterday, we just had a couple of lads who hadn't been down for a while and they weren't willing to wait. Zarrin, Jack, Levi and Jake Bradley all excellent again. Superb to put the jam in the bin and bag the win. UTT

Getting knots in my guts already. I'm honestly astounded by the Haven confidence. Looking forward to a good game Let's hope the ref doesn't spoil it. Improve our errors, and last tackle options and I'm sure we will win with a bit to spare. If we don't it could be tight. Let's get these Jambos smashed. UTT

The Haven lads at work are very very confident they will turn us over. I know they have done better than many predicted but have they really been that good to warrant the confidence? It should be a big crowd & great atmosphere. Can't wait.

Exactly that, a stadium and not a half baked stand on a crumbling non league football ground.

First one to stick my neck out Town to win 32 - 10. I think first half will be tight, but as long as we stay disciplined with no silly pens or cards we will bag the win. I think they know they have to disrupt us like they did in the Ike, so our lads can expect all the dark arts to make it a scrap and to draw them in. Our lads just need to focus on the game, which I know will be difficult when a lot of them will be messaging each other all week telling them how they are gonna smash them. I just hope we get a half decent ref for a change who can control a West Cumbrian derby. It's now gonna be a dry day so the pitch and conditions should be perfect. UTT

Really looking forward to the game, and we have to put right what happened in the Ike. The lads have a point to prove so I'd expect a really good game. It appears Donald was correct with his news and it is supposed to be Evans last game with him going home after the game and being replaced by an ex Cornwall player. I have to be careful what to believe as there are a lot of wind ups with the Haven lads at work, but the ones that usually get it right are all saying the same thing. If true it was a waste of money bringing him over. But that's on him as our club will have acted in good faith. Let's get these Jambos put back in their box on Friday. UTT.

Why would they? I heard Leso won the Euromillions ( again) and he is going to build a new stadium on the old Ectona site for Seaton & town to play in complete with a casino and a lap dancing club. Nathan Cleary has already agreed terms & Tony Smith is coming back to live above the Blue Dolphin and be a director of rugby. Town is getting re-branded as the Cowboys and Seaton are already the rangers. Everyone has to wear cowboy hats in good 'ol wild west cumbria. Unfortunately Will has to leave to make room in the salary cap and he can't ride a horse or lasso. Can the club please clarify if this is true please?

Just watched the tries on the Facebook page. Jake Bradley's was even better that it sounded on radio, he's been playing relly well the last couple of games and was my mom against the Crusaders. That was a superb try though. Atiga was also brilliant, if we can give him some service he is gonna be a proper handful in broken field. Also nice to see JD doing what we know he can around the ruck and bagging a couple. Some promise there to build on for GF and put those jampots back in their place.

Just catching up this morning, can't believe some of the comments about one of our own players after a Jambo has started a rumour before a derby game. The lads only played a few games and is being written off. I get that if we bring someone half way round the world you expect them to be significantly better than a local lad, but give him a chance. Jonty must think highly of him to invest in him, so I think he deserves a bit longer, his self confidence won't exactly be flying if he reads this thread. One good game will change everything, let's hope its on good Friday. UTT

Sounded like some good individual tries going by the radio commentary. Although you could hear Callum doing the facebook commentary in the background too! Great to come home with the two points, yet another week off which isn't great but at least it gives Jonty plenty of time to prepare for good Friday.

Great memories. Sunny but windy day, every coach in Cumbria booked and even a couple from Scotland hired. Folk in fancy dress dancing on the pitch, and a superb performance on it. An all day party that took two days to recover from!

Yeah, they will be difficult at home but it is definitely one to go and win. However we have to be much better with the ball than we have been up to now to come away with the points. The likes of Zarrin & Levi need to be getting the ball in much better places than they have been. I'm surprised considering Jonty was a hooker and Deano a half how clueless we have looked. Time to change that. UTT.

So is it not contradictory that we can't win against full time pros in the challenge cup but you think we can in the 1895 cup? Who wouldn't want to see their team play at a big stadium on a big occasion, but this isn't the Peter Walsh team in the early 90s is it where we were a match for clubs from a higher division. I like to think I'm pretty optimistic but I think the odds of a team from league 1 getting to the final are almost nil imo as the gap is just way too big. Just look at the funding between a top 4 championship team to any league 1 team. Anyway I thought it just wasn't a thing that anyone from Workington could support Carlisle Utd after they didn't vote to keep the reds in the football league. Is that not a stoning offence?

I don't think a single person would expect to be throwing it around like the Harlem globetrotters, but when you are playing such a huge side surely moving them around the pitch has got to have more benefits that slogging it up the middle where they are at their strongest. In Levi we have a really strong running winger but you aren't getting the best out him if you aren't giving him it with a bit of grass in front of him. I agree that error free sets would also help massively getting field position. Better end of set options would also help but I don't think we made them drop out once.

Oh bore off with the fishing expedition

Well that was average at best. We didn't deserve any points playing like that. Yes, the referee was way out of her depth but don't let that be a smokescreen for how poor we were with the ball. We defended pretty well on the whole, but what is with this play everything through the middle of the pitch tactics? It is awful to watch, and anytime it was spun wide it was so slow our backs had no chance. The last tackle options were diabolical. A huge amount of work to do as that was pathetic.

Craic at work is Farrer is at Jake Moore's stag doo, which was arranged before he signed.

Shame there's no Farrer this week as despite a new prop coming from Australia I think he has showed enough to keep his spot. Very solid in defence and while not a blockbuster prop he doesn't shy from taking a ball in and has a good offload. Let's hope the lads have been working on their attacking moves and can get some points on the board. UTT

I was calling his bluff

Attach or send a link for the plans please ?

Donald Trump makes more conservative declarations. Admit it, you have made virtually all of that up as a wind up haven't you? How can you claim that they have 'cleared' 50k then in the next post say this is before tax and players wages? When you clear something it's after all deductions. Clear profit, get it? Will Warrington get their cut this time as the craic was that they took their half of the gate because Haven still owe them money from years ago? The big saving Haven will make is that they aren't paying losing pay to the players, so they were quids in at Swinton. How long before the players get fed up of it though if they aren't winning? You can paint as rosy picture as you like about Haven and as bleak a one about Town, but you seem to assume Haven have a clean slate with no debts, in reality you have only moved one step back from the edge of the cliff. What Haven are doing this season is basically what Town did 3 seasons ago. But the big difference is our BOD have worked their socks off with the off field stuff, we have netball teams, over 300 girls playing football, ladies rugby teams all buying Workington Town training kits & merchandise. Haven are just praying the team loses to 'clear' more money. UTT

The biggest negative for us compared to the others expected to be around the top 4 is as always the travelling for away games. We have to win all the home games and win away at some of the others fighting for the title. It is a big ask but not beyond the squad we have if Jonty gets them firing from the first game. I don't think any club will walk it and it will be a dog fight which we should be in. Can't wait. UTT

1 Galea 2 Atiga assuming Hutton isn't fit 3.Howlett 4 Corkhill 5 Eccleston 6 Carter 7 Weir 8 Farrer 9 Phillips 10 Scholey 11 Bradley 12 Barnes 13 Stephenson 14 Doran 15 Ainley 16 Graham 17 Walker If Hutton is fit Corkhill would make way and I'd have Atiga & Howlett as my centres. Very tough on Rio as he hasnt had much good ball but I can't say I've noticed him so far in pre-season either. I thought we signed Cooper as a centre so I'd like to see how he goes as one. Bringing mainly impact players off the bench is my philosophy. I'm assuming Reid and Evans are also injured.