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51 minutes ago, distantdog said:

No, it's my way of being accurate. Hemingway was in the Dewsbury squad! Was James Brown not in the Batley squad last season? Despite not playing all the games?

Only reason brown wasn't in the squad was because of injury, only reason hemingway was in ur squad was because of someone elses's injury's, imo of course, a big big difference

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We're getting this all in a muddle; we shouldn't be arguing the merits of Tom as a player  and how many games he played or what points he scored.. He is now a Bulldog and will get the usual Bulldog support on the pitch. The argument is whether or not our people who count see this as a forward move.

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As far as I'm concerned it's a backward step for Batley if honest. 

Had 1 good game for us which was a friendly against Salford where he looked fantastic, never been a quality player at dewsbury and shot his bolt with the fans when he held out for more money, touted around various teams in hope of a better deal, only to find the door virtually closed at dewsbury and had to sign for less terms than he had in the first place... 

He'll be a filler in at your place in case of injuries and will possibly drift off to Hunslet before too long. 

Yes the lads got to get a chance to show his worth.. So it's up too him really. 

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58 minutes ago, billybulldog said:

Only reason brown wasn't in the squad was because of injury, only reason hemingway was in ur squad was because of someone elses's 

Look on the Dewsbury website under squad. You will find Tom Hemingway - suggests he was in their squad.

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10 minutes ago, distantdog said:

Look on the Dewsbury website under squad. You will find Tom Hemingway - suggests he was in their squad.

In the squad yes, to be just in a squad is a number, doesn't mean ur going to be picked, i thought even someone like you knew that, imo of course??

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22 hours ago, billybulldog said:

Imo they play regular rugby and as a good combination, were as i have said it before, hemingway couldnt even get in a 50 man squad at dewsbury, 

You clearly stated he could not get in the Dewsbury squad. He clearly was in the squad. You are clearly wrong.

As a genuine matter of interest, what do you mean by 'someone like you'

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5 hours ago, billybulldog said:

What has that to do with his age? And imo of course, look at the latter end of the season for stats then come back to me with your facts

Yawn

Touch Rugby W(h)inger and part-time Super Hero (Thursday mornings by appointment) :superman:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BATLEY BULLDOGS RLFC :bb:

 

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4 hours ago, billybulldog said:

Only 7 times, wow outstanding performer then

Sorry Billy but you said that he couldn't get into Dewsbury's 50 man squad, yet he clearly could. You also said that you like to get your facts right, so here is your chance.

 

Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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I think people are ever so slightly missing the point over this signing. As back up, yes. We know he would be able to come in when necessary and be a body in a shirt who can catch, pass, tackle and kick. However, look at him alongside our other signings; 

Campbell; A good player who will do a solid job. Decent signing. However, he wasn't particularly outstanding in a relegated Bradford side. 

Ward; Again, he'll do 'ok'. However, the reality is that he's come from a relegated club and isn't exactly hot property. 

Holland; An unknown, and has been playing for Whitehaven in the less intense Championship 1. A wildcard signing in my opinion, similar to Trae O'Sullivan - who didn't play a single game for us. 

Hemingway; A decent stand-in for Ben Black four years ago. Unwanted by Neil Kelly part way through 2017 and not snapped up by anyone else. Not really any better than Cain Southernwood. 

 

Diskin stated in the media a number of weeks ago that he was looking to bring in 5 players. By my reckoning, that leaves 1 signing left. I'm pretty confident that he players we've brought in thus far aren't going to significantly improve us - if at all. We're certainly not going to be challenging the top 6 clubs in this league. Unless the final player in the jigsaw is an outstanding talent, it's fair to say that we're in for another mid-lower table season. The addition of Toronto will push us down by at least one placing.

It's worrying to me that we're likely to be going into the season more or less knowing where we'll finish at the end of 2018. That doesn't make me either enthusiastic or excited. A pretty stagnant picture, really. Stagnation eventually leads to decay.

After 2016 we had a fantastic opportunity to kick on as a club and cement a position as one of the leading lights in this league. It feels very much like we've blown that opportunity, and a lot of the fans I speak to are similarly downbeat. Our dramatic fall from grace after the brilliant 2013 Grand Final run is another example of a wasted chance to try and push the club to the next level. Progress never seems to be sustained.

 

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l agree generally with the sentiments above, in particular with failing to kick on after 2013.

As far as the signings are concerned, we just don't know. Remember our player of the season last year came from a relegated club so that is no indication.

l suspect with the new teams in our division, wages are through the roof. Toronto are splashing the cash and apparently what Fev. Offered Ford was eye watering. Our aim l think should be to compete with Halifax and Featherstone, despite their financial advantages.

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Okay guys, it's a done deal, he's signed on the dotted line, let's just see what happens. No point in arguing about it, the club ain't going to turn round and say "sorry Tom, the deals off cos some of the forum members don't like you". If he reads this he's not going to fired up is he?

Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.

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41 minutes ago, beestondog said:

Okay guys, it's a done deal, he's signed on the dotted line, let's just see what happens. No point in arguing about it, the club ain't going to turn round and say "sorry Tom, the deals off cos some of the forum members don't like you". If he reads this he's not going to fired up is he?

Of course the club aren't going to rip up his contract. However, his signing is part of a wider picture.  

In terms of the forum, it's a place for people to honestly and frankly air their views. That means it's not always a place where players are lauded and heaped with false praise. No-one has anything personal against Tom Hemingway. I'm sure he's a lovely guy who will give 100% when on the pitch. I think fans are questioning whether or not his signing matches their own ambitions for the 2018 season. 

If the club's ambitions don't match those of the fans, then that's a big problem. The aim of any professional sporting club should be build and develop by doing things to excite and intrigue both old fans and new. None of the signings thus far make me want to rush out and buy a season ticket (not available for purchase yet, in any case).  

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12 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

Sorry Billy but you said that he couldn't get into Dewsbury's 50 man squad, yet he clearly could. You also said that you like to get your facts right, so here is your chance.

 

Technically Billy is right BSJ , simply because there never was a fifty man squad for TH to get into -  I don't think many more than thirty or so were signed on at any one time. Hopefully, Billy will now feel vindicated, and stop labouring the point.

Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads.

 

George Bernard Shaw.

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12 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

Sorry Billy but you said that he couldn't get into Dewsbury's 50 man squad, yet he clearly could. You also said that you like to get your facts right, so here is your chance.

 

Awesome 7 games in a full season, seasoned professional, or quarter season and less professional imo of course??

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15 hours ago, distantdog said:

You clearly stated he could not get in the Dewsbury squad. He clearly was in the squad. You are clearly wrong.

As a genuine matter of interest, what do you mean by 'someone like you'

Who seems to think he knows every thing and like to but in, imo of course

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As far as were we finish next season and the expectations, I imagine the club will be gearing up to finish in the top four which would be a tremendous (some say impossible) achievement.

Looking realistically the 4 full time teams Leigh, Toronto, London, Toulouse should take the top 4 spots with Batley  up against Halifax, Featherstone and  maybe Sheffield being the main contenders for the also ran's trophy and the rest trying to avoid the trap door in to oblivion.

 

 

1950s Gallant Youth, 2000 Bulldog

 

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5 hours ago, distantdog said:

l agree generally with the sentiments above, in particular with failing to kick on after 2013.

 

A bit harsh there, DD.

The 2014 squad was a complete rebuild job. What was it - fourteen out of the seventeen players in the final moving on?

We were only a couple of half backs from being a very good side in 2014/5 imo.

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur

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8 minutes ago, Sir Jekyll Stocking said:

A bit harsh there, DD.

The 2014 squad was a complete rebuild job. What was it - fourteen out of the seventeen players in the final moving on?

We were only a couple of half backs from being a very good side in 2014/5 imo.

l meant in commercial terms. I remember standing on the terraces at LSV during the final, surrounded by all of those Batley supporters and wondered how we were going to capitalise on the moment in order to make sure at least some of those supporters who weren't regulars would stay with us. We didn't! 

l understand the issues with squad retention, particularly at that time, and think that we have become a little more savvy in terms of contracts since then. 

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35 minutes ago, distantdog said:

l meant in commercial terms. I remember standing on the terraces at LSV during the final, surrounded by all of those Batley supporters and wondered how we were going to capitalise on the moment in order to make sure at least some of those supporters who weren't regulars would stay with us. We didn't! 

l understand the issues with squad retention, particularly at that time, and think that we have become a little more savvy in terms of contracts since then. 

Far enough DD.

But  the same thing happened (or rather, didn't  happen) after we took 2500 to Blackpool in 2010.

It seems many of the good folk of Batley will come along for a final but not for an afternoon at MP. :(

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur

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15 minutes ago, Sir Jekyll Stocking said:

Far enough DD.

But  the same thing happened (or rather, didn't  happen) after we took 2500 to Blackpool in 2010.

It seems many of the good folk of Batley will come along for a final but not for an afternoon at MP. :(

Sadly you are right.

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4 hours ago, billybulldog said:

Who seems to think he knows every thing and like to but in, imo of course

Yet I am someone who is perfectly willing to acknowledge when I am wrong. You should try it sometime.

Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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