Match Thread - Featherstone Rovers v Leigh Centurions Saturday May 19th 2018

[AlanE]

Oh dear, I've triggered an outbreak of optimism now!!

Should be a great game and, hopefully a great advert for Championship RL. Purchased my tickets through Rovers today (don't tell my fellow Leythers!) and found it an altogether stress-free experience - unlike some SL clubs!

[Steve Slater]

22 hours ago, RobLambert said:

I'm a Thacks fan and when fit I think we should always try to fit him into the 17 somewhere (didn't be score 2 tries and 2 assists in his one and only game at centre).  But it was hard to watch him drop those two high balls last week under relatively no pressure.  (Let's not forget the London away game aswell).  I could guess Leigh's tactics if he plays fullback on Saturday.

That said - I don't see why the two can't switch and Holmes plays full back when we're defending.......

 

 

It's hard on Thacks after the commendable way in which he picked himself up off the floor to help us make a fight of it last Thursday, but on the other hand Hardman brings more reliability albeit without the flair. Difficult choice and I change my mind over it every five minutes.

The strongest defensive line up will do for me, because with Holmes and Riddy in the halves we'll still create plenty of chances out wide.

[haskey]

I am looking forward to the game, which should be a great advert for the Championship. With a bit of luck and play the way we did in the second half against Hull we should just about make it. But it could  be sweaty palms towards the end.

Good luck to the lads !!!

[Blue Pike]

I think it will be a tight affair with Fev nicking it with a penalty goal in the last five minutes.These are the games that we all look forward to and if the players aren’t up for this then there’s something wrong.

[Steve Slater]

16 hours ago, AlanE said:

Leigh squad:-

https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/blog/2018/05/17/centurions-announce-19-man-squad-for-featherstone-game-2/

Can't understand the pessimism on here from some of you guys. For me, you have to start as favourites. Look at the Championship table - it's a pretty fair reflection of the way things have gone, so far.

 

They're playing mind games Alan, they all know Fev are fully capable of winning but daren't hope to dream. Besides that, how many Leigh fans would stay away if they thought they were in for a trouncing?

I'm optimistic because the best half-back pairing are back together, as they were last week. Looking back at Fev's defeat in Toulouse, and earlier in the season against London, it was against top class half backs in scintillating form. Do you think yours are capable of outplaying Holmes and Riddy?

[Phil Loxton]

12 hours ago, AlanE said:

Oh dear, I've triggered an outbreak of optimism now!!

Should be a great game and, hopefully a great advert for Championship RL. Purchased my tickets through Rovers today (don't tell my fellow Leythers!) and found it an altogether stress-free experience - unlike some SL clubs!

Alan you've triggered optimism into me to the point of euphoria and now I'm changing my score forecast to...,

Fev 145 Leigh 0

New world record

Attendance 17532

New Fev record Attendance???????

[sentoffagain2]

   Trouble is against good half backs we don't close them down.We give them too much easy space so they can create.I would put one of our quickest players opposite to run at them and put pressure on.This may leave a gap in defence, so i would go with one marker at the play the ball unless in our 20m area.Most of the time the second marker is wasted,it only stops the acting half back pinching 5to6 metres.Looking forward to the game.

[RobLambert]

6 hours ago, Blue Pike said:

I think it will be a tight affair with Fev nicking it with a penalty goal in the last five minutes.These are the games that we all look forward to and if the players aren’t up for this then there’s something wrong.

I admire your optimism but I would love to know when we were last awarded a penalty in the last few minutes to win a game.  1983 probably.

You could argue that we're due one I suppose..............

 

[Phil Loxton]

21 minutes ago, RobLambert said:

I admire your optimism but I would love to know when we were last awarded a penalty in the last few minutes to win a game.  1983 probably.

You could argue that we're due one I suppose..............

 

Rob you are correct..Rochdale and Halifax spring to mind in recent seasons. Random last minute penalties for offences that all went unpunished for the previous 79 minutes. ?

[AlanE]

3 hours ago, Steve Slater said:

They're playing mind games Alan, they all know Fev are fully capable of winning but daren't hope to dream. Besides that, how many Leigh fans would stay away if they thought they were in for a trouncing?

I'm optimistic because the best half-back pairing are back together, as they were last week. Looking back at Fev's defeat in Toulouse, and earlier in the season against London, it was against top class half backs in scintillating form. Do you think yours are capable of outplaying Holmes and Riddy?

Steve, I've always rated Ridyard, and wish we still had him. (I haven't seen much of Holmes) That said, Reynolds and Hutchison have come on spectacularly since the early weeks of the season. Recently, we have been seeing why Hutchison had such a big reputation in Oz, before last season's injury. The bonus with Reynolds and Hutchison, is that they love to tackle too - Hutchison in particular is a big lad.

It should be fascinating to see the contest between the half backs - although so much of their performance depends on the forwards, so maybe that will have to be sorted out first?

[phiggins]

7 hours ago, Steve Slater said:

They're playing mind games Alan, they all know Fev are fully capable of winning but daren't hope to dream. Besides that, how many Leigh fans would stay away if they thought they were in for a trouncing?

I'm optimistic because the best half-back pairing are back together, as they were last week. Looking back at Fev's defeat in Toulouse, and earlier in the season against London, it was against top class half backs in scintillating form. Do you think yours are capable of outplaying Holmes and Riddy?

No, which means we need our pack to step up and get Holmes and Riddy on the back foot. Not sure that'll happen either.

[MADREDNIGE]

Stuck in hospital after an operation, hoping for a win, could do with something to cheer me up ? 

[Robin Evans]

On 17/05/2018 at 9:22 PM, AlanE said:

Oh dear, I've triggered an outbreak of optimism now!!

 

If Fev win today I'll let Richard Slatter slap my bare ar se with a wet kipper on ponty market......

You know as well as I do Alan that Leigh have hit form and are in good nick. Having taken one from behindat the LSV I'm sure Leigh will be massively up for avenging that result.

Players out injured and banned I'm not expecting a fev victory.... not even close to it.....

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

On 17/05/2018 at 5:27 PM, AlanE said:

Leigh squad:-

https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/blog/2018/05/17/centurions-announce-19-man-squad-for-featherstone-game-2/

Can't understand the pessimism on here from some of you guys. For me, you have to start as favourites. Look at the Championship table - it's a pretty fair reflection of the way things have gone, so far.

 

You'll be lumping on us then Alan - unsurprisingly, the bookies have Leigh as hot favourites at anything from 4-7 to 2-5, with Fev a best-priced 9-5.

[Blue Pike]

2 hours ago, MADREDNIGE said:

Stuck in hospital after an operation, hoping for a win, could do with something to cheer me up ? 

I too have had a miserable night having a leaking pipe in the bathroom in a difficult access area and had to get emergency plumber out who has ripped my bathroom to bits so hoping for a victory to cheer me up .The question is are we going to be happy leaving the ground or are we going to the PIT OF MISERY.        DILLY DILLY ?????

[MADREDNIGE]

Just now, Blue Pike said:

I too have had a miserable night having a leaking pipe in the bathroom in a difficult access area and had to get emergency plumber out who has ripped my bathroom to bits so hoping for a victory to cheer me up .The question is are we going to be happy leaving the ground or are we going to the PIT OF MISERY.        DILLY DILLY ?????

I've learnt has I've got older sport comes 2nd but it doesn't stop you getting all the emotions, hope yer bathroom is sorted. 

[Blue Pike]

2 minutes ago, MADREDNIGE said:

I've learnt has I've got older sport comes 2nd but it doesn't stop you getting all the emotions, hope yer bathroom is sorted. 

The leaks sorted but took 18 hours to fix and l now have to claim for the damage to floor/wall tiles etc haven’t gone to bed and went straight to work but there are worse things in life ,if we can win this one we are on our way.Tight game imo you know the ones  that make you feel sick and the type of game when you vent your splean out at the ref when a decision whether right or wrong goes against you.

[MADREDNIGE]

42 minutes ago, Blue Pike said:

The leaks sorted but took 18 hours to fix and l now have to claim for the damage to floor/wall tiles etc haven’t gone to bed and went straight to work but there are worse things in life ,if we can win this one we are on our way.Tight game imo you know the ones  that make you feel sick and the type of game when you vent your splean out at the ref when a decision whether right or wrong goes against you.

Know it only to well lol I, ll have to make do with the Dvd, enjoy. 

[Rovers57]

Toronto pulling away from Toulouse now, 28 - 12. In my opinion this is the result we want as a win for us tonight would put us clear second. I  know Toronto are disliked, but we need them to beat all the teams around us.

[sentoffagain2]

14 minutes ago, Rovers57 said:

Toronto pulling away from Toulouse now, 28 - 12. In my opinion this is the result we want as a win for us tonight would put us clear second. I  know Toronto are disliked, but we need them to beat all the teams around us.

   Touch Judges and Ref appear to be wearing Toronto shirts.

[The Phantom Horseman]

10 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Touch Judges and Ref appear to be wearing Toronto shirts.

apart from that Toulouse "conversion" in the first half...

[sentoffagain2]

27 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

apart from that Toulouse "conversion" in the first half...

   Thought the Ref (didn't he ref our cup match with Hull)had a decent game.At fault for the two meters forward pass that led to Toronto try,and he was not in a good position to see Kaye drop the ball while grounding.However he did ask the touch judge who nodded it was ok.Ref couldn't over rule the touch judges for the Toulouse conversion(at least 2ft wide)as they both signaled a goal.Thought he let Toronto get away with loads in the ruck rolling players over to slow play the ball down especially in the first half.Can see Toronto getting into SL. In the middle 8's as they will have money to bring more players in.I think we could be O.K. if someone threw us 2million quid to kickstart us to S.L.

[ROVERS FOREVER]

Realistically, can anyone see us beating Leigh today? They've hit form where as we haven't. My prediction is 36-24 to Leigh. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

19 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Thought the Ref (didn't he ref our cup match with Hull)had a decent game.At fault for the two meters forward pass that led to Toronto try,and he was not in a good position to see Kaye drop the ball while grounding.However he did ask the touch judge who nodded it was ok.Ref couldn't over rule the touch judges for the Toulouse conversion(at least 2ft wide)as they both signaled a goal.Thought he let Toronto get away with loads in the ruck rolling players over to slow play the ball down especially in the first half.Can see Toronto getting into SL. In the middle 8's as they will have money to bring more players in.I think we could be O.K. if someone threw us 2million quid to kickstart us to S.L.

I think the issue with Mikalauskas as much as anything is that his body language isn't convincing, in most of the games I've seen him in he has got more right than wrong but he has an air of not seeming very sure that I think permeates to the players. I think that degree of confidence must be very hard to develop for newer refs, of whom we have plenty in the lower divisions.

[Phil Loxton]

19 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I think the issue with Mikalauskas as much as anything is that his body language isn't convincing, in most of the games I've seen him in he has got more right than wrong but he has an air of not seeming very sure that I think permeates to the players. I think that degree of confidence must be very hard to develop for newer refs, of whom we have plenty in the lower divisions.

Nail on head Phantom. You know when a ref like Ben Thaler gets something wrong. You blame yourself for not seeing it properly?