New signings

[Monkeymagic22]

I noticed that Fax have signed a young French lad for the rest of the season. Anyone think that we could do with any to help with the tough run in?

[The Blues Ox]

Theres some good players kicking about in the French leagues, Im surprised more teams don't take advantage to be honest. Its hard to say how much game time he will actually get with us but it will not harm having decent players to come in for the run in if you do pick up any injuries.

[YoungBanno]

2 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Theres some good players kicking about in the French leagues, Im surprised more teams don't take advantage to be honest. Its hard to say how much game time he will actually get with us but it will not harm having decent players to come in for the run in if you do pick up any injuries.

Just seen on Twitter that Fax's new signings are getting a run out tomorrow in a reserve game. Great way to keep their fitness up and get some game time. Should fit right in if/when required. If we sign anyone, we have to chuck them in at the deep end in a (potentially) very important game. 

[marklaspalmas]

3 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Theres some good players kicking about in the French leagues, Im surprised more teams don't take advantage to be honest. Its hard to say how much game time he will actually get with us but it will not harm having decent players to come in for the run in if you do pick up any injuries.

Nothing in your A team then? I thought that was the point......

[The Blues Ox]

7 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Nothing in your A team then? I thought that was the point......

Our 1st team squad suggests different. Both the French lad and the Wigan lad have come for a chance, if they are good enough they will get it just like many of our reserve players have over the past few seasons. They only have to use Chester Butler as an example, probably the best young prospect outside SL, to see that if they work hard they will get a chance and then its up to them to take it.

[marklaspalmas]

3 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Our 1st team squad suggests different. Both the French lad and the Wigan lad have come for a chance, if they are good enough they will get it just like many of our reserve players have over the past few seasons. They only have to use Chester Butler as an example, probably the best young prospect outside SL, to see that if they work hard they will get a chance and then its up to them to take it.

How many games have your A team played in 2018?

[The Blues Ox]

56 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

How many games have your A team played in 2018?

I couldnt tell you off the top of my head to be honest.

[marklaspalmas]

22 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

I couldnt tell you off the top of my head to be honest.

I suspect it is very few indeed.

[sentoffagain2]

28 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

I suspect it is very few indeed.

At least they have more players available than we do.We are down to the bare bones and if we miss out on top 4 Campbell has only himself to blame for going with a small squad.Dual reg may be our undoing this year.

[The Phantom Horseman]

32 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

I suspect it is very few indeed.

They are scheduled to play Keighley Cougars this evening. As far as I can tell, their previous game was four weeks ago, again against Keighley Cougars. And three weeks before that they had another game, against, er, Keighley Cougars.

Not knocking Fax, fair play to them for running a reserve team, it has worked for them this year, but most of the positive articles I have read about the undoubted benefits recently overlook some of the reasons that some teams don't run reserve teams (cancellation of fixtures, players signed from community clubs becomin disgruntled after not getting game time etc).
 

[tms]

On ‎6‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 1:45 PM, marklaspalmas said:

How many games have your A team played in 2018?

looking at league tables on saints and cougars 5 but on fax its 4 so

[The Phantom Horseman]

27 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

At least they have more players available than we do.We are down to the bare bones and if we miss out on top 4 Campbell has only himself to blame for going with a small squad.Dual reg may be our undoing this year.

Sure, just as Fax have only themselves to blame for going with quality over quantity and missing the top 4 in 2016, and scraping in last year then failing to win a game in the 8s. It's a gamble either way, and we took the same gamble the last two years and it paid off.

[The Blues Ox]

18 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Sure, just as Fax have only themselves to blame for going with quality over quantity and missing the top 4 in 2016, and scraping in last year then failing to win a game in the 8s. It's a gamble either way, and we took the same gamble the last two years and it paid off.

Our reserves were running in 2016 although I would say rather then go for quality over quantity that year in my opinion we went for quantity over quality as we ended up with a big squad and players that didn't perform as well as expected. Its a very fine line and its difficult to manage a big squad with no injuries but when injuries bite it obviously would be better to have a larger squad. The flip side is picking the same team every week has its advantages too.

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, marklaspalmas said:

I suspect it is very few indeed.

Another point that probably gets missed in this is that its easier to have opposed training sessions between 30 players than it is between 17 players.

[The Phantom Horseman]

18 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Our reserves were running in 2016 although I would say rather then go for quality over quantity that year in my opinion we went for quantity over quality as we ended up with a big squad and players that didn't perform as well as expected. Its a very fine line and its difficult to manage a big squad with no injuries but when injuries bite it obviously would be better to have a larger squad. The flip side is picking the same team every week has its advantages too.

Was a typo, I meant Fax went with quantity over quality. It can go either way, when Ridyard was pretty much the difference between the two teams back in February I suspect many Fax fans would have happily swapped him for three or four of their reserve team, and not many fev fans would have accepted that type of swap.

[Monkeymagic22]

Signed James Thornton from Hemel Stags. A back rower.

[The Blues Ox]

42 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Was a typo, I meant Fax went with quantity over quality. It can go either way, when Ridyard was pretty much the difference between the two teams back in February I suspect many Fax fans would have happily swapped him for three or four of their reserve team, and not many fev fans would have accepted that type of swap.

Fev could run a full reserve team with what they are likely paying Ridyard. Like you say would the fans rather have Ridyard or the extra players to go at.

[jamescolin]

41 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Signed James Thornton from Hemel Stags. A back rower.

Who has Halifax or us? Regarding reserves surely we have Featherstone Lions as a back up.

[Robin Evans]

47 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Fev could run a full reserve team with what they are likely paying Ridyard. Like you say would the fans rather have Ridyard or the extra players to go at.

I think you may be over estimating his deal cocker

[gazza77]

41 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

Who has Halifax or us? Regarding reserves surely we have Featherstone Lions as a back up.

We have. 

https://www.totalrl.com/featherstone-sign-hemel-player-james-thornton/

[Cardypaul]

1 hour ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Signed James Thornton from Hemel Stags. A back rower.

Does anyone have any idea what he’s like? Says he has come through Bradford academy are we looking at now or one for the future?

[sentoffagain2]

    Hope he strengthens the squad,and the lad deserves a chance at a higher level if he wants to test himself.But Hemel have only won 1 game all season so it would not be too difficult to stand out.Much harder standing out in a winning team.At 22 he should have been snapped up by now.Didn't Dewsbury have a relationship with Hemel,i am surprised they have not taken him on if he has untapped ability.Anyway he will be judged by his performances on the field as all players should be, i wish him well.

[The Blues Ox]

15 hours ago, Robin Evans said:

I think you may be over estimating his deal cocker

If you have him on under 30k then you have got a right bargain. 

[sentoffagain2]

16 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

If you have him on under 30k then you have got a right bargain. 

  Players deals are a matter between the player and the club.But i would take a guess that Riddy is on more than £30g but not more than £50g and has been worth every penny to us this season.

[graham fisher]

16 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

    Hope he strengthens the squad,and the lad deserves a chance at a higher level if he wants to test himself.But Hemel have only won 1 game all season so it would not be too difficult to stand out.Much harder standing out in a winning team.At 22 he should have been snapped up by now.Didn't Dewsbury have a relationship with Hemel,i am surprised they have not taken him on if he has untapped ability.Anyway he will be judged by his performances on the field as all players should be, i wish him well.

James played in our academy/reserve team until it was disbanded then he went to Hemel Hempstead,he's the nephew of Shane Williams who was part of our 2000 grand final winning team.