Match Thread. Pre-season friendly. Featherstone v Halifax Sunday 20th January.

[marklaspalmas]

So, after last week's hit out for the kids it looks like Sunday will give a much better idea of our early season possibilities.

We will have

1. A coach 

2. An international scrum half

3. Two experienced props

4. An international centre

for the first time this year. With a new Australian watching and another waiting to come, plus another Papuan, things are finally taking shape.

If we are going to be competitive in our early games, we'll need all the newbies (coach included) to get up to speed v.quickly. 

Halifax will fancy themselves for another strong season, so it should be a really interesting game.

[elppaxr2i]

Fev P Fax P

Att 0

MoM No one

[The Phantom Horseman]

Assuming Watson plays, it will be interesting to see who partners him at half back. Paul March seemed notably happier about Jorge Richardson's contribution against Dewsbury than Morgan Punchard's, he has looked the steadier of the pair so far so he might get the nod, even though Punchard is a member of the first-team squad and Richardson isn't. Would be good if we can get Ase Boas over soon.

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

So, the squad has been named...

https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/new-recruits-set-for-rovers-bow-mcFI4

and it has a very different look to the ones we have seen so far.

Delaney, Wheeldon, Watson Boas and Thompson Teteh are all included, as is Conor Carey (remaisn to be seen if he plays though having landed at Manchester this morning).

And four DR players named - Golding, Mullally, Ormondroyd and Walters.

No place for Jordan Tansey, whose six-week loan period has expired and presumably he hasn't been retained, nor Macauley Hallett, which puts question marks over whether he's still with us.

Punchard and Richardson both in as potential half back partners to Watson Boas.

 

[Rarefrith]

Obviously no squad list announced yet but can we assume we are running a 22 man squad at this stage?

Hartley Whylie McDaniel Hardcastle Teteh Carey W.Boas A.Boas Richardson Punchard King Maskill Cooper Wheeldon Beckett Darley Harrison Davies Delaney Lockwood Bussey Day plus DR?

[elppaxr2i]

3 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Assuming Watson plays, it will be interesting to see who partners him at half back. Paul March seemed notably happier about Jorge Richardson's contribution against Dewsbury than Morgan Punchard's, he has looked the steadier of the pair so far so he might get the nod, even though Punchard is a member of the first-team squad and Richardson isn't. Would be good if we can get Ase Boas over soon.

 

Good squad that a lot stronger than envisaged

If its like that most weeks ( obv not as many leeds DR in it as King and A Boas to come in too ) I dont see any reason why we cant be more competitive than what people have suggested we will be

Hopefully the cold weather holds off

[Rarefrith]

20 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

So, the squad has been named...

https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/new-recruits-set-for-rovers-bow-mcFI4

and it has a very different look to the ones we have seen so far.

Delaney, Wheeldon, Watson Boas and Thompson Teteh are all included, as is Conor Carey (remaisn to be seen if he plays though having landed at Manchester this morning).

And four DR players named - Golding, Mullally, Ormondroyd and Walters.

No place for Jordan Tansey, whose six-week loan period has expired and presumably he hasn't been retained, nor Macauley Hallett, which puts question marks over whether he's still with us.

Punchard and Richardson both in as potential half back partners to Watson Boas.

 

Whylie A.Boas King Harrison Bussey all to come into contention too. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

4 minutes ago, elppaxr2i said:

Good squad that a lot stronger than envisaged

If its like that most weeks ( obv not as many leeds DR in it as King and A Boas to come in too ) I dont see any reason why we cant be more competitive than what people have suggested we will be

 

I still think we might use DR more than in previous years, because King and A Boas play different positions to the ones where we are likely to use DR guys. If we are offered Golding and Briscoe on any given week I can't see us choosing to play, say, Hartley and McDaniel instead. Same with Mullally who has the tackle-breaking ability that most of our other middles don't have. Not sure Walters and Ormondroyd bring much more to the table than our existing forwards though I like Walters more than some of our fans seem to and they're both ok performers at Championship level.

[The Phantom Horseman]

12 minutes ago, elppaxr2i said:

Hopefully the cold weather holds off

Forecast looks like we might be ok. Not meant to drop below freezing Saturday night and 5 degrees by kick off. Welcome to England Watson and Thompson!

[RobLambert]

I'll be more than happy if we're just offered Golding and Mullally every week.

[The Blues Ox]

I can see this been a comfotable Fev victory and if it is hopefully it gives us a bit of a wake up call as our pre-season has been a bit half assed.

[gazza77]

36 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

I can see this been a comfotable Fev victory and if it is hopefully it gives us a bit of a wake up call as our pre-season has been a bit half assed.

And ours has gone so well to date.

With so many new players, a new coach and cold weather, I predict a scrappy game with not too much in it. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

9 minutes ago, gazza77 said:

 

With so many new players, a new coach and cold weather, I predict a scrappy game with not too much in it. 

Fax still missing Murrell and Johnston (as well as Grady, Butler, Moore) so you're probably right, as ever in pre-season, the result won't have much meaning as far as the regular season goes but still an important game for us to try and gel with only 1 more pre-season game after this before round 1.

[jamescolin]

How will the team line up do you think?

[Private Baldrick]

18 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

How will the team line up do you think?

I reckon they will line up facing the Main Stand as they do every game.

[The Blues Ox]

2 hours ago, gazza77 said:

And ours has gone so well to date.

With so many new players, a new coach and cold weather, I predict a scrappy game with not too much in it. 

At least Fev can use the excuse that you had loads of players out....

[jamescolin]

I suppose if I alter the question and ask 'What will the line up be'? You will answer 13 players with four on the bench.

[paff]

24 minutes ago, Private Baldrick said:

I reckon they will line up facing the Main Stand as they do every game.

Do you think they will line up together 

 

[jamescolin]

Can you name the team that will be playing? Don't tell him Baldrick!!!

[paff]

14 hours ago, jamescolin said:

Can you name the team that will be playing? Don't tell him Baldrick!!!

Should that be teams ? and will one be named fev ? Dont tell him Baldrick 

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

19 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

At least Fev can use the excuse that you had loads of players out....

You need to hope Murrell is back soon, and stays fit. Him not missing many games is the main reason you made top 4 the last couple of seasons and he will be key again if you're going to make the play offs this.

[Ainley Top]

4 hours ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

You need to hope Murrell is back soon, and stays fit. Him not missing many games is the main reason you made top 4 the last couple of seasons and he will be key again if you're going to make the play offs this.

I can't disagree with that LTS. I've been saying we need to replace Scott for three years now, but season after season he's proved me wrong. Saying that, surely this will be his last season and we need to find someone to fill his boots.

[The Blues Ox]

7 hours ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

You need to hope Murrell is back soon, and stays fit. Him not missing many games is the main reason you made top 4 the last couple of seasons and he will be key again if you're going to make the play offs this.

We need either him or Grix on the field without a doubt. Looks like Murrell will miss the first few games so that might give us a good indication. Everyone in Halifax barring RM has known we have needed another half for quite a while now so it just looks silly that he didn't snap Sammut up when he had the chance.Blind faith in his players will be his undoing and I expect Grix and Murrell to take over by the end of the season.

[gingdong]

1 hour ago, The Blues Ox said:

We need either him or Grix on the field without a doubt. Looks like Murrell will miss the first few games so that might give us a good indication. Everyone in Halifax barring RM has known we have needed another half for quite a while now so it just looks silly that he didn't snap Sammut up when he had the chance.Blind faith in his players will be his undoing and I expect Grix and Murrell to take over by the end of the season.

RM done ok by you so far, wish weyd of got him instead of Bastian

[rhinos78]

Off topic but does anyone suscribe to Fev TV, thinking of getting the years subscription and wondering if its any good, what you get included with it? its pretty vague on the website. Cheers.