Match Thread: Pre-season friendly, Hull KR v Featherstone Rovers Sunday 19th January 2020

[The Phantom Horseman]

As much as pre-season games need to be viewed with a heavy pinch of salt, this is likely to be the most important one of our our 4 as James Webster has indicated he's going to play the strongest team possible and that he's heard Hull KR will also play their strongest side. The final pre-season game against Leeds comes 5 days after Leeds play Wigan so I doubt Leeds will play all their 1st teamers (they rarely do in this fixture, though they usually play a strong team made up of fringe players), though equally Leeds have another friendly against Newcastle 2 days after they play us so I suspect the really young Leeds academy lads will play against Newcastle rather than us.

Webster said in his post-match interview that every fit player would play against Hull KR, reckon we will see Ferres for the 1st time this season. With Alex Sutcliffe out for the next few weeks I reckon our starting 17 is getting easier to predict. Something like Hall, Carey/Render, Hardcastle, Worthington, Blackmore, McLelland/Jouffret, Chisholm, Ferguson, Parata, Susino, Ferres, Harrison, Lockwood subs Bussey, Cooper, Albert, plus maybe 1 DR on the bench.

[gittinsfan]

This maybe an unpopular question,but why do you need a DR player for a pre season friendly?

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 hours ago, gittinsfan said:

This maybe an unpopular question,but why do you need a DR player for a pre season friendly?

The 17 I was suggesting was for our opening league game, not this week's pre-season game.

[gittinsfan]

4 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

The 17 I was suggesting was for our opening league game, not this week's pre-season game.

Sorry.I misread your post.

[marklaspalmas]

On 15/01/2020 at 10:40, The Phantom Horseman said:

Hall, Carey/Render, Hardcastle, Worthington, Blackmore, McLelland/Jouffret, Chisholm, Ferguson, Parata, Susino, Ferres, Harrison, Lockwood subs Bussey, Cooper, Albert, plus maybe 1 DR on the bench.

Yeah. With Minns & Davies (and later hopefully Day) to slot in there, that's not too bad at this stage. Lets see how we go.

[Gareth hock]

On 15/01/2020 at 10:40, The Phantom Horseman said:

As much as pre-season games need to be viewed with a heavy pinch of salt, this is likely to be the most important one of our our 4 as James Webster has indicated he's going to play the strongest team possible and that he's heard Hull KR will also play their strongest side. The final pre-season game against Leeds comes 5 days after Leeds play Wigan so I doubt Leeds will play all their 1st teamers (they rarely do in this fixture, though they usually play a strong team made up of fringe players), though equally Leeds have another friendly against Newcastle 2 days after they play us so I suspect the really young Leeds academy lads will play against Newcastle rather than us.

Webster said in his post-match interview that every fit player would play against Hull KR, reckon we will see Ferres for the 1st time this season. With Alex Sutcliffe out for the next few weeks I reckon our starting 17 is getting easier to predict. Something like Hall, Carey/Render, Hardcastle, Worthington, Blackmore, McLelland/Jouffret, Chisholm, Ferguson, Parata, Susino, Ferres, Harrison, Lockwood subs Bussey, Cooper, Albert, plus maybe 1 DR on the bench.

I think Gaz Gales got to be pushing for a starting spot he’s been excellent so far I would like to see how he goes against hull and Leeds if he does well against them he’s got to be in contention for a spot in the squad .   

[Steve Slater]

1 hour ago, Gareth hock said:

I think Gaz Gales got to be pushing for a starting spot he’s been excellent so far I would like to see how he goes against hull and Leeds if he does well against them he’s got to be in contention for a spot in the squad .   

With Minns & Sutcliffe injured it's 2 from 3 in the centres for the opening day:- Hardcastle, Worthington & Gale, although there's not too many fit 2nd rowers either so Josh may be needed there?  All three need to play about 55 mins each in the next two games so that Webster can make his mind up, and we need to see who can play both right and left, daft as it may seem?- Unless of course he fancies Gaz for a wing spot?

[The Phantom Horseman]

Gaz Gale has signed a two-year contract.
https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/gale-signs-with-the-rovers-kd3ZO

Very good news. Personally, although he has impressed again in pre-season, I think he has a bit to do to unseat seasoned and proven Championship performers such as Hardcastle or Worthington at centre - his big run in the closing stages against York came past a couple of 16yos and Valencia made all our young reserve backs look like world beaters.

But he should get more opportunities than last time - there's the 1895 Cup for a start, and you'd think he'll get some games in the hybrid reserve team too.

[The Phantom Horseman]

12 hours ago, Steve Slater said:

 there's not too many fit 2nd rowers either so Josh may be needed there? 

Judged on what we have seen this season I think Webster has earmarked Harrison for one 2nd row slot with Ferres on the other. Agree that Josh could certainly play there and that might end up being his most effective position.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Squad named https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/squad-named-for-trip-to-hull-kr-9aKqv

No real returns from injury and we have yet to see Ferres (Fergie also not playing) , we are indeed having a look at some more DR players but the most interesting of them is Luke Briscoe.

[haskey]

I agree with Gittinsfan in an earlier post , what benefit is there in using DR instead of using our young lads promoted from our reserves.

[The Phantom Horseman]

14 minutes ago, haskey said:

I agree with Gittinsfan in an earlier post , what benefit is there in using DR instead of using our young lads promoted from our reserves.

We have played lots of our young lads from the reserves/fringe players in the first two games, and the three who have impressed most - Gale, Sweeting and Ottewell - have kept their place.

People who don't agree with DR at all aren't going to agree with playing them in pre-season games, but to answer the question, we get to have a look at some players who we might call on at some point this season, and we get to see them against a strong team. Holroyd, for instance, could be very much part of our plans this season. If previous history is anything to go by we won't have any of the DR lads against Leeds next week, so this will be our only chance to see how some of these lads get on in a tough game.

[Cardypaul]

Also there are a number of players who have not played yet and it may be that they’re not going to be fit for the start of the season and the coach wants to have a look at his alternatives 

[Steve Slater]

The one D/R player I would have liked to see in action is hooker Corey Johnson but he is in neither squad for this weekend after playing for Rhinos on Boxing Day against Wakefield. Is he injured or what?

[jamescolin]

I Steve. Just a quick one. I have posted about MOM. If you have any comments please let me know. Colin

[marklaspalmas]

6 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Squad named https://www.featherstonerovers.co.uk/news/squad-named-for-trip-to-hull-kr-9aKqv

No real returns from injury and we have yet to see Ferres (Fergie also not playing) , we are indeed having a look at some more DR players but the most interesting of them is Luke Briscoe.

I think Webster is doing exactly what I said with Ferres and Fergie. Nothing to gain from hammering those two ageing bodies through pre season warm ups. They know the score.

[marklaspalmas]

Minns and Day as well as Davies' injuries we've heard about but little info about Render or Carey's no shows to date. Anybody?

[Cardypaul]

37 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Minns and Day as well as Davies' injuries we've heard about but little info about Render or Carey's no shows to date. Anybody?

It was on Facebook earlier that Render has hernia and Carey isn’t quite over the ankle injury he got in Toulouse but was hoping to be back either this week or next. Of course it’s Facebook so you may want to take it with a pinch of salt.

[rhinos78]

11 hours ago, Steve Slater said:

The one D/R player I would have liked to see in action is hooker Corey Johnson but he is in neither squad for this weekend after playing for Rhinos on Boxing Day against Wakefield. Is he injured or what?

Injured 

[jamescolin]

I am laid up. Any news on the match? Thanks.

[gazza77]

15 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

I am laid up. Any news on the match? Thanks.

Final result 16-14 to HKR. 

GWS. 

[jamescolin]

1 minute ago, gazza77 said:

Final result 16-14 to HKR. 

GWS. 

Cheers. How did we play?

[gazza77]

30 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

Cheers. How did we play?

No idea, I wasn't there. I picked the score up from Facebook. 

[elppaxr2i]

Nothing for me between the two teams - a very decent game and workout but i think Webster will be more happier than Smith

Thought our forwards were miles better than theirs - Albert and Susino made some great yards and Parata had a field day at 9 but we really need a 9 that can carry on the good work hes done when hes off the field - we are just getting by at the min and it showing in the go forward - we are 50m from the tryline compared to 10/20m and threatening when Paratas on

Hull KR were not in the game till they scored off a chizzy intercept - I will be amazed if they avoid relegation and wouldnt be suprised to see them swap places with us

[The Phantom Horseman]

18 minutes ago, elppaxr2i said:

Hull KR were not in the game till they scored off a chizzy intercept - I will be amazed if they avoid relegation and wouldnt be suprised to see them swap places with us

Their team is full of players that we've seen lots of in the Championship and there are very few of those players that would have got me giddy if we signed them. Smith has his hands full keeping them up.