Match Thread: Championship Round 3, Featherstone Rovers v Whitehaven Sunday-25th-April-2021

[marklaspalmas]

Fair to say, JW sprung a few surprises with his selection last Sunday in a good win over a decent Swinton side.

Chizz, Choo-choo and Hardy all left out. They will be keen to be back in the 17.

But JD and MInnsy got a chance, and took it.

So, what side can we expect on Sunday? I didn't see any major knocks on Sunday, but you never know.

Blackmore's up before the beak, which is a shame as he's been outstanding.

JD looked like he'd never been away, but did an understandably short stint.

Will Harrison be fit again after his foot injury?

I'm not sure Brown is the medium/long term answer as goal kicker.

It's a game we should win, so that creates its own pressure.

[tms]

well first I'd make two distinct changes first josh for gareth give him a run on the wing in case he's to cover for ben and as good as nu an tom played together bring back dane 

Then as we are in the enviable position of resting anybody anytime we want I would be tempted to rest brad and dean  to get them ready for york away

As for goal kicker we'ave three who are all much of a muchness  they all miss ones they should  kick  and kick ones they should miss nu last one from the touchline at swinton comes to mind so I think we all need to take a deep breath and watch this space 

[Michael Bates]

Do we need to rest players when we don't play York for 2 weeks?

[The Phantom Horseman]

Some interesting calls for Webster to make. It's not unthinkable that Chisholm is currently our third half back, especially as he was subbed in the first half against Hull. He does have those frequent moments of magic that make him a standout performer at this level, but we have two other halves who would probably start for every other team in the division.

Holmes probably did enough to solidify himself as a starter on Sunday. He isn't the running threat that the other two are, but his passing ability is top drawer, he kicks well out of hand and his defence is very solid.

Brown had a quieter game than Holmes on Sunday but has shown flashes of real quality running the ball and he can throw out a decent pass too.

The problem for Chisholm is that his defence is his weakness and we now have two halves who have looked very solid in that area so far. I think it's fiendishly hard to call what our best pairing is at the moment, especially with all three preferring to play on the left hand side - all three have played on both sides at some stage this season.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Anyway, Whitehaven...time to exorcise once and for all the ghost of Grant Gore.

Whitehaven have looked a bit better than some expected this season and have beaten Dewsbury and Newcastle, playing some attractive rugby too, but this is a game we really should be expecting to win with something to spare, barring a return of the error count we saw in the second Batley game.

[Robin Evans]

6 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Anyway, Whitehaven...time to exorcise once and for all the ghost of Grant Gore.

Whitehaven have looked a bit better than some expected this season and have beaten Dewsbury and Newcastle, playing some attractive rugby too, but this is a game we really should be expecting to win with something to spare, barring a return of the error count we saw in the second Batley game.

Grant Gore..... he looked fantastic in a brief career ended by injury I think.

[jamescolin]

I really hope that Season Ticket holders are given the OK to watch the match. Do we need anything extra to watch the game?

[tms]

4 hours ago, Michael Bates said:

Do we need to rest players when we don't play York for 2 weeks?

To be fair resting players has nowt to do with were not playing for two weeks it's all about the bigger picture  about how many minutes a player has got in his legs  and will it benefit  him and the team to give  him a little rest especially when we have a boat load of players in the squad who can all step up to the plate

[J Phil Loxton]

For me you can't have talent like Chisholm not in your team. Even in his quietest games he has come up with match saving moments. He inspires players around him. I think him and Holmes have a good understanding. That adds to the dilemma with Brown Jones and Parata who have each excelled themselves. Fortunately now  Fev are rich with individual talent all over the park. Rotating the hooking position whether it be from injuries or loss of form might have to be the answer knowing that if Holmes or Chizzy ever get a knock then we have a replacement. Who would be a coach?

[elppaxr2i]

7 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Anyway, Whitehaven...time to exorcise once and for all the ghost of Grant Gore.

Whitehaven have looked a bit better than some expected this season and have beaten Dewsbury and Newcastle, playing some attractive rugby too, but this is a game we really should be expecting to win with something to spare, barring a return of the error count we saw in the second Batley game.

They lost to dews 17-8 

Can really see us finally putting in a 80 min performance and putting Haven to the sword - With no game the following week that points difference percentage thing will go a long way to aiding us especially if the toulouse away game cannot be re-arranged

[The Phantom Horseman]

8 hours ago, elppaxr2i said:

They lost to dews 17-8 

 

They did away in the league, but they beat them at home in the Challenge Cup.

8 hours ago, elppaxr2i said:

 

Can really see us finally putting in a 80 min performance and putting Haven to the sword - With no game the following week that points difference percentage thing will go a long way to aiding us especially if the toulouse away game cannot be re-arranged

"we should win with something to spare" is as close as I'm ever going to get on here to saying we should put a team to the sword...

[tms]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

"we should win with something to spare" is as close as I'm ever going to get on here to saying we should put a team to the sword...

Agreed   but I've supported FEV for a long long time to take anything for granted  I've often said THEY can't win but WE can lose having said that in all the games against championship sides we'ave scored at least six tries in every game so going on that rational whitehaven will have to score seven to win 

[tms]

Same REF  who I thought had a good game

 

FEATHERSTONE ROVERS V WHITEHAVEN RLFC

Sunday 25th April
Millennium Stadium, Featherstone | KO : 15:00

Referee	A. Moore
Touch Judge 1	W. Turley
Touch Judge 2	L. Bland
Reserve Referee	N. Horton
Time Keeper	S. Williams

[MADREDNIGE]

Remember losing to Haven at Home 27-0 when it was a banker. 

[Gooleboy]

5 hours ago, MADREDNIGE said:

Remember losing to Haven at Home 27-0 when it was a banker. 

Rochdale at home a few years ago was a banker as well.

[sentoffagain2]

15 hours ago, MADREDNIGE said:

Remember losing to Haven at Home 27-0 when it was a banker. 

  Was that the game a young McNally ran us ragged by supporting on the inside pass.

[The Phantom Horseman]

15 hours ago, MADREDNIGE said:

Remember losing to Haven at Home 27-0 when it was a banker. 

 

25 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Was that the game a young McNally ran us ragged by supporting on the inside pass.

If it's the game I think he means, it was Jon Sharp's third game in charge, we lost 29-0 on a Saturday evening, Grant Gore bossed the game.

That was one of our lowest points in the last 10 years or so, it was our seventh loss from 10 home games that year, we then went into the Championship Shield where we were still poor (remember the Batley game with the amazing Ainscough/Will Sharp finish) but finally found some form late on to win the Shield.

[sentoffagain2]

11 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

If it's the game I think he means, it was Jon Sharp's third game in charge, we lost 29-0 on a Saturday evening, Grant Gore bossed the game.

That was one of our lowest points in the last 10 years or so, it was our seventh loss from 10 home games that year, we then went into the Championship Shield where we were still poor (remember the Batley game with the amazing Ainscough/Will Sharp finish) but finally found some form late on to win the Shield.

  Thanks for thar reminder the game i was thinking about was before that and although Haven won comfortably we did manage to score.I said at the start of the season i was not Sure about Gareth Gale.I am now ,he deserves his place with his performances on the field.

[J Phil Loxton]

The 2009 game when Powell first took over when we lost at home 26-52 to them that sticks in my mind. If memory serves me correct we went up their a few weeks later and returned the compliment by scoring 40 odd points.

[tms]

36 minutes ago, J Phil Loxton said:

The 2009 game when Powell first took over when we lost at home 26-52 to them that sticks in my mind. If memory serves me correct we went up their a few weeks later and returned the compliment by scoring 40 odd points.

4 weeks later 44-16 win

[lingaro]

7 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Thanks for thar reminder the game i was thinking about was before that and although Haven won comfortably we did manage to score.I said at the start of the season i was not Sure about Gareth Gale.I am now ,he deserves his place with his performances on the field.

Only going to get better.  

[sentoffagain2]

8 hours ago, J Phil Loxton said:

The 2009 game when Powell first took over when we lost at home 26-52 to them that sticks in my mind. If memory serves me correct we went up their a few weeks later and returned the compliment by scoring 40 odd points.

  Thats the one.Do you know some of our unexpected defeats stick in the memory longer than some wins.One year Donny came to Fev and gave us a good beating well against the odds.

[Robin Evans]

10 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Thats the one.Do you know some of our unexpected defeats stick in the memory longer than some wins.One year Donny came to Fev and gave us a good beating well against the odds.

Did it a few times... Paul(?) Manson and latterly Cookey.....

Manson..... had a habit of not being remotely in the game..   then changed the entire picture in a ten min spell.

[Chris Taylor]

14 hours ago, Robin Evans said:

Did it a few times... Paul(?) Manson and latterly Cookey.....

Manson..... had a habit of not being remotely in the game..   then changed the entire picture in a ten min spell.

Paul Mannson, was at Hull KR too. 

We tried to sign him, but I seem to remember him wanting nearly £1k per week, something we couldn't afford. 

One of the S/O in the championship at the time.

[J Phil Loxton]

15 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Thats the one.Do you know some of our unexpected defeats stick in the memory longer than some wins.One year Donny came to Fev and gave us a good beating well against the odds.

I'm old enough to remember the 1966/67 season when we went on our famous cup run beating Bradford Wakefield Castleford and Leeds on the way to Wembley. In that season we lost at home to Keighley Doncaster and if memory serves me right Bramley as well. I think we slid down to about 20th in a League of 30 before we met Barrow in the final.