Fri 3-Sun 5 Sept: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

[kiggy]

6 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Can't really blame him. Bradford very unlikely to win the game with a full team against a fresh Toulouse team but not only that it has remifications for next week if the players get battered as they usually do against such a big team.

Toulouse are still missing 5 players from being battered by Oldham, some won't be back before, at least, the semifinals. Just because you are a "little" team, doesn't mean you can't leave a mark on a "big" team

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

Yeds by 14. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

11 hours ago, kiggy said:

Toulouse are still missing 5 players from being battered by Oldham, some won't be back before, at least, the semifinals. Just because you are a "little" team, doesn't mean you can't leave a mark on a "big" team

Which five players are missing from the Oldham game? I know about Schaumkell and Dixon. Who are the other three? Aside of long-term absentee Paul Marcon I'm struggling to think who else might have been injured from last week's game, unless they have named players in the 21 who they know to be injured?

I am not one of those people who think Toulouse have been "favoured" by circumstances this year btw- indeed I think they have done everything asked of them and more - but their reduced number of games has definitely turned out to be an advantage for them in terms of injuries, especially when they don't contest either the Challenge Cup or the 1895 Cup. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the play-offs.

[paulwalker71]

4 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 but their reduced number of games has definitely turned out to be an advantage for them in terms of injuries, 

***Shock revelation***

"Rugby League players perform better when asked to play less games than when they are flogged week in week out"!!!!

Who knew? Perhaps fixture planners night even take this into account going forward  

[Scubby]

6 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Which five players are missing from the Oldham game? I know about Schaumkell and Dixon. Who are the other three? Aside of long-term absentee Paul Marcon I'm struggling to think who else might have been injured from last week's game, unless they have named players in the 21 who they know to be injured?

I am not one of those people who think Toulouse have been "favoured" by circumstances this year btw- indeed I think they have done everything asked of them and more - but their reduced number of games has definitely turned out to be an advantage for them in terms of injuries, especially when they don't contest either the Challenge Cup or the 1895 Cup. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the play-offs.

Had Batley, Featherstone, London and Halifax travelled to Toulouse the league leaders shield would probably be over by now. How a club that has to travel from the South of France and back (same day, 1600 miles) each week is deemed to have an advantage is absolutely nuts!

[The Phantom Horseman]

4 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Had Batley, Featherstone, London and Halifax travelled to Toulouse the league leaders shield would probably be over by now. How a club that has to travel from the South of France and back in a day, (1600 miles) each week is deemed to have an advantage is absolutely nuts!

I agree completely if you read the start of my second paragraph. I don't think that invalidates the point I was making though that having played a lot fewer games might prove a big advantage for them at the business end of the season.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, paulwalker71 said:

***Shock revelation***

"Rugby League players perform better when asked to play less games than when they are flogged week in week out"!!!!

Who knew? Perhaps fixture planners night even take this into account going forward  

Yep a valid point of course, albeit a slightly different one to the one I was making.

[Fevrover]

Didn't Toulouse realise they would have to travel when they joined the ENGLISH RL ? Some fans make me laugh.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Whitehaven have beaten Batley at the Mount which puts the cat amongst the pigeons a little bit. Haven arguably the number 3 form team in the league right now and if they sneak into the play-offs they'll fancy their chances of turning over whoever finishes third.

[Bulls2487]

After watching Toulouse today I can't see past them for Promotion to SL. Level above any other team we have played this season. Threats all over the pitch and defence is top class.

[Wakefield Ram]

2 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Whitehaven have beaten Batley at the Mount which puts the cat amongst the pigeons a little bit. Haven arguably the number 3 form team in the league right now and if they sneak into the play-offs they'll fancy their chances of turning over whoever finishes third.

Batley beaten and Widnes secure Dewsbury from relegation by turning a 60 point defeat last week into a 60 point win this week. Truly remarkable turnround. 

[Fevrover]

4 minutes ago, Bulls2487 said:

After watching Toulouse today I can't see past them from Promotion to SL. Level above any other team we have played this season. Threats all over the pitch and defence is top class.

Yeah got to agree with that, full time certainly makes a difference but it is what it is.

[Bulls2487]

1 minute ago, Fevrover said:

Yeah got to agree with that, full time certainly makes a difference but it is what it is.

It is defo an advantage when FT. I think the playoffs will be exciting when they start in 3 weeks.

[paulwalker71]

18 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Didn't Toulouse realise they would have to travel when they joined the ENGLISH RL ? Some fans make me laugh.

Yes, and they probably assumed that the other teams would travel to their place as well

[Scubby]

18 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Didn't Toulouse realise they would have to travel when they joined the ENGLISH RL ? Some fans make me laugh.

Yep but the probably expected to play half their games at home too? They are established members of the Championship like everyone else.

[kiggy]

22 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Yeah got to agree with that, full time certainly makes a difference but it is what it is.

Just a suggestion, but they could have two leagues. One with full time teams and one with part time teams. That would make the games a bit fairer. It does seem very unfair at the moment on the part timers. 

[kiggy]

1 hour ago, Scubby said:

Had Batley, Featherstone, London and Halifax travelled to Toulouse the league leaders shield would probably be over by now. How a club that has to travel from the South of France and back (same day, 1600 miles) each week is deemed to have an advantage is absolutely nuts!

Toulouse have gone back to flying scutter air now, they have a nice relaxing weekend to enjoy their time in the UK. It's phenomenly cheaper too.

[kiggy]

32 minutes ago, Bulls2487 said:

It is defo an advantage when FT. I think the playoffs will be exciting when they start in 3 weeks.

If Toulouse give away the same number of penalties as today they will be in trouble against a fired up Fev

[PECETTO]

56 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Didn't Toulouse realise they would have to travel when they joined the ENGLISH RL ? Some fans make me laugh.

Yes, and Also have home matchs ?

[The Blues Ox]

Fax totally outmatched today against Fev. Fev are just a huge team and physically are as big a team we have played this season apart from Toulouse.  They probably scored about 3 tries that involved a little bit of luck(We got one back in the 2nd half) but we made so many basic errors that the result was inevitable. Them and Toulouse are a class above everyone else and I do hope for the good of the game they both end up in the final as I think both deserve it.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

16 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Fax totally outmatched today against Fev. Fev are just a huge team and physically are as big a team we have played this season apart from Toulouse.  They probably scored about 3 tries that involved a little bit of luck(We got one back in the 2nd half) but we made so many basic errors that the result was inevitable. Them and Toulouse are a class above everyone else and I do hope for the good of the game they both end up in the final as I think both deserve it.

This one clearly very well worked at on the training pitch

 

[The Blues Ox]

6 minutes ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

This one clearly very well worked at on the training pitch

 

Just one of 3 kick offs we dropped. Did Fev score 4 tries off balls going to ground? Maybe have been 5 that could be a record.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

1 minute ago, The Blues Ox said:

Just one of 3 kick offs we dropped. Did Fev score 4 tries off balls going to ground? Maybe have been 5 that could be a record.

Can remember 4

[The Blues Ox]

Just now, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

Can remember 4

Was thinking that dropped kick, possibly first 2 Fev tries where passes went to ground, Gale length of the field and maybe one of the last ones but dont think it went to ground in hindsight. Thought the ref had a decent game although I wouldn't have been surprised if Springer got a yellow. Big gulf in class today.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

7 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Was thinking that dropped kick, possibly first 2 Fev tries where passes went to ground, Gale length of the field and maybe one of the last ones but dont think it went to ground in hindsight. Thought the ref had a decent game although I wouldn't have been surprised if Springer got a yellow. Big gulf in class today.

1st try of game (Welham), Chisholm, Gale and 1st one on this for Ferres (all 4 available to watch again on Fev's twitter )