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Match Thread: Championship Final, Toulouse v Featherstone Rovers Sunday-10th-October-2021


marklaspalmas

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Well, we made it.

Not sure what the proper title is, Grand Final, Million Pound Game, Night to Remember, etc.

Whatever, it's Fev away to Toulouse for a Super League spot in 2022.

Our second successive Grand Final/MPG after losing 2019 in Canada.

If we can keep this thread to chat about the rugby league match, that'd be grand.

There's loads of threads elsewhere on Expansion v Heartlands, what-do-fev-bring-to SL, all flatcappers are vermin,etc.

I think we'll have the same 21 squad and then the same team on duty, but let's see.

I wouldn't have any problem seeing Parata or Fergie get a run, but we can only play 17.

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Was'nt "A Night to Remember" the film where the big favourite hit an iceberg and sank? I'd settle for that on Sunday night!😀 Let's hope that iceberg is Featherstone Rovers!

"Out of the way,son. Where's my medal?" Alex Murphy's immortal words as David Hobbs scores his 2nd try in the '83 Cup Final!

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My view on this one is how fantastic would it be for us to win and get promoted to the SL for the first time and in our centennial year!

I certainly think we can do it and we’ll be underdogs again which suits us fine. All the pressure is on Toulouse as they are unbeaten this season and playing at home. Not sure of the weather forecast but the surface should suit our style of play and if we play a clinical game like we did against fax in the semi then we can do them.

But if we don’t do it I’ll still reflect on this season as being a great one - we’ve had an awesome team, we’ve come through some really tough spells due to injury/Covid and still only lost one league match. And we got to see something i didn’t think we’d ever get to see again in my lifetime and that was Rovers running out at Wembley and winning a trophy there. Not a bad season really 😊

We’ve been to Toulouse before and spoilt the party and I think we can do it again. #UTR

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   I thought we could beat Toulouse in our home game but was wrong(AGAIN).Saturdays display from our forwards leaves me no doubt we can overcome theirs.Just the pace Toulouse have out wide and their short kicking game that makes me a bit nervous.We held a much better Toronto side for 60 min with a couple of disputable calls from the ref and the 17 that play on Sunday are a stronger unit.Team picks itself same as Saturday apart from Chizzy starting Holmes on the bench.If Ferggy is fit enough to do 40min do you put him on the bench instead of Cooper?.As i said in an earlier post Field has shown steady improvement and has earned the right to start.Man to get in Fords face his knee rules Chizzy out so i would ask Brown to do it he has the pace.Would have liked Davies to do it as he is quick into the line but his hard work will be needed elsewhere.Night to Remember is the perfect title if we win but a bit hard to swallow in defeat.I think the lads can give one last 80 min of graft ,skill and determination to win the game.

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4 hours ago, mightyship said:

My view on this one is how fantastic would it be for us to win and get promoted to the SL for the first time and in our centennial year!

I certainly think we can do it and we’ll be underdogs again which suits us fine. All the pressure is on Toulouse as they are unbeaten this season and playing at home. Not sure of the weather forecast but the surface should suit our style of play and if we play a clinical game like we did against fax in the semi then we can do them.

But if we don’t do it I’ll still reflect on this season as being a great one - we’ve had an awesome team, we’ve come through some really tough spells due to injury/Covid and still only lost one league match. And we got to see something i didn’t think we’d ever get to see again in my lifetime and that was Rovers running out at Wembley and winning a trophy there. Not a bad season really 😊

We’ve been to Toulouse before and spoilt the party and I think we can do it again. #UTR

Great post that.

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A few random thoughts on Sunday...

Our senior citizen middles Kopczak and Lockwood should be nice and fresh. Such was our dominance against Fax that after Kopczak was subbed after 24 mins and Lockwood 3 minutes later, neither were required to return.

Re Chissy...hard to say what the situation is, whether having him on the bench against Halifax was tactical, a bid to shore up our left side defence, Webster sending a message to him...who knows.

Anyway, the outcome was fine, the game was maybe not quite won when he came on but we were firmly on top and the situation was ideal for him. Whether he starts on Sunday we'll have to see but if nothing else it keeps Toulouse guessing.

Re Fergie...there still seems to be some surprise that he didn't play against Fax but I'm not sure why given Webster's comments after he had left him out of the league game against them ie that his imminent suspension meant it would be hard for him to reach match fitness for the play-offs and he'd rather get some players ready who had a chance to be fit.

He hasn't played for five weeks and unless he's been wowing Webster in training you'd think it unlikely any of the regulars in the pack will be dropped to accomodate him, so barring injury or a Cooper suspension for his sin binning (which we'll know about today) it's hard to see a route into the 17. Fergie was on the sideline on Saturday though and took part in the warm-ups so maybe he's still in the frame?

Parata...Webster's comments about only playing both hookers "because we had to give them a game" indicate he's happier just playing one leaving more interchanges for the middles and the option to include a half back on the bench. Certainly Jones' recent performances have suggested he's more than up to playing a full game, whilst there are other alternatives at 9 if he needs a short breather. Tough on Parata who was the better of the pair in the first half of the season but Jones has been very good lately.

As for Toulouse, I think it's just as important to keep Gigot quiet as it is Ford, Ford plays on their left/our right where we have been strong defensively whereas Gigot plays on the right side against our more vulnerable side and has a good cutout ball too.

Some interesting comments from Batley coach Craig Lingard after their game, where he said Fev could give Toulouse a lot of problems, pointing out that plenty of Toulouse players were cramping up in the game and playing once a fortnight could backfire on them.
 

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5 hours ago, mightyship said:

My view on this one is how fantastic would it be for us to win and get promoted to the SL for the first time and in our centennial year!

I certainly think we can do it and we’ll be underdogs again which suits us fine. All the pressure is on Toulouse as they are unbeaten this season and playing at home. Not sure of the weather forecast but the surface should suit our style of play and if we play a clinical game like we did against fax in the semi then we can do them.

But if we don’t do it I’ll still reflect on this season as being a great one - we’ve had an awesome team, we’ve come through some really tough spells due to injury/Covid and still only lost one league match. And we got to see something i didn’t think we’d ever get to see again in my lifetime and that was Rovers running out at Wembley and winning a trophy there. Not a bad season really 😊

We’ve been to Toulouse before and spoilt the party and I think we can do it again. #UTR

Forecast for Saturday is sunny with a gentle breeze and no predicted rain (0-1% chance), 19C around KO time. 

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   Don't agree with Horseman that Parata was better than Jones early in the season.Jones has always been the better of the pair but Parata did offer a bit quicker go forward to get the defence on the back foot.Jones is really good like John Davies at reading the game and he is often quicker than others at supporting a break like Saturday inside Halton.He is also very hard working in defence.I would still have played Parata on the bench Saturday instead of Cooper but over the last few weeks Jones has proved he can do 80 min.As i posted just Jones on Sunday but 40min from Ferggy could just tire out the Toulouse pack enough for our forwards to take command.Plenty to look forward to and it's nice to be involved in another crucial game.

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Having watched our game on Saturday back you’ll need the little 50/50s going your way in the opening moments… we had one with Gilmore under the posts which for me was a penalty instead they went up field and scored 

A few us noticed how much Toulouse weren’t fit and struggling with cramp etc hands on hips and wanted half time for a rest if you turn up with a lot of Enthusiasm & intense stuff you won’t be far off good luck… 

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1 hour ago, jamescolin said:

Yes, but we have had some poor decisions against us in the past. 

True. We've had some lucky ones as well. 😉

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17 hours ago, jamescolin said:

Yes, but we have had some poor decisions against us in the past. 

It is a proven fact that every club in this division has more bad decisions made against them than in their favour.

Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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