Match thread: Championship Rd1. York v Featherstone Rovers. Monday 31st January 2022.

[marklaspalmas]

Right, that's the hors d'oeuvres out of the way with and tasty they were too.

On to the real stuff. First game in the Championship, and not an easy start by any means.

York will fancy their chances but Rovers will start as favourites.

Live on Premier Sports, live Radio comms on Rovers TV, but I bet a lot of fans will want to try out York's new stadium and the novelty of Monday Night Football.

Big Mac has given a few clues about what his 17 will be, but there are still plenty of ponderables:

Is Pickersgill fit?

Will Leilua be thrown straight in?

Is a new arrival or two going to be announced this week?

Will Chizzy's ban be lifted on appeal?

Where does Gill fit in?

Where does Hall fit in?

Is Koppy out?

Will Jones be available?

[The Phantom Horseman]

Yes, the above looks a good summary. I think it will be very tricky to name the 17, possibly even until the day of the game, with the status of so many players up in the air.

This looks set to be a tough opener on paper, we only won this game last year on Hall's drop-goal breakaway try, and that day as well as Chisholm and Koppy who might be missing we also had Nu Brown, Frankie Halton, plus one or two others though of course we have some new signings too.

Even more of York's team that day are no longer with the club but they were struggling badly with injuries at the time. Remains to be seen if their revamped squad can improve significantly on what they achieved last year but they'll be itching to take our scalp at home in the first game of the season.

[Fevrover]

I will bet that Chizzy's ban will NOT be lessened for a start.

[Monkeymagic22]

I'd guess that we'll go with the players who started against Wakey. 

[Gareth hock]

I hope we don’t throw Joey straight in he needs time to get up to speed 

[bigbaldnmad]

If he's not jet lagged, I would play him. He will be fit from training for the fight and we could do with him for the next game.

I would play him at least half a game.

[The Phantom Horseman]

14 minutes ago, bigbaldnmad said:

If he's not jet lagged, I would play him. He will be fit from training for the fight and we could do with him for the next game.

I would play him at least half a game.

Ryan Verlinden played at Catalans 4 days after he arrived in the UK and I doubt Joey's less fit than him...

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

. Remains to be seen if their revamped squad can improve significantly on what they achieved last year 

Agreed PH but 3 of the revamped squad who york fans think are definite starters are all banned

1 hour ago, Fevrover said:

I will bet that Chizzy's ban will NOT be lessened for a start.

Apparently reports say they have no evidence to corroborate oldam toss pot unfortunately the RFL won't admit they got it wrong so chizzy will still get a ban only hope his appeal will reduce  the 8 games

37 minutes ago, Gareth hock said:

I hope we don’t throw Joey straight in he needs time to get up to speed 

Joey is a samoan international so he will be up to speed so we start him 

 

22 minutes ago, bigbaldnmad said:

If he's not jet lagged, I would play him. He will be fit from training for the fight and we could do with him for the next game.

I would play him at least half a game.

Agreed B if it's only for 60 minute 

But more importantly the look on the faces of the york lads when they see a backline  of Briscoe Hardcastle joey and Gale will be priceless

[The Phantom Horseman]

8 minutes ago, POR said:

Agreed PH but 3 of the revamped squad who york fans think are definite starters are all banned

Two of the three banned players, Harris if his ban is confirmed and Ogden, were both woeful defensively against us last season, just watch Ogden's defensive attempts for Tom Holmes' try at London, and Harris might not have been selected over O'Hagan and Ellis anyway. Pauli Pauli is a threat in an attack but he seems best when played in short spells.

[Rovers fev]

Hall

briscoe

Leilua

hardy

gale

holmes 

smith 

lockwood 

wildie

Ferres  

Jsl

hellewell

bussey 

jones 

moors 

Davies 

field 

think that would be a very strong 13 to go with, moors needs to be coming off the bench in 20 minute spells he’s an impact player 

[georgeb1]

50 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Two of the three banned players, Harris if his ban is confirmed and Ogden, were both woeful defensively against us last season, just watch Ogden's defensive attempts for Tom Holmes' try at London, and Harris might not have been selected over O'Hagan and Ellis anyway. Pauli Pauli is a threat in an attack but he seems best when played in short spells.

Spot on there ,  o,Hagan (if fit) is probably our no 1 choice in the half's , Logan and glover should start in the centres , the forward battle should be impressive , shame koppy may not play but you have strength in depth , up the knights but should be a great match , p.s. we hope joey plays .

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 Pauli Pauli is a threat in an attack but he seems best when played in short spells.

Pauli Pauli found not guilty by the disciplinary so will be able to play on Monday.

[haskey]

Not so PH under charge ON015/22 1 match penalty on disciplinary website.

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Pauli Pauli found not guilty by the disciplinary so will be able to play on Monday.

AYE ITS all over YORK TWITTER but they must haveforgot he was up twice both grade B

Pauli Pauli #12, York

Incident:

Late hit on passer at 18 19

Decision:

No charge

Charge Detail:

Player is engaged for the tackle when the opponent still is in possession of the ball. Opponent is braced for impact.

Pauli Pauli #12, York

Incident:

Late hit on passer at 5 49

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (i) Dangerous Contact - A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head, neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to that player. Grade B

Sanctions:

1 Match Penalty Notice

[The Phantom Horseman]

That was just the initial charge last week which players can challenge or accept. The RFL tweeted the final decisions tonight and he's been cleared.

[BridKnight]

That’s correct PH.  Knights have just confirmed he has been cleared.

[Guest]

YOU learn something new everyday  PH so RFL has decded not to punish  Dangerous Contact - A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head, neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to that player. Grade B Can't  wait to see what they do with discriminatory language and conduct”.

[The Phantom Horseman]

8 hours ago, POR said:

 so RFL has decded not to punish  Dangerous Contact - A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head, neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to that player. Grade B

No, they haven't decided not to punish him, they have reviewed the video and decided he's not guilty.

[haskey]

PH where in the RL disciplinary charge list does it state the penalty notice has been  withdrawn, and he is free to play. It still says 1 penalty notice.

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

No, they haven't decided not to punish him, they have reviewed the video and decided he's not guilty.

 Decided he's  NOT guilty   decide NOT to  punish  what's the difference   the out come is the same but my point was what will happen to chizzy's discriminatory language and conduct”.

[The Phantom Horseman]

4 minutes ago, haskey said:

PH where in the RL disciplinary charge list does it state the penalty notice has been  withdrawn, and he is free to play. It still says 1 penalty notice.

They haven't updated it yet. They put out a tweet last night with the results of the Operation Rules Tribunal
https://twitter.com/TheRFL/status/1486089051530792961

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

3 minutes ago, POR said:

 Decided he's  NOT guilty   decide NOT to  punish  what's the difference   the out come is the same but my point was what will happen to chizzy's discriminatory language and conduct”.

There's an obvious difference between being found not guilty and being found guilty but not being punished.

I'm not sure what Chisholm's case has to do with it. Personally I think the length of his ban seems very harsh even if he did say what he is alleged to have said, but as I have said on here several times, the Operational Rules Tribunal has very clear guidelines for penalties and usually when people across forumland complain about a ban it's because a) it's a player from their own club and b) they don't know the guidelines.

As far as controversial bans go, the 3-game bans for Liam Harris and James Clare for "Grade D punching" are a bit wild, if anyone has seen the footage of that there was very little in it, but the RFL are really clamping down on anything remotely resembling a punch and late tackles.

[sentoffagain2]

  I think most people who have watched the game for years can spot the difference between a deliberate late hit and an accidental one.It is difficult for a defender to pull out of a tackle at a certain point your momentum will take you into the attacking player.We are talking about margins of less than 2 seconds and some players are not blessed with quick thinking.

[The Phantom Horseman]

36 minutes ago, haskey said:

PH where in the RL disciplinary charge list does it state the penalty notice has been  withdrawn, and he is free to play. It still says 1 penalty notice.

btw Haskey, if your point is that the RFL website is slow to update and information not the easiest to access then I agree 100% with you!

[The Blues Ox]

On 25/01/2022 at 20:07, The Phantom Horseman said:

Two of the three banned players, Harris if his ban is confirmed and Ogden, were both woeful defensively against us last season, just watch Ogden's defensive attempts for Tom Holmes' try at London, and Harris might not have been selected over O'Hagan and Ellis anyway. Pauli Pauli is a threat in an attack but he seems best when played in short spells.

Id imagine Harris will be breathing a sigh of relief if he is banned for this one. 

Just read your post further down, 3 game bans is totally mad for what happened. Lets not turn the sport in to football.