Match thread: Championship Rd4. Featherstone Rovers v London Broncos. Saturday 19th February 2022.

[marklaspalmas]

Job done in Workington.

The sick list is looking a bit long though. Koppy's knee, Jesse's shoulder, THREE hamstrings, whatever's keeping Doyle out of contention, Ferres hasn't played yet this season, Mathiou still not ready and Jacks in Australia.

That's nine players out of 28.

Lets hope at least a couple of them could make the squad v London.

The Broncos have started poorly, so we'll be big favourites to win.

Conditions underfoot and the weather may well dictate things again on Saturday.

[Steve Slater]

A comfortable win with all the expected fringe players getting a game will do for me, rather than a huge score. Oh! and no further injuries or cards. I wouldn't rule out using D/R, as Rhinos are playing Friday, if it gave key players like Bussey a well earned rest? 

[Robin Evans]

30 points in it.... even if its wazzin down.

I'm going out on a limb here..... I'm not convinced London will complete the season.

[gazza77]

Looking at the forecast earlier, I'd suggest a win, no injuries and not getting hypothermia would be a result.

[Gareth hock]

18 hours ago, Steve Slater said:

A comfortable win with all the expected fringe players getting a game will do for me, rather than a huge score. Oh! and no further injuries or cards. I wouldn't rule out using D/R, as Rhinos are playing Friday, if it gave key players like Bussey a well earned rest? 

A well earned rest after three games of the season . I think some people just think we turn up and win these sort of games easily .

[Fevrover]

2 hours ago, Gareth hock said:

A well earned rest after three games of the season . I think some people just think we turn up and win these sort of games easily .

I agree but it doesn’t work like that thankfully because we've been to team's over the years expecting to lose and we've won.

[marklaspalmas]

Well, I think with the squad we've got, we have a lot of options without bothering with the disruption of DR.

Lets imagine a (worst case) scenario where we face London with:

Koppy, JSL, Hardo, Joey & Gilly plus Doyle on the treatment table.

Jacks still in Oz, and Mathiou still getting up to speed.

Ferres (rumoured to be on the outer), Chizz with his thigh, and for example Bussey all rested too.

Even if all those players didn't play, we could still put out a 17 that looks like this.

1. Pickers

2. LB

3. Hally

4. Hellewell

5. Gaga

6. Sherlock

7. Smithy

8. Locky

9. Wildie

10. Coops

11. Moors

12. JD

13. Trout

14. Jones

15. Field

16. Cuthbertson

17. McConnell

And that is a very strong line up that can do for London.

[Steve Slater]

4 hours ago, Gareth hock said:

A well earned rest after three games of the season . I think some people just think we turn up and win these sort of games easily .

I'm not saying that I would use D/R, just that Big Mac might, given his statement about squad rotation?

[The Phantom Horseman]

London haven't scored a point in their last two games and have injury issues of their own. Strange things can happen in RL, but everything points to a comfortable Fev win with the weather being the possible fly in the ointment.

[crashmon]

As a London fan here in peace, the only open question we have on Sat, is will London score, or will we be nilled for a third game in a row.

You could play your ladies squad and you would still win easily, but can you keep the mighty London attack out.

Good luck for the season BTW

[The Phantom Horseman]

On 16/02/2022 at 10:14, marklaspalmas said:

Ferres (rumoured to be on the outer), Chizz with his thigh, and for example Bussey all rested too.

 

One factor that may or may not have played a part in Chissy's absence at Workington might have been that his partner was due to give birth, and indeed did so in the last couple of days, so being involved in a rugby league game over 3 hours' drive from home might not have been seen as ideal. Of course he might just have been rested because of his thigh/the forecast muddy conditions.

[lingaro]

On Baby duty if you ask me. He'll be back this week with bags under his eyes ! 

[The Phantom Horseman]

So...the usual 19 names are up on the RFL website. The exciting news is that Leilua is amongst them. Chisholm, Lockwood and Ferres are in there. Still no place for Matthiou, assuming the two late-alphabet missing names are Trout and Wildie.

We have 5 out on what seem like longish-term injuries (Koppy, Jesse, Josh H, Doyle  and Gill).

squad:
Briscoe, Bussey, Chisholm, Cooper, Cuthbertson, Davies, Ferres, Field, Gale, Hall, Hellewell, Holmes, Jones, Leilua, Lockwood, McConnell, Moors, Pickersgill, Smith plus presumably Trout and Wildie.

London have only named 17 on the RFL website so far which either means some more names are presumably having fitness tests this evening or their injury issues are especially bad.

[marklaspalmas]

55 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

So...the usual 19 names are up on the RFL website. The exciting news is that Leilua is amongst them. Chisholm, Lockwood and Ferres are in there. Still no place for Matthiou, assuming the two late-alphabet missing names are Trout and Wildie.

We have 5 out on what seem like longish-term injuries (Koppy, Jesse, Josh H, Doyle  and Gill).

squad:
Briscoe, Bussey, Chisholm, Cooper, Cuthbertson, Davies, Ferres, Field, Gale, Hall, Hellewell, Holmes, Jones, Leilua, Lockwood, McConnell, Moors, Pickersgill, Smith plus presumably Trout and Wildie.

London have only named 17 on the RFL website so far which either means some more names are presumably having fitness tests this evening or their injury issues are especially bad.

Aye.

My 17 plus Chizz, Bussey, Ferres & Joey.

Big Mac will be best placed to decide who's playing and who's not.

But, with another seven players out, that's a strong squad indeed.

[Cardypaul]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

So...the usual 19 names are up on the RFL website. The exciting news is that Leilua is amongst them. Chisholm, Lockwood and Ferres are in there. Still no place for Matthiou, assuming the two late-alphabet missing names are Trout and Wildie.

We have 5 out on what seem like longish-term injuries (Koppy, Jesse, Josh H, Doyle  and Gill).

squad:
Briscoe, Bussey, Chisholm, Cooper, Cuthbertson, Davies, Ferres, Field, Gale, Hall, Hellewell, Holmes, Jones, Leilua, Lockwood, McConnell, Moors, Pickersgill, Smith plus presumably Trout and Wildie.

London have only named 17 on the RFL website so far which either means some more names are presumably having fitness tests this evening or their injury issues are especially bad.

Squad announced Wildie and Trout in as expected. 

[Guest]

 

So only change is joey for bayley DESPITE the rumours of Brett joining the bulls I would start him and give Junior a well earned rest with FAX in mind similarly I'd save Chizzy ad Locky for the cup

Finally if Joey's fit joey plays 

My changes from last weeks 17 would be Joey for Ben in centre Sherlock for Bayley in halves two new 2nd rowers Brett and Ben for Junior and JD then on the bench JD for Loui

[eltel]

Looks like holmes is getting a run out with leeds reserves

Rhinos have drafted former Super League players Kyle Trout and Tom Holmes from Featherstone Rovers into their squad, along with Hunslet’s Rian Rowley and Charley Bodman and Oli Burton, of Batley Bulldogs.

*Nothing to worry about the game has now been cancelled.

[Fevrover]

28 minutes ago, eltel said:

Looks like holmes is getting a run out with leeds reserves

Rhinos have drafted former Super League players Kyle Trout and Tom Holmes from Featherstone Rovers into their squad, along with Hunslet’s Rian Rowley and Charley Bodman and Oli Burton, of Batley Bulldogs.

That will get sir kev talking lol.

[haskey]

What is going on. Have Leeds not got enough players to make up their teams. McD has been talking about rotating his squad. Giving Holmes a run out & Trout a second run out against London would make more sense than bowing to Agar for some players. To me it stinks. Rant Over.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, eltel said:

Looks like holmes is getting a run out with leeds reserves

Rhinos have drafted former Super League players Kyle Trout and Tom Holmes from Featherstone Rovers into their squad, along with Hunslet’s Rian Rowley and Charley Bodman and Oli Burton, of Batley Bulldogs.

Thanks Richard A messed up my team selection I had both kyle and sherlock starting saturday 

[The Phantom Horseman]

It's starting to look as we might get comparatively lucky with the switch of game day in terms of the weather, Saturday certainly looking better than Sunday (or today) in that respect.

[RobLambert]

16 hours ago, eltel said:

Looks like holmes is getting a run out with leeds reserves

Rhinos have drafted former Super League players Kyle Trout and Tom Holmes from Featherstone Rovers into their squad, along with Hunslet’s Rian Rowley and Charley Bodman and Oli Burton, of Batley Bulldogs.

I thought this was a wind up.  Very disappointing.  I wonder which one will do their hamstring.  Maybe both.

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

It's starting to look as we might get comparatively lucky with the switch of game day in terms of the weather, Saturday certainly looking better than Sunday (or today) in that respect.

Good we all love watching FEV play on a dry pitch PH but in the last two games scoring five  in each has show we can cope with anything mother nature can throw at us 

[The Phantom Horseman]

19 hours ago, haskey said:

What is going on. Have Leeds not got enough players to make up their teams. McD has been talking about rotating his squad. Giving Holmes a run out & Trout a second run out against London would make more sense than bowing to Agar for some players. To me it stinks. Rant Over.

To be fair it was clearly stated before the season started that a few of our fringe players would get the odd run-out with Leeds reserves, DR is a crappy system but us and Leeds having a hybrid reserve team probably makes financial sense for both clubs.

It's a moot point this week anyway as the reserves game has been called off.

[The Phantom Horseman]

On 17/02/2022 at 12:46, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

London have only named 17 on the RFL website so far which either means some more names are presumably having fitness tests this evening or their injury issues are especially bad.

They are up to 18 now on the RFL website but on the Broncos website their coach states they only have 18 fit players this weekend. 

Four or five of those guys were with London Skolars or West Wales prior to signing with the Broncos. They do have one or two interesting overseas signings but providing it's not a mud bath it will be surprising if this isn't a wide-margin win for Fev.