Match thread: Challenge Cup Rd4. Halifax v Featherstone Rovers. Sunday 27th February 2022.

[The Phantom Horseman]

22 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I'm not sure how you measure that. Perhaps they were just better than us? We looked fresh as paint when we demolished Fax the week before in the semi final.

I'm not saying it wasn't an advantage playing fewer games than us, certainly it was in terms of injuries sustained over the season, but equally, there were posters on this forum who felt before the game that we'd be more "battle-hardened" than Toulouse. Like the "fresher" theory that could have been true too, but it's also something nobody would be able to prove.

 

7 minutes ago, lingaro said:

Perhaps they had a full uninjured squad to choose from! 

Read my post again, I made that exact point.

[marklaspalmas]

Squad announced today.

21 of our 22 available players to be named.

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Squad announced today.

21 of our 22 available players to be named.

twenty two fit players five backs five pivots twelve forwards SO in reality M it's just deciding if we put our aussie prop in the twenty one 

[The Phantom Horseman]

50 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Squad announced today.

21 of our 22 available players to be named.

Well, there's a fella on the Halifax forum who posted that McDermott is playing "mind games" with his injury updates, and he won't back down despite my interventions, so maybe we can expect Kopczak, Sene-Lefao and Hardcastle all to be named in the squad today

Rumours that Ryley Jacks arrives tomorrow though I doubt he'll be anywhere near the squad until next week at the earliest.

As Marks "21 from 22" comment suggests, I doubt we'll get many clues to the final 17 at today's squad announcement. We'll presumably have to wait until Sunday to find out which halves Mac decides to play, and whether or not he wants to risk Leilua.

There's no further forecast rain between now and Sunday so although the football team will be playing on Saturday, hopefully it won't be quagmire conditions for our game.

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

Rumours that Ryley Jacks arrives tomorrow though I doubt he'll be anywhere near the squad until next week at the earliest.

 

According to BM Ryley completed Pre- season down under done all the contact stuff and is ready to go but won't play him straight off the plane

BM say's  he's going to be in great shape and where it's sensible we will put him in team

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

As Marks "21 from 22" comment suggests, I doubt we'll get many clues to the final 17 at today's squad announcement. We'll presumably have to wait until Sunday to find out which halves Mac decides to play, and whether or not he wants to risk Leilua.

 

Actually we have had some big clues about the likely 17 as Holmes, McConnell and Trout have all been named in the Leeds reserve squad for their game on Saturday afternoon. Assuming that means they are unlikely to play on Sunday that would narrow down the options considerably.

[Ovenden Grunt]

15 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Actually we have had some big clues about the likely 17 as Holmes, McConnell and Trout have all been named in the Leeds resevre squad for their game on Saturday afternoon. Assuming that means they are unlikely to play on Sunday that would narrow down the options considerably.

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 minutes ago, Ovenden Grunt said:

 

Just one Giant problem trying to troll us like that...

[The Phantom Horseman]

Squad announced and I'd say exactly what we would have expected, in fact I think it's the same 21 names as last week?

https://twitter.com/FevRoversRLFC/status/1497179263598047234/photo/1

Mathiou again omitted, really the only remaining question is whether or not Leilua is risked.

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

So it looks like Field in for McConnell is one likely change, and if the decision is made to play Leilua it might see Hellewell shift into the back row at the expense of Ferres, or to the bench, maybe instead of Field - the other alternative would be to switch Hall to the wing and drop Gale, though Gaz has played pretty well since his recall.

[The Blues Ox]

3 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

There's no further forecast rain between now and Sunday so although the football team will be playing on Saturday, hopefully it won't be quagmire conditions for our game.

Unfortunatley for you but probably fortunatley for us, the pitch is in a really bad state and if the games go ahead its going to be like playing in quick sand.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 minute ago, The Blues Ox said:

Unfortunatley for you but probably fortunatley for us, the pitch is in a really bad state and if the games go ahead its going to be like playing in quick sand.

Just popped over to the Shay and must say I'm not happy that Fax were training on the pitch...
 

 

[Ovenden Grunt]

23 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Just popped over to the Shay and must say I'm not happy that Fax were training on the pitch...
 

 

Be reyt

[Fevrover]

2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Just one Giant problem trying to troll us like that...

Good job we aren't having any of our Rhino's players or there would be tears and knashing of teeth.

[Guest]

 

[marklaspalmas]

2 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

So it looks like Field in for McConnell is one likely change, and if the decision is made to play Leilua it might see Hellewell shift into the back row at the expense of Ferres, or to the bench, maybe instead of Field - the other alternative would be to switch Hall to the wing and drop Gale, though Gaz has played pretty well since his recall.

Yes, given that 3 of the 21 will get a game for Leeds A, Field for McConnell would be the only change and then simply decide if Joey gets a run.

[elppaxr2i]

If the pitch is as bad as the fax fans are saying cant see Joey playing

[lingaro]

Can't be worse than ours. That's what some money needs to be spent on, hybrid pitch like Yorks. 

 

[Fevrover]

11 hours ago, lingaro said:

Can't be worse than ours. That's what some money needs to be spent on, hybrid pitch like Yorks. 

 

York and Leigh are council run unlike Rovers and them pitches are expensive to maintain. Apparently they have to replace them in the same year but its only what i  was told.

[sentoffagain2]

If we beat Fax who wants Cas at home in the next round?.

[Robin Evans]

7 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

If we beat Fax who wants Cas at home in the next round?.

I reckon we'd more than just give em a game at the mo. They were shocking last night. Frankie went well for KR.

[Guest]

21 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Mathiou again omitted, 

Ad that begs the question PH why we Haven't sent him to the whinos for some game time

24 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

York and Leigh are council run unlike Rovers and them pitches are expensive to maintain. Apparently they have to replace them in the same year but its only what i  was told.

Just had a gander F  and obviously depends  system says prices go from 150K  to 250K  and maintenance costs between £I m2 and£2m2 and once it's laid The systems havea life span of 10 years or more,

16 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

If we beat Fax who wants Cas at home in the next round?.

WE can't get C%S next round S the ten winners from this weekend go into 5th round then the five winners go in with 11 SL teams in the 6th

[The Phantom Horseman]

3 minutes ago, POR said:

Ad that begs the question PH why we Haven't sent him to the whinos for some game time

 

I don't know. As I've said before, the level he's played at previously suggests he's a signing for depth amongst our middles rather than a major signing, bearing in mind it's so hard to sign players in that position over here.

Perhaps his fitness levels aren't yet considered to be where he should be for game time, or maybe Leeds had limited spaces for middles and we wanted to get game time for Trout and McConnell.

[Fevrover]

1 hour ago, POR said:

Ad that begs the question PH why we Haven't sent him to the whinos for some game time

Just had a gander F  and obviously depends  system says prices go from 150K  to 250K  and maintenance costs between £I m2 and£2m2 and once it's laid The systems havea life span of 10 years or more,

WE can't get C%S next round S the ten winners from this weekend go into 5th round then the five winners go in with 11 SL teams in the 6th

Cheers for that, can't make it any easier for certain SL clubs to get to the cup final.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Not going to be a mudbath this week by the look of it but unsurprisingly a lot of bare/sandy patches on the pitch.