Mon 13 Jun: Ch: Leigh Centurions v Featherstone Rovers KO 19:45 (Premier Sports)

[StandOffHalf]

8 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Last year Leigh got half funding.  This year Toulouse are shelling out 100,000's to cover travel costs of supposedly professional teams.  

So bottom clubs of SL have created a rigged comp even with the odds stacked against promoted champ clubs.  

I expect Leigh to be stronger than Toulouse and to push the clubs who have been hanging on to their SL money all the way. 

Indeed, those two aspects do bear all the hallmarks of a rigged system attempting to close shop.

As I said, I am 100 per cent in favour of equal funds and teams paying for their own trips. The stipulations on TO this season are just ridiculous.

[StandOffHalf]

18 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

True but he will have 5 solid quality players I suspect and with same money plus no restrictions from the start will threaten Wakefield Salford and anyone else who doesnt show up against them. 

Is it 5 or 7?

Hendo seemed to be saying on the Premier coverage that SL clubs were allowed 7 overseas players. Either way, Leigh would have to lose quite a few.

[headtackle]

Just seen Leigh trending on Twitter and thought that was a fantastic effort for the championship 

Closer inspection was Leigh Ann from Little Mix but regardless well done Leigh

[bigbaldnmad]

43 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Off balance and a trailing arm that swung him off his feet. Yellow, in my opinion.

The Eseh one where he jumped into the neck of Ioane was deffo a red though.

In my opinion, Inu was unlucky, although he didn't miss, Eseh was more clear cut.

Unfortunately I don't think Hicks had a choice as the game was only going to boil over. He should have acted earlier, on one of the two blatant shoulder charges by Ipape, either of which should have seen yellow, IMO.

Thought Leigh were well worth the win, Fev are struggling badly with injuries and tonight didn't help. On to game 3 at the summer bash in 7 weeks time.

[Wakefield Ram]

On 10/06/2022 at 15:34, Snowys Backside said:

I'll have a bet on who kicks the drop goal then

Wasn't too far off

[StandOffHalf]

5 minutes ago, bigbaldnmad said:

In my opinion, Inu was unlucky, although he didn't miss, Eseh was more clear cut.

Unfortunately I don't think Hicks had a choice as the game was only going to boil over. He should have acted earlier, on one of the two blatant shoulder charges by Ipape, either of which should have seen yellow, IMO.

Thought Leigh were well worth the win, Fev are struggling badly with injuries and tonight didn't help. On to game 3 at the summer bash in 7 weeks time.

I missed the Ipape incidents as I was away getting a cup of tea and a chocolate bar...

[GUBRATS]

Good job Fev get a week off , they looked very tired at the end , if they'd had a Fax,Barrow or York next week they'd be struggling IMO 

Some work for McDermott now 

[sentoffagain2]

2 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Good job Fev get a week off , they looked very tired at the end , if they'd had a Fax,Barrow or York next week they'd be struggling IMO 

Some work for McDermott now 

   Can't work McDermott out he knew Leigh did us down the middle last time and expects a smaller pack with players out injured stopping them.Crying out for us to kick deep even early in the tackle count and  make them come out of their 20m area.

[clogdance]

6 hours ago, clogdance said:

I reckon Featherstone will win, unfortunately.

I just love it when I'm wrong !   I await the confused reaction from you know who....

[David Shepherd]

46 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

I think Fev are discovering painfully that you cant get promoted as a part time club.  Last 5 are Leigh Hull KR London Toronto and Toulouse. 

 

I'm not sure that we really are part time anymore. 3/4 of tonight's starting 17 don't do much apart from play rugby.

From where I'm sat, there are two main problems: Some of Big Mac's selection decisions and spending a fortune on having 800,000 half backs and barely any real units in the middle. 

Edit: Make that 3 problems. Leilua has been a massive disappointment. Needs to keep off the pies and put some graft in.

Edited June 13, 2022 by David Shepherd

[Tex Evans Thigh]

3 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

I'm not sure that we really are part time anymore. 3/4 of tonight's starting 17 don't do much apart from play rugby.

From where I'm sat, there are two main problems: Some of Big Mac's selection decisions and spending a fortune on having 800,000 half backs and barely any real units in the middle. 

Unless the whole squad is full time we’re not full time, which we aren’t. We’ve got a bunch of blokes who do some community work in the day but the squad trains in the evening.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Regarding Leigh, they look really strong. With a couple of good halves they would go well in SL now. I wouldn’t be worried about trimming the overseas players for next year, they can easily trim players like hingano, inu and ioane and find some decent replacements. Think they’ll go well next year. 

[sweaty craiq]

That was far easier than I imagined when Mellor, McDonald and Nakubuwai withdrew

 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

1 hour ago, sweaty craiq said:

That was far easier than I imagined when Mellor, McDonald and Nakubuwai withdrew

 

Apart from McDonald, are they really big losses? Fev have a weaker squad and were missing some their best players in Hall, Bussey, Lockwood and JSL. They had a hooker in the center. They did well to keep it relatively close.

[Fevrover]

7 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

I think Fev are discovering painfully that you cant get promoted as a part time club.  Last 5 are Leigh Hull KR London Toronto and Toulouse. 

 

Spot on mate.

[phiggins]

I think both teams will have a good idea of what they need to do to give themselves the best chance in the play offs. For me, Fev need to improve their composure when creating openings when the game is still tight. They bombed chances both last night and at Tottenham, and I think some of it is them being thrown by the physicality of Leigh’s defence. 
 

Leigh need more in the halves to make the most of the dominance down the middle. 

I think McDermott can address the fev issue with his current squad, and his record at getting a team peaking at the right time is as good as anyones. Lam will be wanting a new half back. 
 

 

[Snowys Backside]

Some of Leigh's players are already tied up for Next year.

[phiggins]

19 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

Some of Leigh's players are already tied up for Next year.

But which ones. If they’re not already signed up, need to get offers in front of MacDonald and Ipape in particular. Unlikely to get replacements that are as good, whatever league they’re playing in

[Faithful1865]

I would imagine the Fev treatment room is going to be very busy for the next few days. They were hit hard and often last night by a very good, physical outfit. Really enjoyed the game and the commentary team on Premier are light years ahead of Sky and its comedy gang.

[The Blues Ox]

For Fev this is a situation that they have not seen in quite a while as they are so used to been the physical superior team in pretty much every game over the past few years, even against Toulouse it was pretty even in that respect, but what Leigh have done is gone out and bought a team that can physically bully the big Fev team and while they do look lost going around the field just that sheer presence has shown it is more than enough to take care of Fev.

I know Fev had players missing but I still don't feel its anywhere near enough to make a real difference and that reminded me of one of those cup ties where a good championship side gets a shot at one of the middle SL teams and they give it a reel good go but are eventually over powered. As has been mentioned I think Fev will be pleased to not have to back up next week as sticking with the same theme it has happened quite often regards those cup ties where top championship teams have lost the following week after taking a physical battering.

How do Fev fix it? Either hope that Leigh get some key players injured or have a bit of a mid season clear out to free some cash to bring replacements in but is there anyone available that could make a real difference?

[The Phantom Horseman]

7 hours ago, sweaty craiq said:

That was far easier than I imagined when Mellor, McDonald and Nakubuwai withdrew

 

Tell me you're a one-eyed fan without telling me you're a one-eyed fan

[binosh]

Asiata and Macdonald have already re-signed.

[sweaty craiq]

39 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Tell me you're a one-eyed fan without telling me you're a one-eyed fan

It seems that I may have to inform you about a facial disability caused by a catapult as a child

[phiggins]

6 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

Apart from McDonald, are they really big losses? Fev have a weaker squad and were missing some their best players in Hall, Bussey, Lockwood and JSL. They had a hooker in the center. They did well to keep it relatively close.

Mellor was a big loss imo. Half back is already our weak spot, so don’t want to lose the best one we have.

I thought MacDonald would be a big loss, but Brand had a good game as his replacement. 

[sweaty craiq]

The big question is - how carp is Ford