Into The Unknown

[Blind side johnny]

February begins tomorrow and our first league game gets even closer. Friendlies are all well and good but, for the spectators at least offer little insight into how the team and the individuals within it will perform. For me they are still a relatively unknown quantity and so are those teams that we will be facing in the league - who is strong, who has strengthened, who has gone backwards? We should soon be finding out but, in the meantime here are my predictions for the final league positions - more guesswork than science by a long chalk:

1. Dewsbury - we have to believe that this is where we should finish, not out of any sense of entitlement but definitely based upon hope and a little expectation. I have faith in Liam's coaching abilities to mould this group of players into a winning unit. Will our half backs succeed behind what should be a strong pack? This will be a difficult league to get out of with the very restricted number of games - there can be no slip-ups nor taking time to build.

2. Oldham - some wise recruitment and an experienced coach in Stuart Littler, who has been there and done it before, leads me to expect a successful season for the Roughyeads. If they can keep their experienced players fit they should do well.

3. Doncaster - a real piece of guesswork. They have flattered to deceive in recent years going through successful patches mixed with inexplicable failure. I expect this to be Richard Horne's last chance to succeed at this level.

4. Hunslet - they have certainly recruited a stronger looking squad than in previous years but can Alan Kilshaw finally get consistent performances out of them? They have a fair bit of experience including a number of players who will be very familiar to our fans. Have they found their best level in C1 and can they be consistent? I see half back being a particular weakness for them.

5. Rochdale - supposedly a rebuilding process for their community club in 2023 so no great expectations on the field. A half decent squad with a useful coach should see them bobbing around mid-table.

6. Workington - nobody enjoys the trip up to Cumbria and this always seems to give Town an advantage at home, which will be the platform on which they hope to build. Anthony Murray has plenty of experience of coaching at this level and can he finally achieve some real success at Derwent Park? They have built their squad around locally based players, which makes a lot of sense, but is there sufficient genuine quality to push for promotion?

7. North Wales - with a new player-coach in Mark Foster and some piecemeal recruitment the Crusaders don't really look strong enough yet to push for promotion. They will certainly cause some shocks and discomfort along the way though, and will be no pushovers.

8. London - something of a dark horse at present. The have a basic, workmanlike squad with the usual issues that they face in recruiting players and look unlikely to make much of a challenge. However, a recent announcement of the imminent takeover of the club with an injection of money for recruitment probably comes too late for them this season (if it does actually come to fruition at all) but they may raise an eyebrow or two during the course of the season.

9. Midlands - a club who are in a self-confessed building stage with little hope or plans for the play-offs at present. One to watch for 2024 maybe?

10. Cornwall - who knows? The coaching staff and squad are most definitely a work in progress, if progress is actually about to be achieved. This season should show if there is any actual reality behind all the hype. They have lost Neil Kelly and numerous experienced players and will struggle to improve upon 2022.

 

These are my thoughts solely and may even be outdated as I type.

Do yours differ?

What are your hopes and expectations?

Edited January 31, 2023 by Blind side johnny

[Barley Mow]

I'd maybe put Workington a place or two higher and perhaps Doncaster a place or two lower and add Rochdale somewhere in the middle, but I think you're pretty close with your prediction.

[Blind side johnny]

16 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

I'd maybe put Workington a place or two higher and perhaps Doncaster a place or two lower and add Rochdale somewhere in the middle, but I think you're pretty close with your prediction.

Ooops! Now corrected.

[phildog]

I agree about Workington, like yourselves, even a bad season in the championship is valuable experience for the lower league. Top 2 will be yourselves (ignore all the rubbish from Dogs fans crowing about Dews being where they should be, we need each other for crowds etc) Workington and Oldham. Our old mate Jack Blag should give them some punch, I was sad to lose him and don't know what went wrong with him at yours. Likewise you've got a big lad in Perry, use him near the line and on a wide pitch if you come across one.

[graham fisher]

It’s going to be harder than some supporters think next season,some good players in championship 1 now. I’m hoping we can finish top but if not I’d like to think we’ll be good enough to go up through the play offs.

My predictions are.

1)Dewsbury.
Our recruitment as been good and probably our best pack of forwards we’ve had for a few seasons,but again I worry about our halfbacks.

2)Oldham.

Looks like they’ve recruited well also and with Ridyard leading them round the field they’ll be a danger.

3)Doncaster.

Added some experience to an already good squad. Been losing finalist’s for last two years so they’ll be hoping for third time lucky.

4)Hunslet.

Quite a few ex Rams players in their ranks so it will be interesting.

5)Workington.

Don’t really know much about Workington as it looks like they’ve lost quite a few players. They look like they are going more local next season.

6)Rochdale.

Again another club that have lost quite a few players for various reasons but have signed some one or two players with the experience to do well in this league. And in Gary Thornton they’ve got a experienced coach.

7)North Wales.

New coach and a few new players coming in so I think it might take a bit of time to bed in. We play them first game so we’ll see.

8)Midlands.

Don't know much about them other than that they seem to have a mixture of players from other championship and championship 1 clubs,and ex Rugby Union players. They seem like a club that are building year on year.

9)London.

They are always there year on year getting the odd surprise result and I think it will be same next season,let’s just hope that it’s not us on the receiving end of one.

9)Cornwall.

Saw a few of their games last year on OurLeague and they are not a bad side to watch,but with Neil Kelly our ex coach leaving along with a few players I think they will struggle.

Good luck to all the clubs in championship 1 I look forward to meeting up with a few new supporters next year and not forgetting our good friends from Workington and Oldham.

 

 

[Blind side johnny]

2 hours ago, phildog said:

I agree about Workington, like yourselves, even a bad season in the championship is valuable experience for the lower league. Top 2 will be yourselves (ignore all the rubbish from Dogs fans crowing about Dews being where they should be, we need each other for crowds etc) Workington and Oldham. Our old mate Jack Blag should give them some punch, I was sad to lose him and don't know what went wrong with him at yours. Likewise you've got a big lad in Perry, use him near the line and on a wide pitch if you come across one.

Yes, so little room for mistakes in this league.

My Oldham prediction might now be tempered by the loss of Sheridan to a bad leg injury that might well keep him out for most if not all of the season. That leaves them very limited at half back.

Looking forward to seeing the first properly contested game on the 19th.

[ramsfandan]

1. Rams 

2. Hawks 

3.doncaster

4.oldham

5.worky

6.north Wales 

7. Rochdale

8. Midlands

9. London 

10. Cornwall 

[Crown Flatter]

My predictions never seem to be close to reality, but here goes:

1. Dewsbury. We simply have to get out of this league and we must hit the ground running and victories need to come with a wide margin - just in case of a blunder. It looks like our forwards might pave the way for us, but I wonder if there is enough experience in the backs, especially, as everyone says, in the halves. I, plus other fellow supporters, think Sykes ought to be used as a sub, either to come on and steady the ship, or whip his teammates into further action, ensuring nobody takes a rest. My biggest worry though, is our lack of discipline at times and it must improve so that opponents are not given a leg up.

2. Hunslet. With those ex-Dewsbury players in their squad this and some other useful acquisitions, the Parksiders could do well.

3. Oldham. I think Littler has a squad that could challenge well this time.

4. Doncaster. The bridesmaid so often, but unless they can generate a succession of wins, I fear they may be the same again.

5. Workington. Losing a number of players last term has possibly cost them a run for the top, but their use of home advantage will have an advantage over opponents having to travel long distances.

6. Rochdale. This is a team about which I cannot be sure: they will be either good in patches or regularly poor.

7 North Wales. Had Anthony Murray remained in charge, I might have had them pushing for a much higher place, but now they might just pip The Hornets for sixth.

8. London. A club which defies all logic, so often looking as though they could do well after a bright start, then faltering along the way and falling by the wayside once more.

9. Midlands. If, as seems likely, it’s a club just building a team, but other than catching a few out, this is their likely position.

10. Cornwall. Could cause a few problems for teams visiting the Duchy, but I can’t see them improving this position, for this year at least.

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Crown Flatter

[BetweenYellowLines]

Without a doubt this league is Dewsbury's to win, it is in our hands.

Edited February 2, 2023 by BetweenYellowLines

[coolie]

The Rams will have a target on their backs... The team everyone wants to gun down, that takes the pressure off Workington.. Not that I expect Workington to be our main rivals, Hunslet, Doncaster will need watching, Oldham now weak at halfback with the loss of Sheridan, think promotion is ours to lose, games are few and far between so a slip up could be fatal, Donny & Hunslet play each other first game... So that will put one team at a disadvantage, for me 5 games in is the first marker.. Then again at 10 games, these are the places we really need to be at least top 2,utter confidence in Liam and the staff, yes halfback is a worry and maybe our Friendship with Halifax might help us out in the halfback position fingers crossed

1. Dewsbury 

2. Doncaster 

3. Hunslet

4. Workington 

5. Oldham

6. North Wales

7. Rochdale

8. London Skolars 

9. Midlands

9. Cornwall 

[BetweenYellowLines]

12 hours ago, coolie said:

The Rams will have a target on their backs... The team everyone wants to gun down, that takes the pressure off Workington.. Not that I expect Workington to be our main rivals, Hunslet, Doncaster will need watching, Oldham now weak at halfback with the loss of Sheridan, think promotion is ours to lose, games are few and far between so a slip up could be fatal, Donny & Hunslet play each other first game... So that will put one team at a disadvantage, for me 5 games in is the first marker.. Then again at 10 games, these are the places we really need to be at least top 2,utter confidence in Liam and the staff, yes halfback is a worry and maybe our Friendship with Halifax might help us out in the halfback position fingers crossed

1. Dewsbury 

2. Doncaster 

3. Hunslet

4. Workington 

5. Oldham

6. North Wales

7. Rochdale

8. London Skolars 

9. Midlands

9. Cornwall 

Obviously the issue is the 2024 season, IF Dewsbury dominant this league and go up as champions do we want to see them (to be frank) get their ***** handed to them week in, week out. Once back in the championship something needs to change to prevent a season like the last.

[Wakefield Ram]

12 hours ago, BetweenYellowLines said:

Obviously the issue is the 2024 season, IF Dewsbury dominant this league and go up as champions do we want to see them (to be frank) get their ***** handed to them week in, week out. Once back in the championship something needs to change to prevent a season like the last.

Had Liam Finn been in charge from the start and if we had a class scrum half like Sammut, we would have been mid-table. We also had a number of long term injuries to likes of Ferguson, Ryder, Turner, Peltier, Magrin etc..

 

[Sir Jekyll Stocking]

12 hours ago, BetweenYellowLines said:

Obviously the issue is the 2024 season, IF Dewsbury dominant this league and go up as champions do we want to see them (to be frank) get their ***** handed to them week in, week out. Once back in the championship something needs to change to prevent a season like the last.

I disagree.

Your issue should be the 2023 season. If you don't win promotion, you definitely won't be getting your ***** handed to you on a weekly basis in the Championship.

You can enjoy solving the problems regarding 2024 nearer the time.

FWIW, good luck this season, I hope you do manage to make it into the Championship.

[BetweenYellowLines]

1 hour ago, Sir Jekyll Stocking said:

I disagree.

Your issue should be the 2023 season. If you don't win promotion, you definitely won't be getting your ***** handed to you on a weekly basis in the Championship.

You can enjoy solving the problems regarding 2024 nearer the time.

FWIW, good luck this season, I hope you do manage to make it into the Championship.

Of course yes we need to focus on the 2023 season and not take it for granted that we are going back up. Don't want to disrespect the other teams in this league and assume that we shall be going back up.

[Blind side johnny]

17 hours ago, BetweenYellowLines said:

Obviously the issue is the 2024 season, IF Dewsbury dominant this league and go up as champions do we want to see them (to be frank) get their ***** handed to them week in, week out. Once back in the championship something needs to change to prevent a season like the last.

One season at a time; one game at a time.

Let's not start getting giddy until we have something to cheer about. Those of us (really) old enough remember the days of getting relegated from the old First Division and some fans, as well as committee members, being shocked that we didn't simply bounce back up.

[Wakefield Ram]

Yes, the risk in this league is one or two poor performances could jeopardise everything.

[Piggy's mate]

Having watched both Dewsbury & Hunslet vs Batley in friendlies, Hunslet will be the team to beat to first place, but I would say that

 

 

 

See you in 2024...