Match thread: Championship Round 12 Summer Bash: York v Featherstone. Saturday 27th May 2023.

[The Phantom Horseman]

5 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   We are going to have the same problem next season if we get into SL.We will need a good scrum half i would prefer a younger one rather than one on the way down.If we had signed one this season he could have bedded down in the team and if good enough he would be ready for next season.We need to search Austrailia and New Zealand for potential as TPHorseman says we don't have many spare over here.

I agree with all the above, but to be fair we did sign Lacans who is 22, had recently played for France B and was one of the most sought-after young halves in Europe. He's probably not going to be SL standard by next season as things stand but it's so hard to sign a top-class NRL half back to play in the Championship, unless you're Leigh and he happens to be the coach's son!

[gazza77]

48 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I agree with all the above, but to be fair we did sign Lacans who is 22, had recently played for France B and was one of the most sought-after young halves in Europe. He's probably not going to be SL standard by next season as things stand but it's so hard to sign a top-class NRL half back to play in the Championship, unless you're Leigh and he happens to be the coach's son!

Does Longy have any kids?

[The Phantom Horseman]

10 minutes ago, gazza77 said:

Does Longy have any kids?

I reckon Longy would have played in Australia in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Given he was later the author of a book entitled :"Booze, Brawls, Sex and Scandal " I demand immediate paternity tests on Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster to determine if Longy is either's dad.

[Monkeymagic22]

Match now showing on Sky Channel 419 on Saturday.

[Monkeymagic22]

Here’s my guess at the team:

Aikins

Briscoe

Hardcastle

Hall/Hankinson

Gale

Lacans 

Ford

Springer

Wildie

Lockwood

Cozza

Bussey

Smith

Subs

Yei

Hau

Davies/Day

Jones

[The Phantom Horseman]

42 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Here’s my guess at the team:

 

I don't think that will be far off but no Koppy? Presumably only rested at Widnes because of the surface and his history of knee injuries.

I'd be a bit surprised if Cozza plays back row rather than middle too, I know that's where he played for France but he's been in the middle all year for us.

 

[sentoffagain2]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I don't think that will be far off but no Koppy? Presumably only rested at Widnes because of the surface and his history of knee injuries.

I'd be a bit surprised if Cozza plays back row rather than middle too, I know that's where he played for France but he's been in the middle all year for us.

 

  Can't leave Koppy out if fit.Cozza is a back row forward all day long for me.Smith more of a middle.

[lingaro]

Great options in the forwards all with something different to offer throughout the pack.  

[Monkeymagic22]

We are in a much better situation this season, with the pack having a few younger players. We were just too old last season.

[bigbaldnmad]

12 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

I reckon Longy would have played in Australia in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Given he was later the author of a book entitled :"Booze, Brawls, Sex and Scandal " I demand immediate paternity tests on Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster to determine if Longy is either's dad.

Excellent book... if you haven't read it I would suggest getting a copy.

[FR23]

Absolutely fantastic support by the blue wall. We’ve currently sold more tickets than all the other clubs put together for the summer bash! 

[The Phantom Horseman]

7 hours ago, bigbaldnmad said:

Excellent book... if you haven't read it I would suggest getting a copy.

Indeed. A literary chef d'oeuvre which outlines in the most sober of terms the dedication, sacrifices and holistic lifestyle embraced by the author during his rugby league playing days.

My favourite bit was when he and Apollo Perelini went to the "massage parlour" for some zen-like ethereal assistance, although Perelini was less ready than Longy to receive the full benefit of their spiritual devotions...

Edited May 25, 2023 by The Phantom Horseman

[Fevrover]

7 hours ago, bigbaldnmad said:

Excellent book... if you haven't read it I would suggest getting a copy.

I couldn't put it down lol, only a fiver from Amazon. 

[Monkeymagic22]

1 hour ago, FR23 said:

Absolutely fantastic support by the blue wall. We’ve currently sold more tickets than all the other clubs put together for the summer bash! 

Really?, I thought that Widnes were having decent sales. And you would have thought that the Bulls would bring a few. Great effort by the Blue Wall though, and money to the club.

[Monkeymagic22]

15 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Can't leave Koppy out if fit.Cozza is a back row forward all day long for me.Smith more of a middle.

Fair point about Koppy, but personally prefer a young pack. Even though he’s played ok this year, maybe give Lockwood a week off?. 

[lingaro]

Championship

Featherstone Rovers v York RLFC

27th May, KO: 19:30

• M Com: M. Hebblethwaite
• Referee: S. Mikalauskas
• Reserve Referee: I. Arnold
• Touch Judge 1: D. Arnold
• Touch Judge 2: G. Jones
• Time Keeper: D. Moss

[POR]

2 hours ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Fair point about Koppy, but personally prefer a young pack. Even though he’s played ok this year, maybe give Lockwood a week off?. 

Funny thing M with the reported returning players I gave the younger members of my tribe  a list and asked them to pick me a  FEV bash team for us all to watch while we are in Blackpool They came up with a team with six changes in  the starting 13 and one on the bench to the team that beat York 46-4 at home 

They left one spot open until they know what ryley does on Friday but they left Craig K and James L out 

[Monkeymagic22]

35 minutes ago, POR said:

Funny thing M with the reported returning players I gave the younger members of my tribe  a list and asked them to pick me a  FEV bash team for us all to watch while we are in Blackpool They came up with a team with six changes in  the starting 13 and one on the bench to the team that beat York 46-4 at home 

They left one spot open until they know what ryley does on Friday but they left Craig K and James L out 

Just think it’s becoming more of a young or at least not old man’s game, it’s much faster. Therefore you can’t afford to have too many older players in the pack. Last year, too old, but now, the ages are younger and hence we have more energy. Perhaps we can have one of Koppy or Lochy, but personally I think we should be moving away from playing both. 

[sentoffagain2]

   It's going to be difficult to pick the forwards if we get our regular centres back Joey and Hankinson with Hardcastle moving into the back row.He would have to be in my 17 because he can cover the centre position in case of injury.If you are going for a younger pack perhaps leave Locky out.Starting=Koppy  Wildie  Smith back row Cozza Hau  Bussey at 13. subs Jones Springer Yei and either Davis/Day.

[POR]

[haskey]

Question? Can only Bussey kick goals, especially if it comes down to goals.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Squad announced. Still no Cozza but Hankinson, Ford and Kheirallah are all back.

Not surprising that Hau isn't included, he'll get more chances down the line I'm sure, I'd guess it will be between Moors and Davies for who misses out from the pack, probably Moors based on how selection has gone so far this season, unless Long wants to give Lockwood a rest.

Much more interesting is what he does with the backs. Hankinson and Hardcastle will surely be the centres and probably would have been even if Leilua had been fit. The question is can Long squeeze Kheirallah in? Aekins has played really well and it's hard to leave him out, he showed a lot of the skillset required of a half back at Widnes so one option could be to move him there to accomodate Kheirallah but that would be very tough on Lacans who had a good game at Widnes and has never let us down.

 

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 minutes ago, haskey said:

Question? Can only Bussey kick goals, especially if it comes down to goals.

If Hankinson is back he'll be our goal kicker, he's one of the best around. If he isn't back Hall will probably play again and kick the goals.

[marklaspalmas]

10 minutes ago, haskey said:

Question? Can only Bussey kick goals, especially if it comes down to goals.

Apart from Hall, Hankinson and Kheirallah?

[marklaspalmas]

10 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

Strong looking squad. Hopefully Cozza, Joey and ET will be back soon and make it even stronger.

Of the 21 for York, I think Evans is 3rd choice winger atm and Moors is looking for his top form and will miss out.

Which other two don't play?

Anybody's guess. Perhaps we don't want to bring back Hankinson, Ford and Kheirallah all in the same game? One of them may get another week's rest.

With the extra forward to leave out, it could be a case of rotation or anyone who's not quite 100%.