Match thread: Championship Round 21. Halifax v Featherstone Rovers. Sunday 6th August 2023.

[marklaspalmas]

We have a big lead now with just seven league games to go.

Hard to imagine any scenario where we don't finish top from here.

Therefore a home semi-final v 4th place., etc etc.

Until then though, I think form and fitness, plus that all important 'momentum' are going to be extremely important on the run in.

With Longstaff in there and Astley still with us we are running a 28 man squad at the moment with 6 players injured (Day, Ford, Moors, Bussey, Hepi and Hardcastle)

Changes for our trip to The Shay? I assume Mark Kheirallah will be back, which could disturb the halfback pairing again.

McKenzie Yei will hopefully not be too long before returning. Koppy may be due a run in the forwards.

Otherwise. as you were.

We should beat Halifax, and we have a great record there. But I see this fixture as a banana skin.

[The Blues Ox]

I don't see you have anything to worry about in the slightest. We are out of form and have been most of the season, we have a bunch of players who certainly won't want to get injured for the following week, we have a coach who will say the right things in the build up regarding places been up for grabs, we also have a coach that likely already knows his wembley team and someone having a worldy would not change that.

[Monkeymagic22]

10 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

I don't see you have anything to worry about in the slightest. We are out of form and have been most of the season, we have a bunch of players who certainly won't want to get injured for the following week, we have a coach who will say the right things in the build up regarding places been up for grabs, we also have a coach that likely already knows his wembley team and someone having a worldy would not change that.

Maybe so, but we can’t take anything for granted, and you have got the quality to put in a performance. 

[sentoffagain2]

   I am expecting Fax to raise their game and although i do think we will win.Our outside edge defence frightens me to death we don't seem to have an answer.Such a shame as our middle is so solid.

[Fevrover]

3 hours ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Maybe so, but we can’t take anything for granted, and you have got the quality to put in a performance. 

Yer that out of form yer playing in a final at Wembley on Saturday.

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, Fevrover said:

Yer that out of form yer playing in a final at Wembley on Saturday.

Yeah its a bit baffling that our cup form has been pretty good while our league performances have been poor.

[elppaxr2i]

We always win at the Shay - 1 league defeat in 13 years or something like that?

They could have their best 17 available & we would find a way - seem to up our game there - Sunday will be no different

[Fevrover]

2 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Yeah its a bit baffling that our cup form has been pretty good while our league performances have been poor.

It certainly is.

[Fevrover]

1 hour ago, elppaxr2i said:

We always win at the Shay - 1 league defeat in 13 years or something like that?

They could have their best 17 available & we would find a way - seem to up our game there - Sunday will be no different

Wembley is going to be on their minds its human nature, seen it at Fev a few times.

[RobLambert]

That may be true but they would be mad to put Wembley ahead of finishing in the top 6.  Fax are definitely one of the teams that could potentially cause a surprise in the play-offs

[POR]

12 hours ago, RobLambert said:

That may be true but they would be mad to put Wembley ahead of finishing in the top 6.  Fax are definitely one of the teams that could potentially cause a surprise in the play-offs

Totally disagree R your suggesting it's better for the players to get into the top 6 than win at wembley  don't forget this could be the only time some of

get to play at wembley 

After us they have 5 games against teams below them they could target for that elusive top 6 but bottom line is they are were they are because of the 9 defeats in 20

[sentoffagain2]

8 minutes ago, POR said:

Totally disagree R your suggesting it's better for the players to get into the top 6 than win at wembley  don't forget this could be the only time some of

get to play at wembley 

After us they have 5 games against teams below them they could target for that elusive top 6 but bottom line is they are were they are because of the 9 defeats in 20

   I can see both sides of the theory. But one thing i am certain of,players are more likely to get injured not going full out as body is more relaxed.

[POR]

4 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   I can see both sides of the theory. But one thing i am certain of,players are more likely to get injured not going full out as body is more relaxed.

I totally agree S and of  course they will all be playing proper rugby on sunday and will be trying to win but my point is to suggest they should prioratise a 6 place finish over a wembley win is silly

[Wolfey Rovers]

Not surprising with the amount of moaning that Fev are in town on the fax Facebook.

Sounds like they aren't opening the north stand and fax are fearing for their lives.

On a brighter note will be a good championship advert on the telly for everyone to watch!

Edited August 2, 2023 by Wolfey Rovers

[The Blues Ox]

2 hours ago, Wolfey Rovers said:

Not surprising with the amount of moaning that Fev are in town on the fax Facebook.

Sounds like they aren't opening the north stand and fax are fearing for their lives.

On a brighter note will be a good championship advert on the telly for everyone to watch!

Joking aside I get why fans of both sets give it a miss so won't get in to those arguments. I were brought up on trips to the Boulevard so to be honest I like games that have a bit of an edge to them and think it can add to the atmosphere mingling with other fans. As for the good advert for the championship I really don't know what to expect. As a player, especially the ones who already know their place is safe, i'd be trying to keep out of trouble and that probably means not putting 100% in so just because of that and our form I think it will be a comfortable Fev win and not great advertisement. 

Edit: Ive just seen the thread you talked about. My favorite comment is now avoiding the game because they don't want kids to hear the expletives that come out of Fev fans mouths. Erm all I can say is that they must not stand anywhere near our "barmy army" every week then.  I thought I were told old to learn new swear words but it turns out I were wrong. 

Edited August 2, 2023 by The Blues Ox

[POR]

On RFL Astley still in the squad Killer  and Junior back returns but No Lacans and  McKenzie out not played in last two is he injured?

Edited August 4, 2023 by POR

[POR]

Here you go 

Edited August 4, 2023 by POR

[POR]

NOW the squad out the question for me is who plays in the half's along side Caleb A 

[sentoffagain2]

30 minutes ago, POR said:

NOW the squad out the question for me is who plays in the half's along side Caleb A 

      Aekins is not and never will be a stand off.But Long will play him with Chizzy at scrum half.I reckon he is frightened of playing Astley in case he shows form to give him a choice to make between Aekins,Lacans and Chizzy because we all know once fit Ford will play.

[Rovers fev]

Aekins would be a good 6 with Ford at 7 

all we need is someone to organise and we play well Chizzy isn’t the answer and is never gunna be if it was to win the GF I’d play aekins with Ford in halves if everyone’s fit 

[bigbaldnmad]

Not convinced that Aekins is the answer to partner Ford in the playoff final, I would play a natural half back, which means Lacans.

Aekins is a good player, but not at half back, if everyone is fit. 

If Chizzy is the answer, I'm not sure what the question is....

Our best side doesn't play Aekins and Kheirallah, it's one or the other, in my opinion.

We need to start thinking about the preferred side for the playoffs, and start playing them together as much as we can. 

Edited August 5, 2023 by bigbaldnmad

[POR]

9 hours ago, bigbaldnmad said:

We need to start thinking about the preferred side for the playoffs, and start playing them together as much as we can. 

Yes and no B The only thing we really need to sort out is the half backs we need Fordy back ASAP so he play with different partner's  in games to see which one clicks so SL can then choose who he want's

For the rest I think if they don't get injured the out side backs pick them selves for the playoff's but cos of us going to top the league you can still rest and rotate  up to the end of the season The pack and subs  are much of a muchness they all can do a good job so you can mix and match and once again rest  and rotate players BUT when we get to widnes at home then SL has to pick what he thinks his his strongest team for that game and the playoff's

[lingaro]

Need a bit more size when we sub we were too light after the interchange last week. 

[POR]

20 minutes ago, lingaro said:

Need a bit more size when we sub we were too light after the interchange last week. 

Funny thing L this will be the 3rd week Mckenzie misses out and he always brought some oooomph  off the bench 

[Phil Briscoe]

Agree two middles and a second row are needed on the bench not the other way round which is what we had last week.