Featherstone Rovers 2024 Squad

[POR]

26 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Am sure Rob was saying that re-signing a high-calibre player like Aekins is a sign that we aren't just focussing on off-field activities from now on.

I think there's been a bit of  a misunderstanding taken from FEV web

Featherstone Rovers are excited to confirm the signing of Welsh international playmaker Caleb Aekins on a two-year deal ahead of the 2023 Championship campaign.

[Fevrover]

51 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Am sure Rob was saying that re-signing a high-calibre player like Aekins is a sign that we aren't just focussing on off-field activities from now on.

If that is the case I apologise if it came across wrong.

[Monkeymagic22]

11 hours ago, RobLambert said:

Thats just ridiculous.  25/27 suggests they are not losers.  Why we lose big games is a problem that needs looking at (although probably too late in the day for that) but are you seriously suggesting that man for man they can't handle the pressure ?  At the very least that is just too much of a coincidence.  Just take a step back and have a look at it.  Most of the players we seem to be giving up on would be snapped up by most Championship clubs rather than being regarded as losers.  You are believing what other supporters are saying about us as a club.  In terms of an explanation ? - FFS - You tell me when in the last 40 years we have announced the departure of so many top class players in one day

Maybe I was a little harsh, but at the end of the day the team failed to achieve its objective for last season. Personally I’m more than happy with the players we have released and those we have retained. Perhaps JD would have been useful as a player off the bench, but I’m really not that bothered about any of the others.

[J Phil Loxton]

Social media has created a different mindset to what it used to be. We crave to know every single detail now of what's going on. I couldn't wait to buy the Evening News in my younger day and the pink paper that evolved into the green paper just to see any snippets of news about Fev. Unless you are a Rhinos fan the Evening paper is not of any use anymore. We found out who was in and who was out with hear say on the terraces. Best to sit back and let things take its toll. In the words of that great Greek philosopher Robin Evans " It'll come out in the wash".

[TheYoungBaron]

1 hour ago, J Phil Loxton said:

Social media has created a different mindset to what it used to be. We crave to know every single detail now of what's going on. I couldn't wait to buy the Evening News in my younger day and the pink paper that evolved into the green paper just to see any snippets of news about Fev. Unless you are a Rhinos fan the Evening paper is not of any use anymore. We found out who was in and who was out with hear say on the terraces. Best to sit back and let things take its toll. In the words of that great Greek philosopher Robin Evans " It'll come out in the wash".

Bring back the "green un"

[marklaspalmas]

1 hour ago, J Phil Loxton said:

Social media has created a different mindset to what it used to be. We crave to know every single detail now of what's going on. I couldn't wait to buy the Evening News in my younger day and the pink paper that evolved into the green paper just to see any snippets of news about Fev. Unless you are a Rhinos fan the Evening paper is not of any use anymore. We found out who was in and who was out with hear say on the terraces. Best to sit back and let things take its toll. In the words of that great Greek philosopher Robin Evans " It'll come out in the wash".

It'll be reyt

[Featherstonerovers2000]

Gideon boafo from Newcastle looks like a new signing for featherstone next year 

[jamescolin]

Where has that come from? Only been at Newcastle since 2022 and was welcomed. Also wants full time. Is this correct, mind you he is a good winger I have read.

[RobLambert]

12 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Am sure Rob was saying that re-signing a high-calibre player like Aekins is a sign that we aren't just focussing on off-field activities from now on.

Yep.  But also seems odd to me that we are still prepared to pay big money to some whist letting some proven / quality 'lower' earners go.  Really can't guess how the rest of the recruitment will go.  Will be interesting.

[sentoffagain2]

   Whoever plays for Rovers we should get behind the team.Players at Championship level deserve all they can get for playing it is a short career.My son and daughter in law were at Steelers ice hockey last night and left in tears.Nottingham Panther player suffered a freak accident.My son who was very close to it said another skaters skate appeared to make contact with the player Adam Johnsons throat.Game was stopped and spectators asked to leave and Panthers have announced this morning he has died as a result of his serious injury.TRAGIC.

[Monkeymagic22]

14 hours ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

Gideon boafo from Newcastle looks like a new signing for featherstone next year 

From what I’ve seen, he looks like. decent player with plenty of pace. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

11 hours ago, RobLambert said:

Yep.  But also seems odd to me that we are still prepared to pay big money to some whist letting some proven / quality 'lower' earners go.  Really can't guess how the rest of the recruitment will go.  Will be interesting.

My guess is that the plan was:
- let the top 4 or 5 really big earners go
- keep a core of 8 or 9 of the remaining players that we considered most valuable
- let a bunch of other players that we didn't rate quite so highly leave.

To be fair, I think as it stands most of the ones we look to be keeping are the ones most of us on here would have most wanted to, with the exception that most of us would have kept JD over Day and some would have wanted to keep Briscoe.

As you suggest, it will be interesting to see if the remainder of the squad are cheapish squad filler-type players or whether we can pull some rabbits out of hats and attract some more players of quality similar to those already signed on. Martin Vickers said in an interview the other day that we will be reducing our investment by 50% next year and is talking about the aim next year being top 6, I'm not unhappy with that as I think it's a realistic approach with no P & R available, and we can go back to being the plucky underdogs again hopefully.

Edited October 29, 2023 by The Phantom Horseman

[Fevrover]

51 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Whoever plays for Rovers we should get behind the team.Players at Championship level deserve all they can get for playing it is a short career.My son and daughter in law were at Steelers ice hockey last night and left in tears.Nottingham Panther player suffered a freak accident.My son who was very close to it said another skaters skate appeared to make contact with the player Adam Johnsons throat.Game was stopped and spectators asked to leave and Panthers have announced this morning he has died as a result of his serious injury.TRAGIC.

Certainly puts things into perspective. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

55 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Whoever plays for Rovers we should get behind the team.Players at Championship level deserve all they can get for playing it is a short career.My son and daughter in law were at Steelers ice hockey last night and left in tears.Nottingham Panther player suffered a freak accident.My son who was very close to it said another skaters skate appeared to make contact with the player Adam Johnsons throat.Game was stopped and spectators asked to leave and Panthers have announced this morning he has died as a result of his serious injury.TRAGIC.

Very sad news and a very good point. I can remember in the 1970s the shock as the news filtered round the grounds one Sunday afternoon that Leeds' half back Chris Sanderson had died in a game at Salford. More recently there was the tragic Danny Jones incident.

We're all quick to criticise players on social media but these guys put their bodies on the line every week. Heartbreaking news for Adam Johnson's family and all the players involved in that game must be in a state of shock too.

[Daft old hooker]

1 hour ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Whoever plays for Rovers we should get behind the team.Players at Championship level deserve all they can get for playing it is a short career.My son and daughter in law were at Steelers ice hockey last night and left in tears.Nottingham Panther player suffered a freak accident.My son who was very close to it said another skaters skate appeared to make contact with the player Adam Johnsons throat.Game was stopped and spectators asked to leave and Panthers have announced this morning he has died as a result of his serious injury.TRAGIC.

Yeah we’re due to be going to Leeds Knights game tonight if it’s still on. Very sad and sobering news.

[POR]

I read the vickers article about our budget but was pleased to hear him say 

 But we’ll still do it the Featherstone way and have a proper crack.”

[Monkeymagic22]

Maybe we should be looking at other Championship players, rather than old SL players on the downgrade. 

[Smudger06]

I take it Chisholm doesn't get on with  Ford? 

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, Smudger06 said:

I take it Chisholm doesn't get on with  Ford? 

Not sure about that, Ford was already director of rugby when we signed Chisholm  and Dane had had some of his better games against York so you'd think Ford was very much on board with the signing.

I think all of us could see that the Chisholm we saw this year wasn't quite the player of 2019 or even 2021, perhaps not surprising seeing as he's now 33. Given we are clearly making a break from the old guard, keeping Lacans rather than Chisholm is very much in line with that policy.

The common theme amongst a lot of the departures is that a lot of the over 30s are gone. Lockwood (37), Moors (37), Kopczak (36), Hall (35), Ford (34), Taylor (33), Kheirallah (33), Wildie (33), Chisholm (33), Davies (32), Leilua (31), Smith (30) and Hepi (30)...even Briscoe's 29, only Cozza, plus Hau (who we always knew was on a short-term deal) were relatively young.

[Featherstonerovers2000]

Looks like briscoe of to Doncaster ,smith and Davies to Bradford and moors to Sheffield 

[marklaspalmas]

1 hour ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

Looks like briscoe of to Doncaster ,smith and Davies to Bradford and moors to Sheffield 

Mmm.

It's better to just post the link to the webpage that info came from:

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/four-featherstone-rovers-players-set-28008770

[FR23]

2 hours ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

Looks like briscoe of to Doncaster ,smith and Davies to Bradford and moors to Sheffield 

Briscoe to fax I’ve heard 

[POR]

Nowt to worry about we will be making a big announcement at the winter fair 

[Kirmonds pouch]

On 26/10/2023 at 22:03, Catflap said:

Are people forgetting the 2023 squad failed, let Wakey have players who choke  

He's young and will learn, think you had far more so called experienced chokers than him to worry about. I like the look of him to be honest, has some potential.

[Smudger06]

6 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Not sure about that, Ford was already director of rugby when we signed Chisholm  and Dane had had some of his better games against York so you'd think Ford was very much on board with the signing.

I think all of us could see that the Chisholm we saw this year wasn't quite the player of 2019 or even 2021, perhaps not surprising seeing as he's now 33. Given we are clearly making a break from the old guard, keeping Lacans rather than Chisholm is very much in line with that policy.

The common theme amongst a lot of the departures is that a lot of the over 30s are gone. Lockwood (37), Moors (37), Kopczak (36), Hall (35), Ford (34), Taylor (33), Kheirallah (33), Wildie (33), Chisholm (33), Davies (32), Leilua (31), Smith (30) and Hepi (30)...even Briscoe's 29, only Cozza, plus Hau (who we always knew was on a short-term deal) were relatively young.

Yeah good point Ford was direct of rugby. He probs is past his best to be honest.