Featherstone Rovers 2024 Squad

[marklaspalmas]

So the only 2023 departure whose 2024 destination we don't know is Chizz.

[fevnut]

On 11/12/2023 at 15:00, Rovers fev said:

Keenen Tomlinson

manou wacokecoke

oliver farrar 

3 names being thrown about anyone know anything about them ?

Keenen Tomlinson has been playing for English clubs since 2017. Sporadic appearances scattered around several clubs. Jamaican international.

[Rovers fev]

7 hours ago, fevnut said:

Keenen Tomlinson has been playing for English clubs since 2017. Sporadic appearances scattered around several clubs. Jamaican international.

Cheers, looks like he’s a back rower/centre then 

[Indigogo]

1 hour ago, Rovers fev said:

Cheers, looks like he’s a back rower/centre then 

We had him at Keighley last season and he's definitely not a centre, he's far too slow. He played centre for us in one half at home against Swinton and they scored 5 or 6 tries targeting him. 

Without being too harsh I wouldn't say he was a championship player from what I've seen. Effort and endeavour was there from him but if he plays you'll see a drop off in quality from your first choice back rowers.

[Rovers fev]

On 19/12/2023 at 10:06, Indigogo said:

We had him at Keighley last season and he's definitely not a centre, he's far too slow. He played centre for us in one half at home against Swinton and they scored 5 or 6 tries targeting him. 

Without being too harsh I wouldn't say he was a championship player from what I've seen. Effort and endeavour was there from him but if he plays you'll see a drop off in quality from your first choice back rowers.

We’ve only got 2 back rowers so he’ll Atleast be our 3rd best option 

[lingaro]

44 minutes ago, Rovers fev said:

We’ve only got 2 back rowers so he’ll Atleast be our 3rd best option 

Cheapest option 

[jamescolin]

In today's  P & C Manoa  is shown  as 19 years old, 15 stone and can do around 109 yards in 10 seconds..  Sounds very good with the right training. Come on Manoa. UTR

[lingaro]

Should be first at back of the sticks waiting for the kick then

[RobLambert]

I'm looking forward to seeing Manou but it does seem to be shaping up to be like the 2014 ? season when we signed a number of fringe players with potential - who we hoped would break in to the first team - but most of them didn't progress as we had hoped.  I think it was that season that we signed Jamal Chisholm (No relation I don't think) who had just been voted the fastest man in the universe or something.  I'm not sure he even played a proper game for us ?  I get that we either don't have the money / or we'd be (rightfully) crazy to spend all our cash given the new system, so hopefully this year some of those speculative signings will turn out to be gems..... 

[RobLambert]

On 14/12/2023 at 22:53, Squidward said:

Ray Handscombe loved Ripping Yarns.

Good choice Ray.  The testing of Eric Olthwaite is a personal favourite.  I quite identify with Eric.  I saw some really black black pudding last week.

[Adam B]

1 hour ago, RobLambert said:

Good choice Ray.  The testing of Eric Olthwaite is a personal favourite.  I quite identify with Eric.  I saw some really black black pudding last week.

the benefits of living near a farm shop.

Still a toss up between Tomkinson's and Stalag Luft for me, but they were all great, obviously. Gold from a golden age.

[Adam B]

6 hours ago, jamescolin said:

In today's  P & C Manoa  is shown  as 19 years old, 15 stone and can do around 109 yards in 10 seconds..  Sounds very good with the right training. Come on Manoa. UTR

Agreed Col, sounds like there's definitely a player there if we can get his development right, at least with the squad size we have currently he's likely to get some decent playing time, which is most important of all. Looking forward to seeing how he goes.  

[The Phantom Horseman]

12 hours ago, RobLambert said:

 I think it was that season that we signed Jamal Chisholm (No relation I don't think) who had just been voted the fastest man in the universe or something.

And on the other flank powerful ex-NRL winger Etu Uisale, having as always in those days "fought off significant SL interest", what could go wrong?

Too soon to write off those 2014 signings anyway, I hear Liam Walmsley's almost ready to resume training.

[The Phantom Horseman]

10 hours ago, Adam B said:

the benefits of living near a farm shop.

Still a toss up between Tomkinson's and Stalag Luft for me, but they were all great, obviously. Gold from a golden age.

The age of our pack last season suggests we were taking a leaf out of Barnstoneworth United's recruitment policy...

Mad fact...there are multiple "tribute" teams called Barnstoneworth United across the world, including  5 in Australia.

[sentoffagain2]

       Our young un moved houses over a year a go and i still have some of his stuff in my spare bedroom.I don't know why as he moved from a two bed to a five.Yesterday tidying up for Christmas i found a DVD Retro Rovers Vintage Video The Paul Newlove tries  122 in 150 games for Rovers.10 caps while at Fev 8 for G.B.It is signed on the back cover by Paul.I will watch it sometime over Christmas.The legend John Hill describes him with the  words Power Pace and Perpetual Motion.It will bring back some memories.

[POR]

29 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

The age of our pack last season suggests we were taking a leaf out of Barnstoneworth United's recruitment policy...

 

True PH who can  forget

“Haggerty F, Ferris, Noble, Codren, Crapper, Davis, Sullivan, O’Grady, Kembell, Hacker and Davitt*

[fevnut]

19 hours ago, RobLambert said:

I'm looking forward to seeing Manou but it does seem to be shaping up to be like the 2014 ? season when we signed a number of fringe players with potential - who we hoped would break in to the first team - but most of them didn't progress as we had hoped.  I think it was that season that we signed Jamal Chisholm (No relation I don't think) who had just been voted the fastest man in the universe or something.  I'm not sure he even played a proper game for us ?  I get that we either don't have the money / or we'd be (rightfully) crazy to spend all our cash given the new system, so hopefully this year some of those speculative signings will turn out to be gems..... 

Jamel Chisholm played one game for Fev and scored 1 try. It was at home to Halifax on 23 Feb 2014 and Fev won 28-20.

 

[gazza77]

10 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Too soon to write off those 2014 signings anyway, I hear Liam Walmsley's almost ready to resume training.

Has Gaz Moore finished doing his hair yet?

[RobLambert]

3 hours ago, fevnut said:

Jamel Chisholm played one game for Fev and scored 1 try. It was at home to Halifax on 23 Feb 2014 and Fev won 28-20.

 

Wow with that try scoring rate why didn't we keep hold of him and tempt Dwain Chambers out of retirement for the other wing...

[RobLambert]

47 minutes ago, gazza77 said:

Has Gaz Moore finished doing his hair yet?

Careful didn't some people used to say that about Steady.....  

[RobLambert]

10 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

The age of our pack last season suggests we were taking a leaf out of Barnstoneworth United's recruitment policy...

Mad fact...there are multiple "tribute" teams called Barnstoneworth United across the world, including  5 in Australia.

I love that fact.   We're not quite a Barnstoneworth but there are certain similarities in terms of the lows we have had to endure.  Anyway lets hope we win a few games in 2024.....

[The Phantom Horseman]

So this is how I reckon we're looking at the moment...

Don't think Josh Hardcastle has been seen in any of the training ground videos, so am assuming it might be some time before he's in contention for a playing return.

That would leave 15 players who I'd expect to be in the 17 most weeks if fit - Aikens, Wynne, Minikin, Gale, Reynolds, Lacans, Springer, Jones, Massey, Bussey, Day, Addy, Bowes, Yei and Albert.

Then I'd guess we're going to run with 5 or 6 "fringe" players who are either promising youngsters or journeymen types who can play a role...we know about Kamano & Wacokecoke who might fill the 2 remaining places if we had a game this weekend. Anecdotal and training ground video evidence suggests Trout, Tomlinson and Oli Farrar are also currently training with the team and presumably might be seen in the pre-season games.

Then we're looking at filling any gaps with DR from Hull KR...looking at their likely starting 17, the prime candidates in what look to be positions where we might need help are probably Louis Senior (wing), Corey Hall (centre), Yusuf Ayden (prop) plus two other young but promising props in Zac Fishwick and Leo Tennison. My guess is we might see Aydin, who played with us twice last season, on a regular basis and maybe one of the two younger props too. There are plenty more very promising youngsters in the HKR 1st team squad as well, similar to some of the ones we had from Leeds at times.

Obviously not ideal and we're going to need a load of luck with injuries (assuming we don't have any more starter-calibre signings lined up) but we need to remember that the "cheap" or "fringe" players are effectively helping to pay for the retention of the likes of Aekins, Jones, Springer etc.

We definitely have some areas of doubt - of our four established props, three are "impact"-type players and only Massey really fills the "grafter" type of role, though that is the role he's played all his career. We also have no depth at the moment if either of our half backs get injured - HKR's three halves are all high-profile (Mays, Lewis and Abdull) and it would be a bit surprising to see any of them playing in the Championship.

It's going to be a very different season to recent years and might be a challenging one but hopefully still an interesting one and might make a nice change to have the pressure off and even the chance of springing the odd surprise.

 

[Blind side johnny]

Cook Islands international Johnathon Ford sees France return confirmed on back of Featherstone Rovers departure (loverugbyleague.com)

[sentoffagain2]

     Due to him picking up injuries and missing lots of game time i think our money would have been more wisely spent elsewhere.But's that's hindsight.

[POR]

Fans Forum Thursday night  where we are  going to learn all about 

Our vision for 2024

Rovers and IMG 

The state of the game 

Coach and player update on-pre season and finally

Squad development