Fri 29th-Sun 31st Mar: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

[Rene_Artois]

Please stick to discussing the matches in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

FRIDAY 29th MARCH
Bradford Bulls v Halifax Panthers KO 19:30
Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Doncaster v Sheffield Eagles KO 15:00
Featherstone Rovers v Wakefield Trinity KO 18:00
Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions KO 14:00

SUNDAY 31st MARCH
York Knights v Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

Edited March 28 by John Drake
Added standard warning about refs, plus match dates/KO times.

[TheYoungBaron]

1 hour ago, Rene_Artois said:

Thoughts and opinions?

Widnes v Swinton

Whitehaven v Barrow

Doncaster v Sheffield

Dewsbury v Batley

Featherstone v Wakefield

Bradford v Halifax

York v Toulouse 

Widnes, Sheffield, Batley, Trinity ( but want Fev to win), Bradford and Toulouse all to win. Haven v Barrer - who knows that will be my match to watch as I reckon it'll be as fiery as anything! Up in the Lakes on hols too but the boss says she'd like us to walk Cat Bell's. Please think of me chuntering to misself walking in the rain.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

24 minutes ago, TheYoungBaron said:

Widnes, Sheffield, Batley, Trinity ( but want Fev to win), Bradford and Toulouse all to win. Haven v Barrer - who knows that will be my match to watch as I reckon it'll be as fiery as anything! Up in the Lakes on hols too but the boss says she'd like us to walk Cat Bell's. Please think of me chuntering to misself walking in the rain.

You need to explain to Mrs TYB that the splendour of Cat Bells can only be fully appreciated at dawn.  After that, how else to fill the day?  Explain you have heard about an attractive open space in Whitehaven and offer to take her there!

Put it another way, TYB, are you man or mouse?

Sorry, was that "Eek" you said in reply?

[dkw]

44 minutes ago, TheYoungBaron said:

Widnes, Sheffield, Batley, Trinity ( but want Fev to win), Bradford and Toulouse all to win. Haven v Barrer - who knows that will be my match to watch as I reckon it'll be as fiery as anything! Up in the Lakes on hols too but the boss says she'd like us to walk Cat Bell's. Please think of me chuntering to misself walking in the rain.

No one ever goes up cat bells after 1pm, it's a local rule....honest.

Now coincidentally you can get to whitehaven in the for the match then...

[Normy_Rover]

3 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

Bradford Bulls v Halifax Panthers KO 19:30
Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Doncaster v Sheffield Eagles KO 15:00
Featherstone Rovers v Wakefield Trinity KO 18:00
Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions KO 14:00

 

[Normy_Rover]

3 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

York Knights v Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

 

[TheYoungBaron]

1 hour ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

You need to explain to Mrs TYB that the splendour of Cat Bells can only be fully appreciated at dawn.  After that, how else to fill the day?  Explain you have heard about an attractive open space in Whitehaven and offer to take her there!

Put it another way, TYB, are you man or mouse?

Sorry, was that "Eek" you said in reply?

I know who the boss is in our house...and she's eating crisps on the settee as I type

[doc]

4 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

 

FRIDAY 29th MARCH
Bradford Bulls v Halifax Panthers KO 19:30
Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Doncaster v Sheffield Eagles KO 15:00
Featherstone Rovers v Wakefield Trinity KO 18:00
Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions KO 14:00

SUNDAY 31st MARCH
York Knights v Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

 

[The Blues Ox]

You have got to have a lot of admiration for Bradford deciding before the season to put out a bold statement outlining their intention not to use the Dual Reg syatem and stick to developing players in their large squad and their academy. In other news Bradford now have 6 loan players in their squad.

Not sure what to expect from our game, we still can't name a 21 man squad despite bringing players in on DR but it should be a tight game on that pitch so although I think Bradford for the first time in years have a stronger squad than us, I still think its a hard one to call.

FRIDAY 29th MARCH
Bradford Bulls v Halifax Panthers Fax by 4
Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs Batley by 8
Doncaster v Sheffield Eagles Sheffield by 14
Featherstone Rovers v Wakefield Trinity Wakey by 6
Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders Haven by 2
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions Widnes by 10

SUNDAY 31st MARCH
York Knights v Toulouse Olympique York by 8

[Havenfan10]

5 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

Please stick to discussing the matches in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

FRIDAY 29th MARCH
Bradford Bulls 30-12 Halifax Panthers KO 19:30
Dewsbury Rams 14-28 Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Doncaster 26-20 Sheffield Eagles KO 15:00
Featherstone Rovers 16-18 Wakefield Trinity KO 18:00
Whitehaven  14-12 Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings 26-16 Swinton Lions KO 14:00

SUNDAY 31st MARCH
York Knights 18-36 Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

 

[Barley Mow]

Bradford Bulls v Halifax Panthers
Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs
Doncaster v Sheffield Eagles
Featherstone Rovers v Wakefield Trinity
Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions

York Knights v Toulouse Olympique

[Rene_Artois]

12 hours ago, Rene_Artois said:

Please stick to discussing the matches in question and do not accuse match officials of being biased or corrupt or you run the risk of being immediately banned from the forum.

FRIDAY 29th MARCH
Bradford Bulls v Halifax Panthers KO 19:30
Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Doncaster v Sheffield Eagles KO 15:00
Featherstone Rovers v Wakefield Trinity KO 18:00
Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings v Swinton Lions KO 14:00

SUNDAY 31st MARCH
York Knights v Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/article/1683/squad-announcement-|-doncaster-rlfc-v-sheffield-eagles

[dkw]

12 hours ago, TheYoungBaron said:

I know who the boss is in our house...and she's eating crisps on the settee as I type

Tell her about the world famous cheese XL crisps in West Cumbria.....

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Wakey and Toulouse the only away winners.

[JonM]

Widnes 28 Swinton 10 FT. Rather closer than the scoreline suggests, with a couple of late Widnes tries. Good performance from both teams, well refereed (although Dec Patton appeared to disagree a few times). 

[robt]

Dons v Sheff is a good arm wrestle so far. Mistakes from both teams, but, if he can stay fit  I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Pauli Pauli.

[Barley Mow]

Fantastic match to listen to on BBC Radio Cumbria - Currently Haven 22-22 Barrow, about an hour gone.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

38 minutes ago, JonM said:

Widnes 28 Swinton 10 FT. Rather closer than the scoreline suggests, with a couple of late Widnes tries. Good performance from both teams, well refereed (although Dec Patton appeared to disagree a few times). 

Swinton already done us this season and been competitive in every game they've played. Very happy with an 18 point victory. Another vital two points in our relegation battle.

[Barley Mow]

Whitehaven 23-22 Barrow FT

[Gomersall]

49 minutes ago, robt said:

Dons v Sheff is a good arm wrestle so far. Mistakes from both teams, but, if he can stay fit  I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Pauli Pauli.

Sheffield will be up there again so to only lose by 6 is a good effort from the newly promoted Dons.

[The Phantom Horseman]

9 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Sheffield will be up there again so to only lose by 6 is a good effort from the newly promoted Dons.

Sheffield are second favourites with the sponsors (behind Wakefield) for the Championship this season. That might reflect the lack of other credible challengers I guess, but time will tell.

[Snowys Backside]

Accumulator waiting on Dews to beat Batley with 10 start. 
 

Always a ruckus game so hopeful that Dews can deliver for me

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

More Trinity fans at POR than for the cup game. Filling into the side stand now. Let's hope it lifts the team enough this time.

I'm sure Fev will use the cash windfall wisely. 

[tim2]

1 hour ago, robt said:

Dons v Sheff is a good arm wrestle so far. Mistakes from both teams, but, if he can stay fit  I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Pauli Pauli.

He's a big lad.

I'd be astonished if Doncaster are relegated. Good playmakers and some serious speed round the outside.

Eagles would have been more comfortable if Cory Aston hadn't left his kicking boots at home and they hadn't conceded so many penalties.

And, additionally, a decent crowd of 1700. Good atmosphere too considering how cavernous the stadium is.

Edited March 29 by tim2
Added info

[LeeF]

1 hour ago, Snowys Backside said:

Accumulator waiting on Dews to beat Batley with 10 start. 
 

Always a ruckus game so hopeful that Dews can deliver for me

24-0 at the moment so looks like you are on a winner