Sat 13th-Sun 14th Jul: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

[doc]

Widnes played average to beat Dewsbury. 

Att. 2334

30ish Dews fans

Ref strange.

[Wakefield Ram]

23 minutes ago, The Mighty Trin said:

Wakey are you ready ready, yes we are ready ready who who who we, we are Wakefield Trinity put your hands up in the sky...Wakefield Trinity will never die.

Ohhhh Wakey

On a serious note, what a great win...sounded scrappy in parts but a wins a win. Two tough games coming up in France then our Post Ofiice Road friends visit belle vue, can we keep it going time will tell

If you compare your results with what full-time Leigh were winning by when they were in the Championship, you'll need to bolster your squad massively to even have a chance of staying up. You should be beating part-time teams by 40-50 points.

[The Mighty Trin]

22 minutes ago, Wakefield Ram said:

If you compare your results with what full-time Leigh were winning by when they were in the Championship, you'll need to bolster your squad massively to even have a chance of staying up. You should be beating part-time teams by 40-50 points.

Of course I get that, Leigh were incredible that year but we did have a depleted squad today especially in the forwards. I'm not getting cocky and nor is any of our fans. But if we did go all the way unbeaten which could happen that would be some feat. But your right Leigh were far superior than us no denying that. Got to celebrate when your winning though or what's the point lol

[Agbrigg]

28 minutes ago, Wakefield Ram said:

If you compare your results with what full-time Leigh were winning by when they were in the Championship, you'll need to bolster your squad massively to even have a chance of staying up. You should be beating part-time teams by 40-50 points.

The squad will do the job it needs to do this season. Next season's squad will be totally different and I am sure will also do a very good job of being a strong SL team. Wakey are a club rising rapidly with an owner who has high ambitions .

[PREPOSTEROUS]

1 hour ago, Wakefield Ram said:

If you compare your results with what full-time Leigh were winning by when they were in the Championship, you'll need to bolster your squad massively to even have a chance of staying up. You should be beating part-time teams by 40-50 points.

15 wins out of 15, 534 points scored, 156 conceded. 

Trinity are doing alright with the squad they have thanks. I said before Trinity dont need to be doing what Leigh did the season they went up. Today they went to an in form Bradford side who have been splashing the cash recently with only three props (one of those has been playing for Hunslet recently), a second rower playing in the front row, a centre playing second row and an ultility hooker, winger, loose playing in the halves and prevented them from scoring a try.

Also, there are a few irons in the fire for next season to bolster the squad, you may have read about them.

Edited July 14 by PREPOSTEROUS

[Trojan Horse]

26 minutes ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

15 wins out of 15, 534 points scored, 156 conceded. 

Trinity are doing alright with the squad they have thanks. I said before Trinity dont need to be doing what Leigh did the season they went up. Today they went to an in form Bradford side who have been splashing the cash recently with only three props (one of those has been playing for Hunslet recently), a second rower playing in the front row, a centre playing second row and an ultility hooker, winger, loose playing in the halves and prevented them from scoring a try.

Also, there are a few irons in the fire for next season to bolster the squad, you may have read about them.

Trinity missing today:

 

Mcgillvray

Lino

Atoni

Bowden

Hood

Cozza

Vagana

Bain

Boothroyd

Lawford

Still winning and keeping a team scoreless is very impressive under the circumstances. 
 

With the additions for next season Trinity should give a good account of themselves in SL should they get there. 
 

This season they are doing a very good professional job. Especially now in the midst of an injury crisis. 

[Leyther_Matt]

Went to the Halifax v Featherstone game today. 14-6 to Featherstone, and 8 points is probably a little generous to Fax who just didn’t really in to the game (not that Fev were much better). In truth, it was a tough watch with penalties and unforced errors all over the place.

I’d hate to sound like a Super League snob after 20 years of talking up the Championship on this here forum, but it really felt like two teams trying to play to a Super League style without having anywhere near the quality to do it. Scrap the shallow attacking lines, drop deeper and give yourselves more time and space to come up with something creative, something which made the Championship so refreshing to watch in the past. 

[Vyvyan]

Bradford missing a few as well today.  Gaskell is a massive miss for them. Not mention half a dozen forwards.

 

[PREPOSTEROUS]

1 minute ago, Vyvyan said:

....Gaskell is a massive miss for them.

Really? He pretty useless from what I saw during his 2 years at Trinity, when he want injured that is.

[tim2]

6 hours ago, Havenfan10 said:

Good win for swinton at Sheffield.

Sheffield would have lost to anyone except perhaps Dewsbury playing like they did today. Loads of errors from both teams in conditions that felt more like March than July.

[Keep The Faith]

Batley defended the hill 1st half sniffed out the barrow attack low on confidence then took their chances with Hooley and Mitias been pick of the tries  

[Vyvyan]

9 hours ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

Really? He pretty useless from what I saw during his 2 years at Trinity, when he want injured that is.

When he's been fit he's made them look much better.  Lilley is a bit of a headless chicken and they have no halfback cover since Holmes is really a fullback. 

[Vyvyan]

York are playing much better now.  Good chance of doing the double over Bradford. 

[PREPOSTEROUS]

10 minutes ago, Vyvyan said:

York are playing much better now.  Good chance of doing the double over Bradford. 

Pleased for Mash, he was on a hiding to nothing last year and struggled in his first year of coaching. York seems a much better fit for him to develop. Glad he seems to be doing well. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

10 hours ago, PREPOSTEROUS said:

Really? He pretty useless from what I saw during his 2 years at Trinity, when he want injured that is.

There is a world of difference between being an effective half back at SL level and at Championship level, particularly at the moment in the weakest Championship for many years.

[Mark R]

9 hours ago, tim2 said:

Sheffield would have lost to anyone except perhaps Dewsbury playing like they did today. Loads of errors from both teams in conditions that felt more like March than July.

Swinton have usually lost when they play bad too

[Griff]

25 minutes ago, Mark R said:

Swinton have usually lost when they play bad too

Probably just a coincidence.

[The Phantom Horseman]

13 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Went to the Halifax v Featherstone game today. 14-6 to Featherstone, and 8 points is probably a little generous to Fax who just didn’t really in to the game (not that Fev were much better). In truth, it was a tough watch with penalties and unforced errors all over the place.

I’d hate to sound like a Super League snob after 20 years of talking up the Championship on this here forum, but it really felt like two teams trying to play to a Super League style without having anywhere near the quality to do it. Scrap the shallow attacking lines, drop deeper and give yourselves more time and space to come up with something creative, something which made the Championship so refreshing to watch in the past. 

It wasn't a great game but both teams are going through a lull with the IMG reformatting of the game having an impact on both (and other teams). Fev won't be too bothered about the performance quality as following some dismal defensive performances all the focus has been on improving that, and with three key players suspended (Springer, Patton, Addy) any kind of a win was a good result, as a general comparison point I'd say Fev in 2024 are in a similar regrouping period to Leigh in 2019.

Halifax seem strangely lifeless, last year against a vastly stronger Fev team they gave us all sorts of problems chucking the ball about but I don't think they made a clean break yesterday which was odd given they still have talents like Keyes, Jouffret and Woodburn-Hall who all ran rings around us at times a year ago.

[Just Browny]

Agree (mostly) with the comments on the Halifax-Featherstone game. I thought the score roughly did reflect the game: Rovers looked very strong in the first 30 minutes but were out on their feet in the latter stages and a better opposition would have broken them down.

As has been mentioned, Halifax's play with the ball was really lacking in zip and they have a dire lack of pace. They also made the mistake so many teams make of, when 8 points down, declining an easy penalty goal and then doing nothing with the possession.

[Bull Mania]

Wakefield deserved winners. Think we just lacked the quality to break them down. Great defensive effort from them. We are missing Gaskell. I know Wakey fans dont rate him, but as Phantom said there's a massive difference in being a half for the worst SL side ever and a top end championship team. 

Injuries and suspensions clearly having an effect on all teams now. Plus fatigue. These guys work and have been playing since January. Then you have the limited minutes rule. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sheffield (who have been brilliant all year) drop a few points as they've not had a week off. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

3 minutes ago, Bull Mania said:

 

Injuries and suspensions clearly having an effect on all teams now. Plus fatigue.

100% this, it's been a massive part of the narrative of the Championship this season.

Theer are numerous examples, Widnes seemed to be one of the teams that had fewest absentees during the early part of the season and did really well but haven't seemed quite so good since they started picking up a few injuries. Wakefield have quality amongst their replacements but even they have clearly suffered from missing a few of their key players lately.  Conversely Toulouse have been able to play their squad numbers 1-13 in a few recent games (acknowledging they were misisng Shorrocks this week) and they have been fairly solid as a result.

[The Blues Ox]

17 hours ago, Wakefield Ram said:

If you compare your results with what full-time Leigh were winning by when they were in the Championship, you'll need to bolster your squad massively to even have a chance of staying up. You should be beating part-time teams by 40-50 points.

How has nobody mentioned that it will hardly matter at all what squad Wakey will have next season.....

[Mark]

I thought Swinton defended really well, Whitehaven next week is a massive game as we seem to be beating teams above us and not those around us. Sheffield spent plenty of time around our red zone but seemed to have no ideas when close to the line. Maybe last weeks controversy  has brought us closer as a team, must say Ant Walker played really well for us and team spirit at the end, which I was worried about, was there on show

[tim2]

6 hours ago, Mark R said:

Swinton have usually lost when they play bad too

We've played badly and won many times.

[tim2]

2 hours ago, Mark said:

I thought Swinton defended really well, Whitehaven next week is a massive game as we seem to be beating teams above us and not those around us. Sheffield spent plenty of time around our red zone but seemed to have no ideas when close to the line. Maybe last weeks controversy  has brought us closer as a team, must say Ant Walker played really well for us and team spirit at the end, which I was worried about, was there on show

Swinton were pretty solid but Sheffield's attack, Joel Farrell aside, was woeful.