Match thread: Championship Round 16. Featherstone Rovers v Doncaster. Saturday 20th July 2024.

[marklaspalmas]

So, we're back to winning ways after good performances against Whitehaven and Halifax.

Next up is Doncaster, full of Fev OB's who always enjoy playing against us.

A win is vital for our top 6 aspirations.

The squad sees its usual weekly turnover of players.

For Saturday, Danny Addy and Gadwin Springer should be back after suspensions.

Nathan Massey made what looked like a successful comeback, as did Ben Reynolds, and Zeus Silk had his debut.

Hopefully Paul Turner will be fit after not being used. I assume Toby Warren will be back too.

Brad England is gone, Jack Bussey and Wellington Albert still out, with Tommy Lacans gone for the year.

Dec Patton will still be suspended. He will be joined by Josh Hardcastle and I imagine Gaz Gale.

Not heard about Manoa Wacokecoke last week. Injured? Left?

That's six or seven unavailable from what is now a 23 man squad.

So, we'll need a bit of DR this week I think.

Up The Rovers.

[marklaspalmas]

Maybe we'll look something like this?

1             Aekins

2             Wynne

3             Minikin

4             Barley

5             Eden

6             Turner

7             Reynolds

8             Springer

9             Jones

10           Massey

11           Day

12           Warren

13           Addy

14           Bowes

15           Kamano

16           Nakubuwai

17           Silk

               

OUT:      Hardcastle

                Gale

                Lacans

                Bussey

                Albert

                Wacokecoke

                Harris

                Patton

[The Phantom Horseman]

5 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Not heard about Manoa Wacokecoke last week. Injured? Left?

 

I noticed that Wacokecoke didn't make the squad even though we only named 19 which made me wonder too. Was struggling to see how he'd get a game to be honest.

[The Phantom Horseman]

MLP's squad looks a strong possibility to me.

[marklaspalmas]

8 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

MLP's squad looks a strong possibility to me.

Assuming we get Barley, Turner is properly fit again, nobody picked up a bad knock at Fax, and Toby Warren is over his illness and available.

[Featherstonerovers2000]

I agree with that team but I think maybe Tennison or Fishwick instead of silk

[marklaspalmas]

45 minutes ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

I agree with that team but I think maybe Tennison or Fishwick instead of silk

I'd probably agree with that if they're available.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

I agree with that team but I think maybe Tennison or Fishwick instead of silk

 

44 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

I'd probably agree with that if they're available.

It was the Humberside reserves derby on Saturday and Fishwick and Tennison both played in that, perhaps HKR were especially keen to have a strong reserves team out for that one hence why they weren't available for us.

[Featherstonerovers2000]

57 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

 

It was the Humberside reserves derby on Saturday and Fishwick and Tennison both played in that, perhaps HKR were especially keen to have a strong reserves team out for that one hence why they weren't available for us.

I know when I played for Wakefield reserves and Bradford reserves 5 years ago clubs got paid a small amount for better finish’s

[The Phantom Horseman]

15 hours ago, marklaspalmas said:

Dec Patton will still be suspended. He will be joined by Josh Hardcastle and I imagine Gaz Gale.

 

It was meant to be Gaz Gale's tribunal last night. I must have looked at the RFL page about ten times, they were updating the cases one by one, including one player who was found not guilty, but news about Gale never came through, positive or negative.
https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62964/operational-rules-tribunal-|-july-16

I'd love to think that means he was found not guilty, but probably more likely is they just haven't got round to announcing it. Anyone heard anything?

He's such an important player for us. Not only is he one of the best players coming out of yardage sets in the entire league, but his timing in defence seems to get better and better. We had all sorts of problems down that right edge early in the season with defenders (especially on the wing) making bad decisions but since we switched Gaz across from left to right wing that has miraculously disappeared.  I've lost count of the number of promising attacks by our opponents that he's snuffed out recently with a well-timed intervention.

[Fevrover]

48 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

It was meant to be Gaz Gale's tribunal last night. I must have looked at the RFL page about ten times, they were updating the cases one by one, including one player who was found not guilty, but news about Gale never came through, positive or negative.
https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62964/operational-rules-tribunal-|-july-16

I'd love to think that means he was found not guilty, but probably more likely is they just haven't got round to announcing it. Anyone heard anything?

He's such an important player for us. Not only is he one of the best players coming out of yardage sets in the entire league, but his timing in defence seems to get better and better. We had all sorts of problems down that right edge early in the season with defenders (especially on the wing) making bad decisions but since we switched Gaz across from left to right wing that has miraculously disappeared.  I've lost count of the number of promising attacks by our opponents that he's snuffed out recently with a well-timed intervention.

You can bet your life he gets a least one match ban.

[The Phantom Horseman]

11 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

You can bet your life he gets a least one match ban.

That's the thing - it won't be 1 game, he's been cited for Grade E head contact so it will be 3-5 games if found guilty, probably towards the upper end given he's already been banned for the same offence earlier this year. That's why I kept checking the RFL site last night, it's an important decision for us.

[FR23]

Anyone know for the wakey game will fev fans be in the west terrace? Wakeys got tickets on sale for £10

[Fevrover]

49 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

That's the thing - it won't be 1 game, he's been cited for Grade E head contact so it will be 3-5 games if found guilty, probably towards the upper end given he's already been banned for the same offence earlier this year. That's why I kept checking the RFL site last night, it's an important decision for us.

What a season!

[The Phantom Horseman]

AJ Wallace must have a secret passion for the Millennium Stadium (and who can blame him?).

After playing here on DR for Fev, he joined Whitehaven on loan just before they visited us...and days before we host Doncaster it's just been announced that he's joined them on loan for the rest of the season.

[RobLambert]

Does anyone know what injuries Bussey and Albert have ?  I must have missed it - I don't recall any announcement but it seems that they are no longer expected to be in the squad each week.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 minute ago, RobLambert said:

Does anyone know what injuries Bussey and Albert have ?  I must have missed it - I don't recall any announcement but it seems that they are no longer expected to be in the squad each week.

Given we've still to play Swinton in a few weeks, maybe they've asked to keep those injuries quiet?

[Michael Bates]

5 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

AJ Wallace must have a secret passion for the Millennium Stadium (and who can blame him?).

After playing here on DR for Fev, he joined Whitehaven on loan just before they visited us...and days before we host Doncaster it's just been announced that he's joined them on loan for the rest of the season.

Was thinking the same. Wonder how many clubs he can represent in a season.

[haskey]

I always thought that we were the only team to link up with HKR on D>R>. It seems as usual that I am wrong or more precise the system stinks.

[The Phantom Horseman]

3 minutes ago, haskey said:

I always thought that we were the only team to link up with HKR on D>R>. It seems as usual that I am wrong or more precise the system stinks.

He's gone on loan, not DR. We have had plenty of loanees through the door this season too (Hooley, Nakubuwai, Luis Johnson, Toby Warren).

[The Phantom Horseman]

8 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

It was meant to be Gaz Gale's tribunal last night.

 

Am reliably informed it's taking place this evening.

[Featherstonerovers2000]

If gaz gets 3-5 match’s I’d look at jack walker from hull fc or Hooley back and play them at fullback and Eden on wing  

[The Phantom Horseman]

3 minutes ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

If gaz gets 3-5 match’s I’d look at jack walker from hull fc or Hooley back and play them at fullback and Eden on wing  

If Turner's fit you wouldn't play him at half back and switch Aekins back to full back?

[Featherstonerovers2000]

I just wouldn’t risk him this week that injury look painful and shoulder injuries just don’t disappear 

[Rene_Artois]

AJ Wallace should be in Dons squad for Saturday. Season long loan from Hull KR