Match thread. Championship Round 1. Featherstone Rovers v Doncaster. Sunday 16th February 2025, 3.00pm

[marklaspalmas]

Here we go then.

Some good pre-season displays, often in heavy conditions.

Two easy Challenge Cup victories against Conference opposition (I know, no game is easy).

Now begins the moment of the truth. How good will Featherstone Rovers be in 2025?

For me, I'd be happy to see an improvement on last season's underwhelming 6th place, a year full of frustrating inconsistencies.

For the bookies, we're second favourites behind Bradford.

As far as I know, 24 of our 27 man squad are available for the visit of Doncaster. Day and Arnold are injured, and Wynne is serving the last match of his 3 match ban.

There's already another thread open speculating on our Best XVII.

Let's see who gets the nod for this one and how we go.

 

[fevnut]

T’Other Side:  Doncaster

fevnut has posted ‘T’Other Side:  Doncaster’, our comprehensive guide to our next opponents.

In it we include their 2025 squad and a list of their new signings, their stats for this season and the details of their last match.

Other features include a list of their 2025 results, profiles of their coach and captain and a section that takes a look at players who have played for them and played for Fev as well.

Access the page by clicking on the attachment below.

https://bit.ly/4gzreI5

[The Phantom Horseman]

I watched some of Doncaster's game at Bradford and thought they went quite a bit better than the scoreline suggests, their defensive line speed was really good and they caused Bradford problems at times in that respect, though they were clearly second best overall.

They have had plenty of early-season injury problems and cancelled their scheduled friendly against Wakefield, it will be interesting to see how they line up this weekend. The average age of their squad is over 30 but they have lots of very experienced players, many of them having had long careers in SL.

We produced one of our worst performances of last season when losing at home to Doncaster and they were full value for their victory, we had a bit of a patched-up team that day with Barley and Gorman struggling as the right-wing combination but it was still one of a number of very disappointing home performances.

There's a bit of optimism about based on our new signings but that's true for most clubs at this stage of the year, this is the start of the "real" season and it would be nice if we could produce a performance that promises a better season ahead than last year.

 

Edited February 11 by The Phantom Horseman

[jamescolin]

Any thoughts on the team selection.

[The Phantom Horseman]

51 minutes ago, jamescolin said:

Any thoughts on the team selection.

I started a separate thread Colin which is a bit further down the page called "How can he leave out player x?" which to be fair I should really have included in this match thread instead, but there's a fair amount of discussion about the likely line-up in there.

[jamescolin]

Cheers TPH.

[comeonyoudons]

I don't see us hitting our straps until a couple games in, combination of the weather and injuries are being blamed but the weather was bad for everyone and injuries will always happen in this game, for me our squad doesn't have much depth and we all know how our last DR hook up with hull ended, that being said looking forward to it starting again and of course sampling a few beverages, I'm guessing the bookies will be giving us around 14 or 16 start considering contrasting pre-seasons we've both had.

[jamescolin]

All the best. We enjoy your coming. UTR

[UpTheDons]

On 11/02/2025 at 12:05, The Phantom Horseman said:

I watched some of Doncaster's game at Bradford and thought they went quite a bit better than the scoreline suggests, their defensive line speed was really good and they caused Bradford problems at times in that respect, though they were clearly second best overall.

They have had plenty of early-season injury problems and cancelled their scheduled friendly against Wakefield, it will be interesting to see how they line up this weekend. The average age of their squad is over 30 but they have lots of very experienced players, many of them having had long careers in SL.

We produced one of our worst performances of last season when losing at home to Doncaster and they were full value for their victory, we had a bit of a patched-up team that day with Barley and Gorman struggling as the right-wing combination but it was still one of a number of very disappointing home performances.

There's a bit of optimism about based on our new signings but that's true for most clubs at this stage of the year, this is the start of the "real" season and it would be nice if we could produce a performance that promises a better season ahead than last year.

 

You seem pretty fair and accurate on your assessments on the Don's over the last couple of seasons. This seasons start is a massive unknown for even our own fans. Horne has never seemed to get the lads up and firing at the start in any season he's been in charge up to press. More of a late push on in the season if anything. Hopefully this year's different. We've not had a full squad out in any game pre season but at the same time we've definately improved the squad especially in the forwards. What I will say is even if we've improved our squad the halves are still poor, crucial positions, They wasn't good enough last year and won't be this year even behind a better pack. Your squad looks impressive and Paul Cooke will be a great addition to the coaching staff, he will make you better in my opinion with the doubts about Ford. Hopefully will be a good contest

[marklaspalmas]

Rovers 21 man squad is out.

Arnold, Day, and I believe Turner are injured, Wynne suspended, Openshaw & Jeffery not selected.

Choosing 17 from those 21 will get tight.

Six ex Fev in Donny's 20 man squad.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Don't think there are any surprises in our squad named on the RFL website. With Day and Arnold injured and Wynne suspended, that left only 3 players to be left out from our remaining 24 - Turner, Openshaw and Jeffrey. The tougher decisions will be Hatton or O'Connor,  and Herring or Lacans.

Doncaster have Bowden and Savelio in their squad after missing the Bradford game and if they play their team will have a different complexion to it. Former Rovers Luke Briscoe and Jordan Baldwinson are out, and they have a couple of others misisng, but it still looks a fairly strong squad.

[Rovers fev]

Now the 21 is announced I’d have 

aekins 

olpherts 

tuimavave

oconnor 

Gale 

Reynolds 

herring 

springer 

jubb

beckett

boothroyd 

hardy 

webb

 

jones 

addy

vuniyayawa

akuala 

[fevnut]

FEV v DONCASTER: 21 MAN SQUADS

fevnut has published ‘Fev v Doncaster: 21 man squads’.

We find it quite difficult to see the potential shape of the teams in the form in which the clubs publish the squads, so we choose to use guesswork, based on the teams in their last match, to set them out in the traditional manner running from fullback to loose forward and then subs.

Access the page by clicking on the link below.

https://bit.ly/3QivAsl

[agoodsteakdinner]

There no Luke Briscoe in Doncaster squads.

[fevnut]

1 hour ago, agoodsteakdinner said:

There no Luke Briscoe in Doncaster squads.

Thanks. Corrected now with Tali instead of Briscoe.

[Featherstonerovers2000]

1 hour ago, fevnut said:

Thanks. Corrected now with Tali instead of Briscoe.

Something has changed on fev squad as Jeffery Arnold are in the squad and only 17 players

[fevnut]

8 minutes ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

Something has changed on fev squad as Jeffery Arnold are in the squad and only 17 players

Where did you get that from?

[Featherstonerovers2000]

Just now, fevnut said:

Where did you get that from?

 

[Monkeymagic22]

It’s not great if that’s true, as I thought that both Day and Arnold aren’t fit.

[haskey]

Seems a huge c**k up. Day is injured but playing at scrum half, Gale at prop, Hardcastle hooker. need i go on.

Oh dear ????

[jamescolin]

Can someone clarify the positionj?

[marklaspalmas]

[jamescolin]

Cheers. Much better. Hope Reynolds and Lacans and Hardcastle play.

[jamescolin]

Plus Jones

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 hours ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

It’s not great if that’s true, as I thought that both Day and Arnold aren’t fit.

It's not true. There is no change to the squad originally published on the RFL match centre at  https://www.rugby-league.com/match-centre/match-preview/2298672  or on the Fev official FB page at https://www.facebook.com/reel/2801905913326759