Fri 11th - Sun 13th Apr: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

[League Express]

Discuss this week's games here.

FRIDAY 11th APRIL
Hunslet v Halifax Panthers KO 19:45

SATURDAY 12th APRIL
London Broncos v Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Sheffield Eagles v Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

SUNDAY 13th APRIL
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings v Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
York Knights v Doncaster KO 15:00

[The Blues Ox]

FRIDAY 11th APRIL
Hunslet v Halifax Panthers Fax by 16

SATURDAY 12th APRIL
London Broncos v Batley Bulldogs london by 8
Sheffield Eagles v Toulouse Olympique Sheffield by 4

SUNDAY 13th APRIL
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers Oldham by 10
Widnes Vikings v Barrow Raiders Widnes by 6
York Knights v Doncaster York by 22

[gogledd]

Halifax Panthers

London Broncos
Toulouse Olympique
Oldham
Widnes Vikings
York Knights

[Barley Mow]

Hunslet v Halifax Panthers                      by 18
London Broncos v Batley Bulldogs         by 2
Sheffield Eagles v Toulouse Olympique by 8
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers                by 10
Widnes Vikings v Barrow Raiders           by 8
York Knights v Doncaster                        by 14

[Normy_Rover]

7 hours ago, League Express said:

FRIDAY 11th APRIL
Hunslet v Halifax Panthers

SATURDAY 12th APRIL
London Broncos v Batley Bulldogs 
Sheffield Eagles v Toulouse Olympique

SUNDAY 13th APRIL
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers
Widnes Vikings v Barrow Raiders
York Knights v Doncaster

 

[doc]

On 10/04/2025 at 10:20, League Express said:

FRIDAY 11th APRIL

Hunslet v Halifax Panthers KO 19:45

SATURDAY 12th APRIL
London Broncos v Batley Bulldogs KO 17:00
Sheffield Eagles v Toulouse Olympique KO 15:00

SUNDAY 13th APRIL
Oldham v Featherstone Rovers KO 15:00
Widnes Vikings v Barrow Raiders KO 15:00
York Knights v Doncaster KO 15:00

It'll be good to see Widnes at home.

[The Blues Ox]

Fax 6 from 6 after a convincing second half display over at Hunslet. No major surprise with the result but with the fixtures and last season I would have been happy with 3/6, I think this start is beyond the wildest dreams of any Fax fan. Bradford up next on Good Friday should be the toughest test yet.

[Fevrover]

4 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Fax 6 from 6 after a convincing second half display over at Hunslet. No major surprise with the result but with the fixtures and last season I would have been happy with 3/6, I think this start is beyond the wildest dreams of any Fax fan. Bradford up next on Good Friday should be the toughest test yet.

Be a cracking match and atmosphere on Good Friday.

[Rene_Artois]

Toulouse spanking Eagles

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

Quite frankly the worst refereeing performance ever at Broncos today. Batleys trainer spent about 60 minutes on the pitch with no water bottles trying to hide what’s he was doing. My entire box of 11 total novices to game called me on this at half time and asked why he was allowed to do this. 
 

A sin binning for head shot that was given then without warning not given in actuality. 
 

Shocking. 

[kiggy]

27 minutes ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:

Quite frankly the worst refereeing performance ever at Broncos today. Batleys trainer spent about 60 minutes on the pitch with no water bottles trying to hide what’s he was doing. My entire box of 11 total novices to game called me on this at half time and asked why he was allowed to do this. 
 

A sin binning for head shot that was given then without warning not given in actuality. 
 

Shocking. 

I have commented on this before. Sooner they stop the trainer coming like that the better. I see it all the time. The 13 on the pitch should be able to know which way they are running without some fat block in shorts constantly running on to point. 

[wasginger]

I think complaining about Batleys trainer is a bit rich, considering both London and Bradford have a physio patrolling the touchline all game, with a radio and a mike, and enter the field at any time. Which by the laws of the game is illegal. 

[SUPERSTUD]

Purposely left it 24 hrs before posting. I attended Hunslet v Halifax last night. Well where do I start? Pain’s me to say but Hunslet were the epitome of a grubby pub team. No idea how many penalties they conceded. Not a great neutral spectacle. Tara will also need to get fitter and mentally sharper if she has aspirations to prosper at this level. Stop start stop start. Not good but I have faith in her going forward.

[SUPERSTUD]

57 minutes ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:

Quite frankly the worst refereeing performance ever at Broncos today. Batleys trainer spent about 60 minutes on the pitch with no water bottles trying to hide what’s he was doing. My entire box of 11 total novices to game called me on this at half time and asked why he was allowed to do this. 
 

A sin binning for head shot that was given then without warning not given in actuality. 
 

Shocking. 

Was it Mark Barlow by any chance? Got previous for it.

[SUPERSTUD]

Fourth official should control the blatant breach of the operational rules whereby personnel are unnecessarily constantly entering the field of play. But hey ho.

[THE RED ROOSTER]

London 14 - Batley 16 (HT - 6-6)

Batlety started off by scoring in the corner on the Broncos left fla k which was to be a problem all day, and enjoted the best of the early exchanges despite missing a penalty. London got back int the game as the half progressed and will Lovell had a try called off for crossing before Sadiq Adebiyi, London's man of the match along with Luke Polselli set off on barnstorming run which enabled the Broncos tio draw level through Will Lovell  just on the half-time hooter.

Broncos took the initiative in the second half with a lot of pressre on the Batley Try line with two attempts held up over the line, but every time there was a left shift in attack momenntum was lost. Before Lewis Bienek tunneled over for 12-6. The London lead did not last long with Batley drawing level at 12-12.

There then followed a period of stalemate in which Hellec missed a penalty and Batley missed a drop goal within the last 10 minutes London worked the ball upfield and Hellec this time slotted over the penalty. That left about 90 seconds from the restart, Batley won the ball put pressure on the Broncos line and on the fifth tackle spread the ball from the right wing to the far left corner for the winning try with time expiring.

In truth either side could have won this game and both had their opportunities , Batley took theirs so well played.

I spent the match surrounded by French junior Rugby League side Grans XIII Les Piranhas, whose juniors spent all game bobbing up and down more intersted in manger a l'exterieur and Buck and Dusty than what was going on the pitch.. Merde..

It would not be a post from me about the Broncos without a whinge, and it remains the 5.00pm kick offs, you can tell by the time this is being typed how late it is for me to get nack to my Kent market town the streets of which resemble a scene from Animal House late saturday evening. The Broncos diaspora is based all over the south east not locally. It also cannot be much fun for northerners with either a very late return or an overnight stay.

I will be going to the Sheffield Game (KO 3.00) but my attendance at the preceding weeks game is 50/50 at the time of writing. This is something the new owners need to sort out - Pronto 

 

[JonM]

9 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

I spent the match surrounded by French junior Rugby League side Grans XIII Les Piranhas, whose juniors spent all game bobbing up and down more intersted in manger a l'exterieur and Buck and Dusty than what was going on the pitch.. Merde..

Great to see two kids teams from Provence over to play games in Kent. Are they playing anyone other than Medway Dragons, do you know?

[THE RED ROOSTER]

26 minutes ago, JonM said:

Great to see two kids teams from Provence over to play games in Kent. Are they playing anyone other than Medway Dragons, do you know?

Unfortunely not, other posters on thjis forum are more up to date on the amateur RL scene in the south.

 

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

10 hours ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

London 14 - Batley 16 (HT - 6-6)

Batlety started off by scoring in the corner on the Broncos left fla k which was to be a problem all day, and enjoted the best of the early exchanges despite missing a penalty. London got back int the game as the half progressed and will Lovell had a try called off for crossing before Sadiq Adebiyi, London's man of the match along with Luke Polselli set off on barnstorming run which enabled the Broncos tio draw level through Will Lovell  just on the half-time hooter.

Broncos took the initiative in the second half with a lot of pressre on the Batley Try line with two attempts held up over the line, but every time there was a left shift in attack momenntum was lost. Before Lewis Bienek tunneled over for 12-6. The London lead did not last long with Batley drawing level at 12-12.

There then followed a period of stalemate in which Hellec missed a penalty and Batley missed a drop goal within the last 10 minutes London worked the ball upfield and Hellec this time slotted over the penalty. That left about 90 seconds from the restart, Batley won the ball put pressure on the Broncos line and on the fifth tackle spread the ball from the right wing to the far left corner for the winning try with time expiring.

In truth either side could have won this game and both had their opportunities , Batley took theirs so well played.

I spent the match surrounded by French junior Rugby League side Grans XIII Les Piranhas, whose juniors spent all game bobbing up and down more intersted in manger a l'exterieur and Buck and Dusty than what was going on the pitch.. Merde..

It would not be a post from me about the Broncos without a whinge, and it remains the 5.00pm kick offs, you can tell by the time this is being typed how late it is for me to get nack to my Kent market town the streets of which resemble a scene from Animal House late saturday evening. The Broncos diaspora is based all over the south east not locally. It also cannot be much fun for northerners with either a very late return or an overnight stay.

I will be going to the Sheffield Game (KO 3.00) but my attendance at the preceding weeks game is 50/50 at the time of writing. This is something the new owners need to sort out - Pronto 

 

On the 5pm ko I do concur. Esp as issues with Waterloo East being closed meant it was two hours journey for me yesterday rather than one door to door.

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

11 hours ago, SUPERSTUD said:

Was it Mark Barlow by any chance? Got previous for it.

Referee was R. Cox.

[Phil]

12 hours ago, SUPERSTUD said:

Purposely left it 24 hrs before posting. I attended Hunslet v Halifax last night. Well where do I start? Pain’s me to say but Hunslet were the epitome of a grubby pub team. No idea how many penalties they conceded. Not a great neutral spectacle. Tara will also need to get fitter and mentally sharper if she has aspirations to prosper at this level. Stop start stop start. Not good but I have faith in her going forward.

I think Hunslet didn’t give her much choice in the stop start nature of the game. To me they were seriously unfit, which is why particularly in the second half they were high tackling and holding down.

If they could get fit and replicate their performance of the first 30 minutes for a full game I reckon they could pick up a few wins, but it’s a big if.

Hiding behind the decent Hunslet fans were a group of 20-30 who seemed more interested in causing trouble than watching the game, a pity, a fine old club like Hunslet don’t need idiots like that.

[SUPERSTUD]

27 minutes ago, Phil said:

I think Hunslet didn’t give her much choice in the stop start nature of the game. To me they were seriously unfit, which is why particularly in the second half they were high tackling and holding down.

If they could get fit and replicate their performance of the first 30 minutes for a full game I reckon they could pick up a few wins, but it’s a big if.

Hiding behind the decent Hunslet fans were a group of 20-30 who seemed more interested in causing trouble than watching the game, a pity, a fine old club like Hunslet don’t need idiots like that.

All fair points that you make IMHO. It happens in some games. I think they were sent out to play like that on Friday. Grub it up as much as possible and don’t let Fax get any momentum going. So yeah all in all a tough start for Tara Jones. I would really like to see her become the first female to referee at SL level in the future. Early days at Championship level for her and I am confident she will keep on improving. She played the women’s game at the highest level so she is no mug on a RL pitch.

[RoughyedsFan_merged]

I’m going to cast some doubt over the stop start nature of a game being down to the fitness of a referee who has played the women’s game at the highest level…

[YCKBob]

York 34-0 up before half-time. Donny can't deal with them.

Edited April 13 by YCKBob

[SUPERSTUD]

Watching live stream York v Doncaster. Terrible first forty from Doncaster. No heart shown in defence.