Season reflection with a handful of games to go.

[Town and out]

Given the lack comments on the Sheffield game is it fair to say most have of us have give up on this season? Potentially 4 winnable games left out of 6 dead rubber games. The fixture  list schedule as been frustrating as much as the results on the field.

So whats the verdict on our recruitment for next season so far? Do we stick with the coach? How do we become more competitive in an average competition? Just wondering what the opinions are.UTT.

 

[Town0682]

If it’s your opinion it’s fair pal but I haven’t given up on this season. Because when it’s your team that’s what you do- you just keep going thru thick & thin. 
 

I am known as overly loyal but I say keep the overseas lads- easy to get annoyed but it’s very hard to find lads in that condition from our amateur scene. 
 

As a town fan you have to take losses- we aren’t Wigan or Leeds- but those blow out defeats are what needs to end for me. Be competitive in every game even if we lose.
 

I also say keep the coach. I don’t know Jonty but you can see how much he cares & how he wants us to play , he’s local etc. we’re lucky to have him. Only way I would say step down is if it’s better for the man himself as you can see the stress in him after games but that’s a personal choice.

 

its also been the first season my two sons (8 & 4) have started coming to watch town & they love it & the team so regardless of replies it’s been a special one for me. All because Zarrin went into their school before the saints game to promote it & the rests history. ️

[Unicorn 106]

This season has undoubtedly been disappointing for most Townies, that Saints game got us off to a shocking start and we never fully recovered. I’ve maybe given up on the season, but will never give up on my club , they will always have my support, I’ve been watching them for 63 yrs and I’m not going to stop anytime soon. Tomorrow is a must win game for us, we are capable of picking up points in the coming fixtures if we play to our potential. Unfortunately we have failed to do that for most of the season IMO, but we all know what we are capable of, so we live in hope. UTT

[donald]

6 minutes ago, Unicorn 106 said:

This season has undoubtedly been disappointing for most Townies, that Saints game got us off to a shocking start and we never fully recovered. I’ve maybe given up on the season, but will never give up on my club , they will always have my support, I’ve been watching them for 63 yrs and I’m not going to stop anytime soon. Tomorrow is a must win game for us, we are capable of picking up points in the coming fixtures if we play to our potential. Unfortunately we have failed to do that for most of the season IMO, but we all know what we are capable of, so we live in hope. UTT

You'll hammer keighley and rochdale we'll probably lose our next 4 and it'll come down to last game of the season who finishes higher in the league

[townie88]

The longer the season has gone on the more i have been frustrated with the league structure. Would i be saying the same if town had been winning games? Maybe? But suppose fans are fickle. How trusted can the league table be when teams dont play the same opposition. Some teams set off with very strong squads only to go t*ts up part way through. Newcastle have turned into 'york B team'. 

Its become more of turning up on a Sunday to be entertained rather than the results actually having a meaning. 

As for the coaching staff. Absolutely the right people to continue. Nearly all poor performance have came on the back of personal error/discipline. Nothing he can do about that. 

I think only when we move into the new stadium will we hopefully see a springboard in the club on and off the field

[havenhater]

Recruitment wise and on paper we should have done better, but a few injuries and lack of form have cost us this season.

But rugby league is the only game where the league and playoffs format changes by the day and always seems to never benefit town.

Fair play to them lot down the road and showed again local can do it and no need to get overseas talents, walker is the asset that makes them tick.

Nice to see recruitment has started for next season but we will need to changeover some of the current personal in my opinion to progress.

Is Dickinson still with the club? Himself and dougharty were quality but obviously Doherty had a HIA issue wasn't it and was out long term.

[Unicorn 106]

1 hour ago, donald said:

You'll hammer keighley and rochdale we'll probably lose our next 4 and it'll come down to last game of the season who finishes higher in the league

It’s a sad day when all we have to play for is finishing above each other.

[wonky]

I think the forums died of death because of the inability to voice an opinion without people jumping all over it. It's the worst it's ever been and inevitably the points that people pointed out early on have sadly became the norm this season on the pitch. We've undoubtedly been poor but shown that we're capable of so much more in the game vs Hunslet, Salford and even in the defeat to Widnes. Jonty has to stay, I don't think It's on him at all, the lads need to step up who he has shown faith in. I think a good few need to go and new blood brought in with proper championship experience. Maybe an ex super league player or 2 to get us excited again, look what Wilkes, fui etc done to us. Losing the likes of Jake, Spencer etc long term has also killed us. 

[bobg]

On the pitch has been disappointing, so many points missed, games that should have been won were lost, Midlands, Widnes , and Oldham. Those 6 points alone would make the league table look a lot different for us. The overseas lads have been slow to get going and adapt, only now is Rawhiti and Leigh showing any form. What would put it right? A recognised championship standard leader for starters who can implement Jonty’s game plans, a more consistent fixture list. We will never give up on our great club and support whatever.

[homeandawayer]

Well it's been hard to stay interested and the Oldham away and Barrow home were particular sickeners, i just haven't gelled with this squad for some reason. Next year Jammer has to play loose forward and T has to play hooker. Jack's had a good first year and deserved a new contract and so did big Grant who when he's played (is he injured cos he's better than Castle?) has been excellent . The other overseas players can go including Leigh who's got a year left. I'm worried we'll have less money to spend next year as the quality isn't quite there. I'm the first to blame the coach but we do try to play good rugby unlike some coaches we've had we just invite teams to attack us with errors which is frustrating. At least we get to have another go next year instead of like last time so can learn from it and make changes. This is our chance to become a championship team finally.

..and Bradley has been a huge miss.

 

Edited July 25 by homeandawayer

[Town Army]

6 hours ago, donald said:

You'll hammer keighley and rochdale we'll probably lose our next 4 and it'll come down to last game of the season who finishes higher in the league

Would expect you to be beating Hunslet, they were very poor up here 

[donald]

38 minutes ago, Town Army said:

Would expect you to be beating Hunslet, they were very poor up here 

Every away game is hard turned us over up here

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, homeandawayer said:

and Bradley has been a huge miss

Massive

[Derwent]

In theory we should have an easier fixture list next year if they stick with the same method. But knowing our luck they’ll change it.

[Unicorn 106]

Just Noticed that Keighley haven’t played for a month, I’m not sure if that helps us, they will be fresh but maybe lacking match fitness

[The Voodooguru]

Like Wonky says, the forum gestapo don't like opinions so the forum goes quiet. It doesn't matter what level you played at, you know nowt if it doesn't fit the narrative. 

Off the pitch the club is ran excellently, and huge credit to all involved.

On the pitch I think some players have underwhelmed this season, and we have undoubtably missed injured players. I've felt sorry for Jonty in some post match interviews as I think he has been let down at times by the players. 

The RFL have really screwed this season up with the format, which hasn't been a level playing field at all. If next seasons funding is based on this seasons standings then the task is even harder next season. 

[dkw]

15 hours ago, Derwent said:

In theory we should have an easier fixture list next year if they stick with the same method. But knowing our luck they’ll change it.

Logic should dictate you play the clubs in the same salary cap grade, or the one above at worst...so that likely won't happen...

[silverfox]

I think the interest isn't the same. To me every game is a glorified  friendly  . It's a sad way of thinking  but when we get beat,  I think so what ! . And it's the RL's fault .This structure of no promotion or relegation takes away the importance  of every match . We seem to follow the way the Australian RL run there league .          I was talking to an Australian  player about this , and he said he couldn't understand that a TEAM that wins the league went up to a higher division. Or finishing bottom , you drop a division. My reply was it makes it exciting and the interest going all through the season for the supporters .I said what do you play for, if your half-way through a season ,and you have no chance of winning things . His reply was,  you play for yourself ,so that you will eventually get in the first team if your good enough.  But the team still plays as a team when in a game . I said thats ok for you when you maybe have 3 or 4 teams in your club . But it doesn't  work over here because  most clubs only have one team . And it's the supporters  that want to be excited about the end product not just the individual  player . Does any other supporter feel the same way this season !

[Anita Bath]

we played the game from 1895 to 1972 without p and r (with the exception of a couple of years in the early sixties which were an unmitigated disaster and scrapped) and all teams in one league. You could argue the golden age of our game was under one division and no p and r. ( winning world cups, ashes…). The honours were spread among more teams. 

[Oweyeh]

The league structure is a mess. But I’ll be there cheering them on. Happy when we win. Feel a bit ###### when we lose. But grateful folks keep the club going often against the odds. 

[dkw]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

we played the game from 1895 to 1972 without p and r (with the exception of a couple of years in the early sixties which were an unmitigated disaster and scrapped) and all teams in one league. You could argue the golden age of our game was under one division and no p and r. ( winning world cups, ashes…). The honours were spread among more teams. 

I saw something a few years ago that said as a sport weve had more seasons without p&r than with.

[townie88]

How many reinventions of the game both SL and below have we had over the last few decades. Its ridiculous, recently compounded by teams living beyond their means and just wiping the slate and carrying on as if nothing has happened 

[Brookie]

On 25/07/2026 at 11:29, havenhater said:

Recruitment wise and on paper we should have done better, but a few injuries and lack of form have cost us this season.

But rugby league is the only game where the league and playoffs format changes by the day and always seems to never benefit town.

Fair play to them lot down the road and showed again local can do it and no need to get overseas talents, walker is the asset that makes them tick.

Nice to see recruitment has started for next season but we will need to changeover some of the current personal in my opinion to progress.

Is Dickinson still with the club? Himself and dougharty were quality but obviously Doherty had a HIA issue wasn't it and was out long term.

Donaghy

[Route66]

21 hours ago, townie88 said:

How many reinventions of the game both SL and below have we had over the last few decades. Its ridiculous, recently compounded by teams living beyond their means and just wiping the slate and carrying on as if nothing has happened 

Wouldn’t be surprised to see it all change again for next season either. Thought the one division was the right way to go but fixture list again seems all over the place , to be fair the summer rugby has never suited me and always end up missing loads of games due to other commitments. Got a copy of the reds fixture list the other day , august to April season, 21 guaranteed home game’s mostly on alternate weekends with a few midweek matches as well, takes me back to the days when we had similar length seasons 

[Haven 1]

On 25/07/2026 at 11:42, Unicorn 106 said:

It’s a sad day when all we have to play for is finishing above each other.

It is a sad state of affairs but not being ranked as the worst team in cumbria has got to be worth something

Edited July 27 by Haven 1