***The Official Rugby League 2024 Thread***

JRS

JRS

JRS

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1) Your team? Catalans Dragons.
2) Your highlight of last season? The Guasch bull getting loose ahead of the May fixture against Saints at Brutus :cry:
3) Your expectations this season? We'll challenge for the title again.
4) Your most anticipated new signings? Looking forward to seeing what Jordan Abdull does for us.
5) Who you think will win the league leaders shield? Us! Or Wigan.
6) Who will be the dark horses of the competition? I'll say that Castleford can't possibly have as bad a season as last year was at times.
7) Likely starting line-up? Here's who we fronted up for the preseason match against the President's XIII:


A few names will probably change once we get going, like slotting Theo Fages in.
8) Final league position of your club? 2nd.
9) What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year? Travel.
10) Who will be promoted from the Championship? Toulouse.

In other news, L'Equipe are expanding their coverage in France to broadcast every Dragons match for free. The livestreams on their website are blocked in the UK of course, and I couldn't possibly advise anyone to use a VPN to get around that ;)
 
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TonyM19

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1) Your team? Wigan
2) Your highlight of last season? The last few weeks of the season when they went from being also rans to Champions. The signing of Tyler Dupree just lifted the whole pack to a level they hadn't been at before (Mago was transformed from a pudding to a front line prop)
3) Your expectations this season? Challenging strongly for all comps
4) Your most anticipated new signings? Sam Walters has looked really good in pre-season, but he's broken his collarbone trying to put a big hit on in the last minute of a friendly when they were 40-0 up. Mark that one down to experience! Leeming has also looked good. Wigan haven't had a hooker who can get out of dummy half quickly for ages. Will be interesting to see how that plays out. The club are really excited about a young 7 called Jack Farrimond. He does look good tbh, but its too early to say. He will likely play some minutes over the season. A bit easier behind a big pack mind
5) Who you think will win the league leaders shield? Wigan/Sts/Catalan/Wire (no team can so consistently underperform over so many seasons, surely)
6) Who will be the dark horses of the competition? Hull KR - if they build on last year they will be a tough proposition
7) Likely starting line-up? . Field/Miski/Wardle/Kieroghan/Marshall/French/Smith/Cooper/O'Neill/Byrne/Farrell/Isa/Ellis with a bench of Thomson/Leeming/Dupree/Mago. Walters and N'Semba are out for the first 3 months - 2nd row looks the only place they are light and obviously taking Field and French out of the team makes a massive difference
8) Final league position of your club? Play offs
9) What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year? They have strength in depth, but injuries can soon wipe that out. They are notoriously slow starters and always struggle at Cas (Wakefield and HKR being other bogey grounds). How they shape up after the WCC will be a big key too.
10) Who will be promoted from the Championship? Wakefield
 
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physichull

physichull

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1) Your team? Hull KR
2) Your highlight of last season? I suppose getting to the final of the Challenge Cup - a shame we couldn't push on to win it, but the journey was amazing, particularly Schneiders drop goal against Wigan.
3) Your expectations this season? Sweeping all before us! haha! (playoffs please!)
4) Your most anticipated new signings? Tyrone May could be an excellent signing though I was very surprised to see Abdull going the other way. Lots of rumours abound as to why, mostly centring on him not being at the desired weight or fitness for Peters' liking. Am looking forward to seeing Hiku play (though his kicking last night was somewhat questionable!).
5) Who you think will win the league leaders shield? Wigan, Saints or Catalan (hopefully with Rovers keeping in touch).
6) Who will be the dark horses of the competition? Leeds. I think they might just have a good season this year, based on not much in particular.
7) Likely starting line-up? Probably not far off what was played last night against FC.
8) Final league position of your club? Play offs
9) What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year? Maybe goal kicking - we haven't had a recognised kicker for quite some time and we all know ow vital those conversions are in those tight games against quality teams where they can make all the difference.
10) Who will be promoted from the Championship? Wakefield - can't see beyond them.
 

JRS

JRS

JRS

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No club captain Ben Garcia for us this evening, a "slight muscle injury". But still a good squad to call upon.

My natural pessimism thinks that Warrington will push us hard. But, should be a good watch on Equipe with French commentary (blessed be commentators who actually know the laws of the game, huzzah and amen...).
 

physichull

physichull

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Will be watching that game tonight, or flicking between the two depending on which is more exciting. Its great having this freedom!

I like Mark Wilson as a commentator, followed him since the radio Yorkshire days and Forty20 podcast. Dave Woods a good Sky addition too. Kyle Amor is tops
 
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JRS

JRS

JRS

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The Catalans side:


***Edit 1***

Oh for God's sake, it's bloody Kendall refereeing...

***Edit 2***

D'you suppose Kendall realises that there's a rule against forward passes in this game?

***Edit 3***

Okay, so if it's in a whole other postcode he finds that he can't ignore it. Let's see if our third attempt on the try line bears fruit...aaaaaand no. Warrington defence is doing a grand job tonight.

***Edit 4***

6-4 HT. Pretty fair.

***Edit 5***

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

***Edit 6***

Good lad, kick the two, keep the scoreboard ticking every chance you get. Needed with 12 against 14.

***Edit 7***

Mourgue!!!

***Edit 8***

Aw man...Mourgue hurt at one end, Nikorima brained at the other.

***Edit 9***

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:, again.

***Edit 10***

The personnel advantage is going to start taking its toll now. So good idea to kick for goal again, if it makes it...and he drags it wide of the post. Damn.

***Edit 11***

Kendall remembers that contact to the head is, in fact, a cardable offence no matter which side did it. And we miss the penalty kick again! :(

***Edit 12***

They get Nikorima by the head again.

***Edit 13***

We're going to have vaguely serious injury problems after this match.

***Edit 14***

8,876 in attendance. Not bad for a Saturday night in February.

***Edit 15***

16-10 FT. I like 'em a little more one-sided than that :o
 
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physichull

physichull

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Wire a bit harshly done by there, couldn't see much wrong with Lindops disallowed try. Journo's generally agreeing too.

Think game of the weekend was one I didn't watch, the Leeds Salford game.
 

JRS

JRS

JRS

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physichull said:
Wire a bit harshly done by there, couldn't see much wrong with Lindops disallowed try. Journo's generally agreeing too.
Click to expand...

I mean...he didn't actually ground it :)

Both teams missed scoring chances tonight. Les Dracs could'a/would'a/should'a been well clear at the half hour mark, Warrington could'a/would'a/should'a punished them more for the red card. We've got away with one there, need to smarten up.
 
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