I can't see how they got the Stobart 'sponsorship' through. Apparently Betfair offered £750k. It will be particularly annoying if the painted trucks are the ones that are based in the North.
I think Rovers prop Ryan O'Hara tweeted today about it, said he was going to be a major sponsor to the SuperLeague this year by putting some stickers in his car....
I don't have a lot of time for friendlies for exactly this reason - too many injuries that carry into the main event. Wigan used to play Warrington in a traditional pre-season friendly (the Locker Cup). Both teams used to come out of it with injuries and suspensions.
I don't mind the fact that we have friendlies, it wasn't a brutal game or in any way unsavoury, it was just one of those things. Just innocuous tackles etc, nothing wrong with the Beaumont tackle, could have happened in any game. Bit of a kicker though, losing two key players. Apart from Dobbo, perhaps the next worst people to lose for large portions of the season were Green and Galea. But we have Hall filling in at 6 in attack and Graeme Horne for Galea, whom certainly doesn't have the special plays and creativity of Galea, but he's a big unit for a second rower and should cover for us well.
Micky Paea looks a decent signing from the HKRTV footage. I also think 'Dodgy' Hodgy will turn out alright. You get some spectacular blunders, but he's a good finisher.
A lot of people thought Hodgson was a very mediochre signing, and you are probably right, but he was rock solid against FC and had a good game. We've had our fair share of dodgy wingers and spectacular blunders (just ask Craig Hall about his dropped catch on Sunday) over the last couple of years, last year for instance, none of them could catch balls but they seem to have improved massively this season. Hodgson is a no-thrills dependable winger, and there isn't much more you can ask for.
Shannon McDonnell, whilst not doing an awful lot in the 40 minutes he was on for the Wigan game, played brilliantly on the derby at full back. He isn't a determined returner from the kick return, but he keeps the ball safe, catches extremely well (took a high bomb brilliantly on Sunday), takes the tackle with minimum risk. His real assets are in attack, he is lightning fast, and grabbed two trys against Dull. I am expecting a fair bit from him this season, whilst trying not to compare him to Shaun "Nose first" Briscoe, as Brisc did brilliant things for Rovers.
If Paea can stay fit and not get injured, then I think he really will shock many a team. He really can power through tackles, keeps the legs pumping and gains the yards. Rovers haven't had a player like him in a LONG time.
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