Soldato
Last year certainly didn't disappoint and I have no doubt that 2013 will live up to all the expectations. As usual, most of the rumours, transfer speculation and drivel is dying down a bit after the end of the season and proper talk can now commence! Please rate this thread as it is easier to spot with the gold stars next to its name!
Here's the new thread and here's to a great 2013!
Post the following:
1. Your team.
2. Your highlight of last season.
3. Your expecatations this season.
4. Your most anticipated new signings.
5. Who you think will win the league leaders shield.
6. Who will be the dark horses of the competition.
7. Any updates from your club, new ground etc.
8. Final league position of your club.
9. What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year?
My answers:
1. Hull Kingston Rovers
2. Last season was, on the whole, largely disappointing for most Rovers fans. There were however, a few highlights, such as winning away at Huddersfield and doing the double over them in perhaps what was Rovers best game of the season. The best moment was at the Magic Weekend and seeing Rovers beat FC in the last few seconds with that brilliant last gasp try from David Hodgson:
3. Most of all, IMPROVEMENT.
I think I was a little bit over-ambitious last year with my predictions and was perhaps still living on the crest of our over-achievement in 2009 of finishing 4th. With a new coach, it was always going to be a bumpy ride, with Sandercock assessing his inherited squad over the course of a year. I think we have now cut out a lot of the "dead wood" in the squad and have actually recruited well, albeit losing Scott Taylor and Blake Green to Wigan. I'm happy that we have more than replaced Blake Green with our new (and highly anticipated) signing of Travis Burns, but Scott Taylor is a huge loss. What's more he is a young, English prop, whom we are going to struggle to replace. On the other hand, you can't blame him for moving to a side like Wigan.
If you look back at our season, we lost loads of games by 6 points or less. Our attack was good, but our defence let us down. The margins were fine though and if we can tip those small percentages our way, then we could have seen a much better season and certainly could have been challenging for 5th spot. The major difference between last season and Justin Morgan's final year was that whenever we we getting beaten by a team like Wigan or Saints, we didn't roll over and get 50-60 points put on us, which I thought was a massive improvement under Sandercock.
4. Travis Burns. I think teams will try and get in his face a bit but I think he will be an improvement over Blake Green. Green was good, but I just think Travis will provide that class and most of all, aggression, which we badly lacked last year, with the loss of the likes of Ben Cockayne. I am also looking forwards to seeing Evarn Tuimavave, Greg Eden, Adam Walker and Sean Gleeson. A particular mention to Cory Patterson, keep your eye out on him (hopefully) making a huge impact on SL next year.
5. Wigan, I think they've lost a few crucial players such as Leuluai and Finch (who was just starting to come into his own in those last few months), but I think they have signed well and if they keep hold of Hock then it will be more of the same next year. Wire will push them close again, but I think Wire really have got to start thinking about replacing Briers and Morley as they are getting towards that retirement age. Maybe a couple of our resident Wire fans can give their opinion on this? Are they too reliant on their experienced, older players such as Morley, Briers and Hodgson?
6. Hull FC, although they have signed a few oldies, I think they will be a bit of a force to be reckoned with next year and the derbies will certainly be as tough as they come in 2013.
7. Eagerly anticipating the opening of the new stand, work is well on the way with the new stand and it should offer more in terms of matchday hospitality and gaining income throughout the year. Here is what it looks like now:
And this is what it should look like when its finished:
Its going to be more than just a cowshed like the Salford stadium and should bring in more dosh to bring the club to full sustainability.
8. I'm going to get this fantastically wrong, I know that, but, I think Rovers are in that group of clubs that should realistically be challenging for that 5th spot. I think the top four is wrapped up, in some sort of order of Leeds, Wigan, Wire and Saints, and I think there is a group that contains KR, FC, Catalan, Huddersfield and Bradford that should all be aiming for that 5th spot.
9. Probably cover for key players in the starting 17. We have some great subs available to us, but we perhaps put a little bit too much of a reliance on youngsters, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but injuries next year could play a part. I'd say our weakest position may be in our props and our new backline is a bit unproven, but the quality is definately there (Gleeson, Welham, Hall and the potential in Omari Caro).
Please tell me if I have anything wrong about the list above!
Here's the new thread and here's to a great 2013!
Post the following:
1. Your team.
2. Your highlight of last season.
3. Your expecatations this season.
4. Your most anticipated new signings.
5. Who you think will win the league leaders shield.
6. Who will be the dark horses of the competition.
7. Any updates from your club, new ground etc.
8. Final league position of your club.
9. What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year?
My answers:
1. Hull Kingston Rovers
2. Last season was, on the whole, largely disappointing for most Rovers fans. There were however, a few highlights, such as winning away at Huddersfield and doing the double over them in perhaps what was Rovers best game of the season. The best moment was at the Magic Weekend and seeing Rovers beat FC in the last few seconds with that brilliant last gasp try from David Hodgson:
3. Most of all, IMPROVEMENT.
I think I was a little bit over-ambitious last year with my predictions and was perhaps still living on the crest of our over-achievement in 2009 of finishing 4th. With a new coach, it was always going to be a bumpy ride, with Sandercock assessing his inherited squad over the course of a year. I think we have now cut out a lot of the "dead wood" in the squad and have actually recruited well, albeit losing Scott Taylor and Blake Green to Wigan. I'm happy that we have more than replaced Blake Green with our new (and highly anticipated) signing of Travis Burns, but Scott Taylor is a huge loss. What's more he is a young, English prop, whom we are going to struggle to replace. On the other hand, you can't blame him for moving to a side like Wigan.
If you look back at our season, we lost loads of games by 6 points or less. Our attack was good, but our defence let us down. The margins were fine though and if we can tip those small percentages our way, then we could have seen a much better season and certainly could have been challenging for 5th spot. The major difference between last season and Justin Morgan's final year was that whenever we we getting beaten by a team like Wigan or Saints, we didn't roll over and get 50-60 points put on us, which I thought was a massive improvement under Sandercock.
4. Travis Burns. I think teams will try and get in his face a bit but I think he will be an improvement over Blake Green. Green was good, but I just think Travis will provide that class and most of all, aggression, which we badly lacked last year, with the loss of the likes of Ben Cockayne. I am also looking forwards to seeing Evarn Tuimavave, Greg Eden, Adam Walker and Sean Gleeson. A particular mention to Cory Patterson, keep your eye out on him (hopefully) making a huge impact on SL next year.
5. Wigan, I think they've lost a few crucial players such as Leuluai and Finch (who was just starting to come into his own in those last few months), but I think they have signed well and if they keep hold of Hock then it will be more of the same next year. Wire will push them close again, but I think Wire really have got to start thinking about replacing Briers and Morley as they are getting towards that retirement age. Maybe a couple of our resident Wire fans can give their opinion on this? Are they too reliant on their experienced, older players such as Morley, Briers and Hodgson?
6. Hull FC, although they have signed a few oldies, I think they will be a bit of a force to be reckoned with next year and the derbies will certainly be as tough as they come in 2013.
7. Eagerly anticipating the opening of the new stand, work is well on the way with the new stand and it should offer more in terms of matchday hospitality and gaining income throughout the year. Here is what it looks like now:
And this is what it should look like when its finished:
Its going to be more than just a cowshed like the Salford stadium and should bring in more dosh to bring the club to full sustainability.
8. I'm going to get this fantastically wrong, I know that, but, I think Rovers are in that group of clubs that should realistically be challenging for that 5th spot. I think the top four is wrapped up, in some sort of order of Leeds, Wigan, Wire and Saints, and I think there is a group that contains KR, FC, Catalan, Huddersfield and Bradford that should all be aiming for that 5th spot.
9. Probably cover for key players in the starting 17. We have some great subs available to us, but we perhaps put a little bit too much of a reliance on youngsters, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but injuries next year could play a part. I'd say our weakest position may be in our props and our new backline is a bit unproven, but the quality is definately there (Gleeson, Welham, Hall and the potential in Omari Caro).
Please tell me if I have anything wrong about the list above!
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