*** Official Rugby League SLXXI Thread ***

[physichull]

Here's the new thread for the Rugby League Season SLXXI and the usual Q&A:

1. Your team?
2. Your highlight of last season?
3. Your expectations 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?
10. Here's what the bookies think, is it fair on your team?

Wigan 10/3
Leeds 3/1
St Helens 4/1
Warrington 13/2
Huddersfield 10/1
Catalans 10/1
Castleford 20/1
Hull 16/1
Hull KR 25/1
Salford 25/1
Widnes Vikings 33/1
Wakefield 50/1

FORUM MEMBERS AND THEIR TEAMS

• physichull - HULL KR
• Evil^ - BRADFORD
• kidloco - WARRINGTON
• Fuggan - LEEDS
• Wonder_Lander - HULL KR
• TonyM19 _ WIGAN
• PudWud - WIGAN
• hoppyintheuk - BRADFORD
• kefkef - WARRINGTON
• Dave26 - WIGAN
• Viper2 - WIGAN
• cheets64 - WIGAN
• hargi - CASTLEFORD
• Vanquish-Storm - WARRINGTON
• Landy - CASTLEFORD
• Xinn - LEEDS
• Lefty - WARRINGTON
• Serverman - WIGAN
• SMN - WIGAN
• gumbald - HULL KR
• ristac - LEEDS
• Gilly - LEEDS
• Kemik - WIDNES
• Funktopus - WIDNES
• shawsy109 - BRADFORD

My answers:

1. Hull KR.

2. Knocking out Warrington in the Challenge Cup at Headingly to reach the final for the first time in yonks. The final ten minutes of that game was one of the true highlights of being a Rovers support in the last 10 years. The final....less said about that the better!

3. Not really an expectation, more of hope, but again to finish in the top 8.

4. I think Ian Thornley will certainly be one of our better signings of the year, tough I can't really say at the moment as our two pre-season friendlies were abysmal defeats. Its not boding well for the new season to be honest so I am a bit worried!

5. I think Wigan will have it this year. I think Leeds won't quite manage it given the big playing names they lost to retirement last season.

6. Hull FC. I hate to say it, but they've got some really big players now and will be a handful for most sides, perhaps even top 4 challengers. Pritchard being the best of their bunch with Minichiello not far behind. They annihilated us in the pre-season friendly.

7. I suppose getting Jamie Peacock in was a bit of a coup for our club and hopefully he can bring a bit of that winning mentality and never say die attitude to the club as it badly needs it. I don't expect things to change overnight though, it will be a slow process.

8. Hoping 8th, but we definitely need Terry Campese back and fit for all of the season to achieve that.

9. Forwards. We just don't have that aggression and bite and the same old defensive frailties are there. We have point scorers with the likes of Kelly and Mantellato, but I really fear for our pack this year.

10. Yup(!)

 

[physichull]

I think everybody wants Daryll Powell as their head coach...

Always thought the England job was a bit of a non-job anyway, given how few times we play over the course of the season. It can hardly be a full time job anyway, can it?

Never thought much of McNamara anyway, he hardly pulled up any trees at Bradford.

 

[physichull]

Jordan Cox straight into Warrington side. I'm surprised by that.

 

[physichull]

Wigan v Catalan was a real grind. Instantly forgettable but 2 points.

I can't recall a team making as many unforced knock ons as Catalan. Wigan lost all their intensity when McIlorum went off. I don't get the rotating hookers idea.

It was a pretty dour game that and I struggled to keep paying attention to it. Awful conditions though. Hull smashed a hapless Salford, I really do think they could be the ones to watch out for this year.

 

[physichull]

Clutching a draw from the jaws of defeat but probably deserved it on balance. Dreadful playing conditions as usually with the wind howling off the Humber as it often does. Post second half hooter conversion by Mantellato salvaged a point when all the odds were against him. The ball even blew off the tee!

Not the greatest game of RL but exciting nonetheless. On the board!

 

[physichull]

<--- that is all!

P.s. anyone who blames the iPitch for Leed's injury crisis should look to the fact that we've been playing on it for a lot longer than one game and it doesn't take out three players a game for us...

Nice victory! and it kept us from being bottom of the table!

I worry for Rovers now (already I know!) but our squad just isn't physical enough. Hull FC have got off to a storming start and I really do think Rovers are years behind them now (saw that coming last season).

Good win for Salford last week too, couldn't really believe how awful Saints were!

 

[physichull]

Lost track of this thread already! Barely seen a match on tv either, been so busy!

Bad times at Rovers. Bad times. Hopefully our ex-player Webbo will be able to arrest the downturn a bit and Campese returning will make a bit of a difference. Bottom of the table clash this weekend against Huddersfield! How many times have we said that recently?

 

[physichull]

Having an NRL overload at the moment on Premier Sports. Highly recommended.

I can never justify the expense of Sky Sports (+HD), then another £10 for Premier Sports. It all adds up to around £80pcm which I will always baulk at. Shame really, but all I want sky sports for is RL!

My first live game of the season this weekend at home against Salford. If we don't win that, then we really are wooden spooning it this year! Quite an unbelievable decline over the last 3 years or so.

 

[physichull]

What is everyones thoughts on the season so far?

Yeah....erm...not great!

Can't see where our next win is coming from and I haven't said that in a long time. Campese injured again, Kelly out, disasteroo.

 

[physichull]

Well there's the first win of the season and my first game of the season. Tale of two halves. First half Rovers were totally dominant and our forwards really gained some good ground. Breezed to a 30-6 lead at half time. After the break though, Salford came out firing on all cylinders and whipped up a few tries. It was a nervy ending and Dobson did to us exactly what he used to do for us. He controlled every play and moved Salford round the park well. Nail biting ending but a late try sealed it.

We're not bottom any more!!!

FC next....no pressure then....

 

[physichull]

Four of our best players are out for the game against Wire. This could be a walk over if the team isn't careful. It's basically the team we had out for one of the pre-season friendlies and we were caned.

They're also sold out on their stadium! We got 15% of the tickets which have now also sold out so it will be difficult it out sing, even if they hardly ever make a noise

Nah, it'll be easy, they only sing when they score a try and even then they rely on the annoying drummer!

 

[physichull]

I'll sadly be missing the Hull derby as I'll be cycling in Wales...unfortunate timing.

 

[physichull]

Disappointing loss to Wigan, but not in the way you would think. We should have been hammered tonight but we were closer than the scoreline suggests and considering we were all wondering how many Wigan might score, we did really well. Such a young Rovers team with an average age of 23 and Mantellato, Campese, Kelly, Green, Greenwood, Salter, Lunt, Boudebza, Larroyer, Donaldson, Clarkson, Minns, Holker and Cockayne, 90% of those names would start our games if fit! I'd never even heard of some of our players...Wardhill, Caton, Oakes or Moran before tonights game(!) I'm amazed we were even competitive tonight and looked in control even for large parts of the second half.

Some utterly crazy decisions from the ref for both sides tonight, blatant knock-on incidents missed all over the park, to cap off some other bizarre decisions!

Although we are not doing well at the moment, tonight's game showed me enough for me to think that we will be alright this season. Full of determination from a really youthful side, so in that respect I'm not too disappointed. We aren't actually that far away, we just need more players back!

 

[physichull]

Saints the dirtiest team Leeds have played this season - and that includes Wigan and Warrington.

That was a brilliant game. I was actually at that game for a works night out! Couldn't have had a better game for the neutral (sort of, was in the Leeds end so joined in with the Yorkshire chants!).

An unexpected win for Rover's today at Cas, did NOT see that coming.

 

[physichull]

Magic Weekend anybody?

Or are we all too underwhelmed by how poor our teams are this year?

Quote and a half that is!

I was going to but the people I go with can't make it this year for various reasons so I am going to give it a pass. We are massive underdogs against FC this year, but you never know, Campese might be back fit. Was great fun last year.

Was a decent win against Widnes on the weekend, marking the occasion before kick-off with a moving tribute to the late Roger Millward. Almost brought a tear to the eye.

The bottom 4 is going to be terrifying this year if Leeds and Shudders keep up their current form! Rovers have always relied on there being someone less rubbish than them! Usually, Salford, Wakey, Widnes etc. But this year has been turned on its head!

 

[physichull]

I'm a wires fan, I was hoping to give out some trash talk before the match.

That is the worst saints team I have ever seen. They are embarrassing.

What does that make Rovers then? Haha!

Good solid win for us, but again, if we get beat next week, there's no real progress. We need a run of wins.

 

[physichull]

Jon Bateman suspended for a month by the club. The club are keeping quiet on this one (although it takes about 30 seconds to find out why on social media).

Just hope that's the end of it. He's too good a player to lose.

What has happened to Zak Hardaker? He's gone from a world-beater to looking like he cba. Maybe a fresh start is the best for all parties. Looking at the quality of fullbacks on show in the NRL, I don't fancy his chances of breaking into a team down under. If Salford didn't have a salary cap thing hanging over them, he'd be nailed on to join them.

What's happened to Leeds, I guess. Rumours that Rovers have signed Scruton for next year. Not sure whether I'm impressed by that one or not. Apparently we did have a contract offer to Gale, but obviously he opted to stay at Cas.

 

[physichull]

Hull KR seem to be a bogey team. Always seem to beat us at your place!!

You'd have thought I'd have got over it, but I'm still smarting a bit from when Wire knocked us out of the Challenge Cup in...2009(I think), when Lee Briers scored the golden point. Gutted!

 

[physichull]

This one? https://youtu.be/TKM_oorjA7I (Sorry!)

I had forgotten about that one. We can call it even after the '15 semi final!

Shame you didn't show up for the Final. I was cheering for you until I turned it off

Haha yeah that was the one! (2009)

I think it was why I was so desperate that we beat you in that semi final. Don't worry, I've calmed down and bear no grudges anymore, we're even.

That CC final was the most disappointing game I've seen from Rovers.

 

[physichull]

Well I guess that's me done with this thread for the next few years....