We've been very good down the middle this year so far, in fact that has been our best area, but losing Harrison and now possibly Bussey is a big blow. Our pivots will challenge you though...Parata's been superb (albeit most of us think he hasn't been given enough minutes), Jones is lively and Holmes (especially), Brown and Chisholm, who is now playing full back, are all threats.

If we had most of our starters I'd still be very confident of a comfortable Fev win, but we are down to bare bones even with our large squad, albeit we can still field a lot of quality players. But who knows which version of Fax will turn up, I hope it's the one that lost to Oldham.

From what I've seen of Fev this year Phantom they are a cracking side across the park and look to be cruising most of the time, even when they have conceded they just go up another gear and the opposition can't stay with them and as you say have threats all over the park.
Never heard of Parata until this year but he has the X factor in spades, with players like that you just sit back, watch and enjoy.
Fax will be up for it and will it will be interesting to see how long we can stay in the contest.

How long we can stay in the contest?

What a depressing point of view.

Why?

I'd say Fev have, on paper, a better 6 & 7. I'd have said Chisholm too but think JWH is playing very well at the moment. Ferres and Welham certainly would bring something to most sides at this level. Moors is certainly an xfactor at this level but we also have Springer and Tangata. Lets see.

Because if you go into a game with that mindset you are on the backfoot immediately. I'd prefer it if my team went into the match with a positive attitude, not thinking the other team is better than us before a game even starts.

Absolutely, but what I said about the team was "Fax will be up for it" which clearly is a positive attitude, nothing depressing about that at all.

As a player, I would have and have gone into games when playing against one the best sides in the comp who are currently sitting unbeaten at the top of the league even more ready, precisely because of that and the Fax lads will be exactly the same.

However the question remains for me as a supporter since the Toulouse and Oldham games, have we really improved enough to compete against the best for a full 80 minutes?

It's one thing to have a couple of good performances and results against Dewsbury and Newcastle than Fev and for me what i said was "it will be interesting to see if we can stay in the contest" or to to put it another way, as above to see if we really have improved.

Does no one else wonder that?

An added factor of interest to me is, how will the lads do playing at home in a big game in front of their own crowd for the first time in over a year.

Sometimes it can work for you, sometimes it can work against you.........................................character test?..........................................interesting.

It's an acid test of extreme acidity.

It's quite difficult to predict based on recent history. It would seem the improvement has been exponential rather than incremental, meaning we have won but won beyond a convincing manner. To nil two teams in consecutive weeks, away from home, and both I think will be finishing mid-table. Toulouse has put the absolute cleaners through eveyone, apart from against us where apart from the first 20, we were pretty evenly matched. If we get flogged, then again Grix is going to be under scrutiny. Can beat the teams below but won't compete with those above. If you follow the NRL, Cronulla got rid of John Morris on this very principle. I think Grix has a lot to prove on Sunday.

have watched a few of the fev games on ourleague and if they play how they did against york we will win with ease but normaly they seem to win by half time

I think your right this weekend is a big test of character and with all due respect to the sides we have just beat in the last 2 games its in the games against the best sides were grix as it all to prove is record against the best sides in this division is very poor this weekend would be a very good time to start improving that record with a win. For me how we deal with fev when they get on a roll will determine if we win or not we need to show a real resolve to stand up to them and if we can do that than of course we can win

I agree sunday will show if we really have improved or not

Bold shout, that. Fev were clearly the better team in that game and dominated in terms of yardage gained, just lacked a bit of cutting edge in York's 20. York's defence is better than that of the teams who we have run up big scores against, the Oldhams, Swintons, Whitehavens and Sheffields.

Still expecting a big Fev win here. Dewsbury and Newcastle were both awful and although its probably good for form and morale until I see us put in a good performance against a good side im reserving judgement. I would take us been competitive for the full 80 minutes against a team I expect to be there or there abouts when it comes to the grand final at the end of the season.

Don't forget to get your seats booked ST holders, seats are going fast in the East Stand and not many, if any are left so even though I have a couple of season tickets for the ES I've gone for a bit more space in South Stand standing for this game.

Sadly not quite ready for a return as a spectator yet

I can see this as a really tight game. I just can't see which way the result will go. I haven't seen owt of Fev this time and Fax's season is just baffling. Up The Fax!

Well Pete you are in a better position than us , I’ve more points on mi Driving Licence than Leigh have League points , we are dire at the moment .
But I’m still going to the LSV , I’m tempted to travel to the Shay on Sunday ,are tickets available ?

Home supporters only Ian. The usual calderfail council cock up i'm afraid. The only good thing about Leigh's season is that I doubt there will be any relegation at the end of it, for any team unless they decide to have SL1 and SL2 with 10 teams in each.

Shame that I think the Fax v Fev game will be a good in , I might pay to watch on stream.
As for the RFL and no relagation I tend to agree with you , I think Clubs have already been told , because all our players are on 1 year contracts , and Derek doesn’t seem bothered about the stuff we are serving up, to me it seems nobody is bothered.

I believe in promotion and relegation , you have to have it , I also enjoy the Championship games , I still hope to get to the Shay later in the season , take care and stay healthy , give my best regards to Di .

Cheers! I also think they know what's going on but there again I was sure that Toulouse would have got the vote to go up last year. I wouldn't trust those in charge of SL/RFL as far as I could throw 'em. The latest ruling on elite reserve teams being a prime example of their incompetence st best or even corruption. We shall see, at least you're having as season at the top table. Up The Fax!

Our 21 man squad is out and i have to say on paper at least we are looking pretty strong i would stick with the same 17 from last week they deserve to have another crack this week but i would be tempted to have a look at russell it will be interesting to see if he plays or not and will scott grix come back in because for me he shouldn't

A very strong squad - while Grix was one of our better players before getting injured bringing him back now would seem idiotic as it would mean shifting what have probably been our best 2 performers this season in J W H and Barber- tough on Grix but he shouldn't be considered for a place until injury or loss of form justifies it.

prediction time i will stick my neck out and go for a fax win 30-20 we are at full strength and fev have a few out if we cant win now then its time to give up i no they will still have a strong side out and will be full of confidence but so should we and time will tell if i am right or not i hope i am

Heart and hope is Fax by a score, head is Fev by 2 scores maybe more.
Nowt against Scott but to bring him back in means dislodging two of our best players of late from their current slots.
Woody to the centres and Ed to the pack.
Ed going to the pack would also mean another of our big guys missing out.
Fev have been immense in the forwards and we need the three big guys on the bench with Amir to give us our best chance.

Hardcastle and Bussey both ruled out to join the ever growing injury list at Fev. At the start of the year I didn't think McConnell, Beckett or Field would play a game for us but they're all playing today. You are right, you won't get a better chance at turning us over than this.