www.therhinos.co.uk/news/8395.php Based on GH's comments in the article, who realistically, do you expect to see playing? I think we'll see Delaney, Pitts, Amor & Coady but none of the others. IMO it's just GH drumming up support before the actual squad is announced. After all why would you risk injuring players in a meaningless game so long before the start of the season proper.

www.therhinos.co.uk/news/8395.php Based on GH's comments in the article, who realistically, do you expect to see playing? I think we'll see Delaney, Pitts, Amor & Coady but none of the others. IMO it's just GH drumming up support before the actual squad is announced. After all why would you risk injuring players in a meaningless game so long before the start of the season proper.

The squad is always named in the YEP and on the web-site well in advance so it doesn't matter about speculation.

The YEP always gets the exclusives.
Team announcements.....transfer news....new shirt pictures

TBH I don’t really care, it’s an insignificant friendly that is totally meaningless.

All the same I’ll be there in my turkey hat nursing my festive hangover.

Will the team be announced before Dec 7th when the season holder discount ends?
I doubt it somehow.

So what??
It's always announced well in advance so people can always decide if they are going or not.
We know full well there will many 1st team players missing and if you don't want to go then the choice is yours but moaning about it when everyone knows whats gonna happen is pointless!!

Would you care to point out to me where I'm moaning?
I'll be going regardless of the team since it's the 1st chance to see the team in action for nearly 3 months & blows away the cobwebs after the excess of Xmas.
I do though think it smacks a little of sharp practice to suggest that it will be the 1st team minus only a few players.
If that's a moan in your eyes so be it.
I regard it as a comment for discussion.

It comes across as a whinge if that's not the case i apologise,but like i said we all know what to expect given previous yrs so the fact that the club announce the possibility of some 1st teamers being involved is neither here nor there imo.
Given that a lot of the reserve team have been released it's not unlikely that there will be more 1st teamers involved this time around than the last few yrs.

If you mean by well in advance, the Christmas Eve evening papers, then yes.

But my backside is it ever in well in advance.

The last 2yrs squads have been published at least 1week before the match!!

No they haven't.

Yeah yer right they were published officially 3 days before but it was made clear that it would be a young team beforehand because of the international matches.

That I dont dissagree with. All though they do pull the supporters legs a bit.

They first make out that several first teamers are available. Then by 3 days before the game, they suddenly are all not fit enough to play.

Obviously this year they have already announced Delaney and Ablett will be playing. That is something they don't normally do, they just make you think they are playing. Therefore this year should be stronger.

If its top quality Rugby you want t see on Boxing Day, I suggest you ask Santa for the Grand Final DVD.

For me, the Festive Challenge is simply a good excuse to lose off the family for a few hours, see some mates and remind myself what Rugby League is - the line ups are irrelevant

Not for Wakey it's not, it's their cup final

Bingo - exactly how I see it.

Indeed, they could put the Subbuteo team out and we'd all still be there ...

For me its' all of the above plus a chance to get nostalgic about winter rugby. Getting wrapped up tightly and taking a hip flask.

Its' not like we get the chance to do that when summer rugby starts at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb every year is it.......

For the true winter experience for me the game would have to be on New Years Day, I would have to eat KFC on the way to the match and then lob it all up in the toilets under the North Stand.

I’ve seen a Subbuteo Leeds Rhinos Team on eBay – how the feck does that work?

I've seen that too but i reckon he couldn't sell the chelsea one so just painted amber lines on their kits

That's what I reckoned as well.

With no new signings on show last year it was the first Boxing Day game i missed for donkeys years-that coupled with the fact the tickets were practically full price.

It’ll be a full price, there’ll be little in the way of first team players and the game will probably be pants.

But you’re missing the point.

Read back through this thread and you’ll see why most of us attend this game and it’s not primarily for the Rugby!