So with 6 days to go before the first friendly of the season, the first game discussion can take place

So glad that rugby season is upon us again! Don't know about you lot but I for one am looking forward to a game!

So how would you like to see us line up against York? With Kear stating that the international players won't be selected I think we will go with:

20. Brandon Pickersgill
5. Jy Hitchcox
3. Jake Webster
4. Ashley Gibson
24. David Foggin-Johnson
27. Rowan Milnes
7. Dane Chisholm
10. Steve Crossley
9. Matty Wildie
15. Callum Bustin
11. Matt Garside
25. Conner Farrell
13. Mikey Wood

8. Liam Kirk
12. Elliot Minchella
14. Jordan Lilley
16. James Green
18. Sam Hallas
21. George Flanagan
23. George Milton
26. Ross Oakes
28. Evan Hodgson
29. Matthew Storton

Chances are I'll be way off but this is how I would like to see us line up. Then over the next 4 weeks rotate the squad. Need a strong side out for Halifax in my opinion though.

Crossley can’t he’s recovering from his op

I didn't put him in at first, had Kirk instead but wasn't sure if he was fit haha! Swap out Crossley for Kirk or Green then

More importantly I'm looking forward to the carvery

What about Jon margin

Nope been on international duty

Squad is out:

Elliot Culling
Callum Bustin
Dane Chisholm
Thomas Doyle
Connor Farrell
David Foggin-Johnson
Keelan Foster
Ashley Gibson
Sam Hallas
Jy Hitchcox
Evan Hodgson
Liam Kirk
Jordan Lilley
Jon Magrin
Rowan Milnes
Ross Oakes
Brandon Pickersgill
Josh Rickett
Alix Stephenson
Matty Storton
Mikey Wood

That's a pretty strong 21, especially when you consider who's still to come back into the side

The announcement video amused me. It's like they were meant to be in Alphabetical order of surname, but whoever put it together wasn't sure where Culling should go.

Looks like we’re prioritising fax game to be honest, given kears comments about having largely different squads for the two games.

I would imagine we'll move closer and closer to John's starting 17 the closer we get to the start of the season.

Does anyone know what time kick off is tomorrow?

1:30

Will there be any coverage of the york game ie mixlr, facebook? ... or any coverage of the friendlies?

Hello ChinaBull, will you be missong the matches online like me and our happy little band of supporters here in Leyte?

I'd expect that to be the case.

I don't think you can order pre-seson games in 'importance', to be honest, they all have their importance in different areas. Todays game is giving a run-out and a chance to stake their claim to a few who may not be first choice when the season starts and also seeing how the younger ones are progressing. I think the tactical side will come to the fore later in the games as the season nears. At the moment all players in all teams will becoming off the hard working sessions and getting some movement into their legs. These games are not about winning and losing, however much the chairman (no doubt with an eye on the money side) would tell us otherwise.

It's 20-0 to the Bulls at half time

The result might not matter, but 20-0 certainly sounds better than 0-20

Finished 20-12 to the Bulls

Not a bad run out. Bit of a shame that we still have issues with concentrating for a full 80 minutes, even in a pre-season game

Anyone know why Peltier had his arm in a sling ?

Said in the LE that he dislocated his shoulder in training, and would be out until closer the start of the season.

Thought we looked good in the first half. Quite clinical in places. With some good play for Oakes try. Defence was superb and we look to have worked on that. Yes we had a couple of brainfarts in the second half, god knows what happened with their first try but it looked as though their lad just walked through a massive hole before running over Pickersgill.

Was very impressed with Milnes in terms of his kicking game and defence. The lad knows how to read a game. Magrin's go forward was great and runs it in with real purpose! I also though DFJ went well on the wing and of course Rickett read the game well when he came on. Farrell looks good and will cause some selection headaches at SR. And I though Mikey Wood went really well too.

All the young lads look like they have come on leaps and bounds and was nice to see the likes of Foster, Doyle, Culling, Stephenson and Hodgson get some game time!

Anyone know why Milton wasn't playing today? Thought he might get a run out.

Lady next to me said that Peltier is expected to be out until April.

I thought Milnes was the stand out player for us yesterday for reasons already said. Foggy ran the ball ok and Farrell looks like a bulldozer of a back rower. All in all an enjoyable game and happy to get a RL fix.

Hope Peltier isn't out that long, he's a key man for us off the bench.

True, but this is where our strength in depth will come to the fore with Crossley, Kirk, Bustin, Green & Margin still to pick from. Didn't manage to get to the game yesterday so looking forward to watching it on YouTube when it's on.