Last week Rovers played and lost to Wigan ..It was only a friendly and it didn't
matter.. But this week they beat Hull and to them they team are World beaters
I hope to day is your grand final ..Enjoy your moment of glory .The real season hasn't
started yet only warm up games ...

ps let the REAL Battle begin in the first week of Feb

Your probably right!

I doubt O'Meley and co were weeping in the changing rooms thinking we do not love them any-more

Instant success? The fans of this club have been steamrollered by the club's PR machine for 4 pre-seasons for ultimate dismal failure. Now into a 5th and Rovers, missing 3 or 4 key players, outplayed us on our own muck, again. It was important that we won today, or if not were competitive, but the fact is it was a ratio of 2 tries to 1, a poor kicking game and lack of support play. If people want to leave early through frustration/disappointment, that's up to them. I stayed to the end BTW.

Just amazes me how pumped up Rovers fans can get over a friendly game. Don't know how others feel but I go to friendlies because its been months since I've watched rugby and I want to see our new players in action/any changes in performance from the old guard.

To claim our players would be envious of the Rovers support or be affected by people in the home stands leaving early at a friendly game is both very naive and possibly very wishful thinking.

Glad it meant so much to Kris Welham when they scored their third try though. He should make the most of moments of pure elation like that while he can.

You're so right. Embarrassingly selective memories, the Rovers. "Loyal Supporters" chanting was hilarious. Er, what, since you got in the SL? Brilliant.

I relented and went in the end ....... wish I hadn't bothered though.

Was a poor performance from Hull. Obviously first hit out of the season so no big deal at this stage. Only concerns for me were our shat right hand side defence (again) and the fact that we really struggled to hold rovers big forwards at times and our forwards struggled to make an impact at times. Back row was pretty much ineffective other that a couple of runs each from manu and tickle. Thought houghton looked better than heremia and mckinnon was our best player IMO. Still don't see sharp as a top class winger and reece lynne is no full back

Now that sounds familiar. Lets hope things start to tick soon then eh. My first game of the season will be against Warrington when myself, the mrs, two kids and my two brothers will be going but games like this dont exactly instill confidence in the already very unconfident fans who arnt sure whether to spend £100+ on an afternoons entertainmant.

lets not forget their dwindling away support as seen on tv

An other change I would make is
play Ellis instead of R Horne ..Agree Lynne isn't a fullback ..Stick Horne there if McKinnon cannot play

I honestly don't think I saw Tickle do anything today. Didn't know he was even playing apart from taking the kicks.

And if Reece Lyne is our back up full back then God help us if/when McKinnon misses games. He'll get slaughtered there, again!

I would like to see Lyne spend a year in a NL1 side tbh. I hope Gentle will use Whiting as our back up for f/back he would be a far better option.

Or maybe Richard Horne with one of Ellis/Nicklas partnering Seymour.

Reece just doesn't convince that he even wants to be a pro rugby player, every time I see him he just looks so ill at ease with being out there. He just seems to be so lacking in confidence and believe.

I'd go with that.
We all know he's lightening fast from what we've heard about from the U20's games because we haven't seen a break from him in the first team. The tries that he's scored in the league have been handed to him from what I can remember so (I won't speak for anyone else) I don't know what his finishing is like. Can see him been knocked about in defence due to his small build and what happend to him today playing fb well enough said.
If I was him I'd ply my trade as a winger.

I don't see the big obsession with Horney at fb either?

He probably reads this forum.

It's not an obsession. We were discussing FB cover for McKinnon other than Lyne. Options in terms of senior players who have played there are Whiting and R Horne.

That is exactly how I would feel if I was a FC fan. I thought FC would put in a better performance than that.

ellis is really fat

It's an option probably a better one than Whiting, Horney is solid under the high ball. Not as pacey as he was but still got a bit of speed, his defense is decent as well.

No he's just big-boned.

Or because he isnt good enough....he isnt a full-back at all and bloody Lovegrove nearly beat him to a kick to the corner....he needs to go out on a dual contract to get him toughend up

Fair enough but its been doing the rounds for the last few years thought Mrs B, people wanting Horne to play fb.

Apart from missing Hall? completely today.

I think the problem is he has been rushed. I think he is lacking in confidence, clearly he is at ease in the 20s as he performs very well. He needs to develop with the big boys slowly, he needs to learn how to duck and dive, and get stuck in the NL1 will be an ideal place to develop him imo.