Glad it’s not just me who did a double take when reading that about Minchella. Is that the true gauge of the Dobbins being up there with Penrith Panthers?

I know it’s the usual Barista tactic to do in essence what she’s done in this thread but it’s getting a bit tedious isn’t it.

I believe it’s a genuine 50/50

My concern is your pack, could easily steamroll us and create the space for Connor. I wouldn’t be surprised if we spent a lot of time with 2 hookers on and made them do extra D, keep the ball in play and tire the big boys out. Don’t get the energy levels right it won’t work.

Derbies are big for both, but I do believe the onus is on you to get a result which fills me with dread. I think somebody mentioned earlier in the thread sarcastically that you perform well after a bad performance but it feels like some truth in it, and you are due one.

The side that wants it the most will win. In all seriousness you're at home, in form, in front of a sellout crowd and 3 years between derby drinks. If you can't get deliver in that context maybe the GF chat pre season could be construed as a bit hasty x

Same squad as last week.

Connor
Swift
Griffin
Carlos (if fit, if not Mitchy)
Mcintosh
Reynolds
Gale
Sao
Houghton
Satae
Savelio
Mau
Lovodua

Evans
Fash
Brown
Lane

Personally would like to see Lovodua get a proper chance at Hooker, but can't see Hodgson changing things up before a derby. I'm just hoping he goes away from the idea of having two backs on the bench

Aye having seen the respective squads our pack is just too lightweight.

No vete, no Garrett, sims supposedly not playing even though in the 21.

Means relying on Will Maher & Greg Richards, dependable but not exactly meter eaters.

I’d have you lads in as slight favourites but as I said in previous post we do have momentum so balances it out. Genuine 50/50

I hope those making the journey enjoy it and it’s good to have some big games to look forward too again

I'm not so sure that weakens you.

Probably a fair point

Pleased to read Gales comments today, about how we need to set a platform this week and play on the back of it. I think we l see a repeat of the Leeds away game plan. An insistence on Satae, Sao, Evans, Savelio, Mau, Brown and Fash grinding Rovers down, through the middle.

If we do that and complete our sets of 6, it's a comfortable win for me.

Start with the sloppy errors and forced play to the backs Then it's a dog fight.

Takarangi's bottled it i see.

Off field issues aside (which the fact he avoidable a prison sentence is quite laughable) he has to be in the top 3 for worst signings in Super League in the last couple of seasons.

I don't think Reynolds is far off the top 3 so far.

Hope he proves me wrong, but so far either been injured or fairly average.

First couple of games for us last year I thought we'd picked up a gem. Sadly it went downhill once injuries kicked in for him.
Definitely.up the pace of the game for us when he came on Saturday but seemed to disappear out of it.
Hopefully he gets a good run of games now on some firmer ground and shows us more of how he started off with us.

Like what you did there?



Quite honestly he should be no where near a rugby pitch for a long time and should be serving time at her majesty’s service?

Comfortable win for us on Friday but whilst its always pleasing to get the win over HKR its just another League game and doesnt put any money in the clubs account like a win last week and a semi win would have done
What we dont need is a repeat of last weeks first half giving away 5 penalties and making 5 errors gifting them most of the possession

Can't get there in time - Sunday service on the buses and taxis are fully booked.

Not how the bookies see it. But then get in early with easy win then if owt goes wrong give the lads a good bashing as per usual

Will be at the Panthers match on Friday evening and then back home sharpish to watch the TV Derby game.

Hope to witness a Panthers/Hull win although my wife will want a Panthers/Rovers win outcome.

How big is the Rovers squad, they have impressively managed to name a 21 man squad with not one player to come through their academy and that with a few players out?

They only got promoted 16 years ago. These things take time.

Why would they use their academy when they can use everyone else's, particularly ours and Bradfords.



In all seriousness though I wouldn't mind Milnes or Storton

It was only a slight dig, they have done well out of signing young players from other clubs and players not wanted by other SL clubs.

2017.



That said our pipeline has offered an absurdly poor return on investment over the last 10 or 12 of those years, which is why I thought the RFL’s botched attempt to close our academy offered ‘all sorts of interesting opportunities’ to escape the one size fits all model. Even Lawler and Lewis didn’t follow the standard pathway exactly.

Academy merger was a diaster, set both clubs back a couple of years

Yeah they've done well out of signing the 4/5 guys from Bradford. Halton looks like he's settled into SL too.