Our lack of forward power is well documented & much more apparent without Clark. We're also lacking a big Ken Sio type ball carrier on exit sets. No one's getting us on the front foot.

Back home in Frack Central.

We left after the Jamie Ellis touchline conversion of the Moss try not particularly happy with the win but angry with the ugly and half hearted performance and with Jamie Ellis for missing a sitter of a penalty, which would have given him the world record. Next time, tell Neil Rudd to shut the f**k up.

It's all been said by others in this thread. Below is my summary:

The best team lost.
Our overall performance went into reverse.
Forwards were out enthused.
We never looked like scoring from open play in the second half until the Will Sharp gift from the high bomb.
Composure? There was none.
We ignored countless overlaps through sheer greed and an unwillingness to pass out wide. This is a feature of this team.
Missed tackles and crap first contact were too numerous to mention.
Set completion less than 50% in the 1st half.
Where we're the structured set plays?
Support play was non existent.
Shaun Lunt was a class apart.
We missed Quinlans attacking support play, especially on the inside shoulder.
Half way through the 1st half I thought I was unlucky enough to be watching a game of Rugby Yawnion (the ultimate insult), there was so much stop/start.
Most SL teams will give us a dry bumming on the evidence of today.
Hicks gave nothing like an elite level refereeing performance.

More questions left unanswered after today's game.

I'd rather nail my ball sack to the table

Go on then.

Not sure about should pick off, Widnes in particular have been poor but still drew in France and nearly beat Wigan, do you think the current Rovers team could, Widnes will be your target, but like you will strengthen using the Brown money. Widnes also have 6/7 injuries to key players at the moment. Against us they looked really good for 20 minutes.

I still think you need 3/4 players, you have the cap space and quota spots, but there has to be the quality players available and a few clubs will be after these players.

I suppose the Leigh cup game might give us all a better indication of where you are.

Thought Shaun Lunt was the difference between the 2 teams Today. Well done Rovers from gutted fax fan

The SL teams, even Widnes, will enter the 8s as favourites to stay up. They look the most like us last year though, IMO. In terms of squad quality and apparent inability to do much about it. Rule's list of missing players to return wasn't that impressive and they'll likely lose other important players as those return. We'll have injuries to deal with too, of course. Where their morale is will be important - chances are it won't be great.

I know it is early season, but the cherries you've picked for Widnes aren't all that. We had narrow defeats, and spells of looking good in games (20 minutes, you say?!) last year.

It's still 15 or so rounds away, so for now I'm just happy to enjoy the Championship in of itself.

Completely agree, If we lost him then we'd be screwed. Fax were the better team and it was only fitness that got us over the line.

Widnes have no quota spaces left which should be a major stumbling block

You wouldn't be if you went to games, it's shizzle.

Absolutely spot on.

There aren't enough quality English players lurking about to be picked up for the 8s.

today should give Tim Sheens some idea of the short falls of his current squad and game plan.
As a world renowned coach he will ( I hope) now know we don't have the quality and size to play down the middle.
Our forwards(with the exception of Lunt) were out muscled and out enthused by a much bigger, physical Halifax pack who played to their strengths and stop our forwards with a team ethic of supporting each other. Plus 3 forwards with head injuries from today's battle.

Shaw did not get one pass in an attacking position today, his only involvement was when he came inside to help our beaten pack run the ball back or to defend.
Moss for all his problems today only received 3 passes, scoring once, one was forward the third been on the last and he failed to move it on when coming inside.

Does make you start to think where our strengths are in the coaches view ?

Firstly it wasn't a great display but we won in this league the opposition will up there game against us Blair was good today Scruton aside our forwards are to lightweight with no punch we're not going to trouble any SL sides at the moment but we don't need to that's 4 months off we'll add to the side and only improve

I think that type of game was needed really, the type of game that puts your feet back on the ground after 6 wins from 6. Highlighted a lot of problems in our squad as others have picked up on too. If we don't come away from this with a far better attitude I'd be disappointed but I'm guessing Sheens will use it as a kick up the jacksy.

Driving away and I couldn't help feeling sorry for the Halifax fans as there players really turned up today and played really well. Funny to see Murrell celebrating a knock on like he'd just scored an FA cup winner haha

Sheens has labelled the win UGLY I would say DIRE.

If Murrell & Moore had been our half backs it would have been a cricket score. Fortunately, it took a sin binning for Rovers to close the game out.

I hope Sheens wakes up to the mistake of playing 'project' Abdull in the halves, and why oh why does Lunt seek out Abdull as first receiver to the extent leaving Rovers right edge redundant. Both Heffernan and Shaw must feel like lepers!

I don't need to mention how Rovers pack were battered and out muscled except to hope Sheens realises his other projects Clarkson (prop) and Salter (2nd row) are no go's.

One last plea, the switching at full back between Charlie & Moss must be stopped immediately. Don't ever give Charlie dual roles and yesterday is why.

After considering it, Moss isn't even the best player called Kieron let alone the best FB.

That doesn't bode well....

We had 4 players turn out for St. Helens reserve team on Saturday.T.S. said they couldn't raise a full team and we had players who needed a challenging run out.
If this is a venture that is to be repeated, should we be sending those players who are looking out of sorts in the main squad not just our fringe players ?

The likes of Greenwood, Moss, etc could benefit from A team rugby, whilst allowing Oakes, Milton, Moran and the like to come into the first 19 and get some first team exposure in readiness for when called upon.

I think it's a good link up with a top professional club and who knows who it could give us access to later in the season.

Whilst it's good, the whole system is messed up, can any player just turn up for another club these days, Clavering for example has already played for 3 different clubs, I'm not blaming Rovers, more the RFL.

Another fear could be if say Jubb really impresses playing for Saints and enjoys playing for them, you could lose a good young player to a SL club (probably won't be an issue if you get promoted)

Can't be too much enjoyment playing in this league can it?

Some fair points though, not sure who exactly Widnes have out, but Mellor is a good player for them and Cahill and Dudson offer good go forward.

As others have mentioned Widnes might have money, but no quota spots, so unless they look to release quota players (I think Wakey did this in 2015) they might find it hard to recruit.

Fixtures are key, maybe a bit of luck is needed on that front as you dont want Widnes or Tolouse away.

Does anyone have the format of fixtures for the middle 8's?

Funny how people see things differently looking at these opinions isn't it....here's my take...

- Forwards did ok ( at best ) got smashed sometimes but to say they got bullied is a bit of a stretch. We had plenty of field position in Fax's 20, just didn't do out with it. Forwards laid enough of a platform. Second 40 contact was much better in defence and to be honest fax were not in the game at all.

- Attack just didn't get going. Not enough width and or early ball to our centre's and wingers. The problem of playing the fullback as the pivot to create that is when you lose them to injury you don't have a ball playing FB to cover all attacking structures go out the window. If Quinlan gets injured later in the season i fully expect matty marsh will be the step up simply as he fits into our structures better.

- Shaw isn't good enough. I get that he had no service, but i am not sure he can break a tackle or get us upfield. Moss i am very dubious on, but as shown by his try - pace to get him past last defender may help him out.

- Abdull is playing better then ellis at the moment, but will always get more critics because of FC connection. Bigger problem is they are very similar players, we have no running threat really - especially from deep. Although both effective from within 5 yards as they have the power and nouse to dominate this league.

- Playing within your self and doing enough to win is ok some of the time, if it becomes habitual then you have problems coming out of it. We need some strerner tests in all honesty and thankfully we responded well to the stinker first half yesterday. Hopefully that has woken us up a bit for the fev and toulouse matches. Overall though, nothing to worry about it is still a work in progress as a new team i genuinely do believe peoples expectations are too high

Not just me who thinks this then, goal kicking aside I'm not seeing much in Ellis as a 7, he's playing more 6 along with Abdul. I was astounded that Ellis got MOTM yesterday, when the said there are 4 choices over the tanoi I thought all 4 would be Shaun Lunt.

Got to agree with what you are saying but it is good that we win 7 on the trot and people still moan but the bigger picture is still to come the dreaded 8s

Well it beats 2016. Not saying much, from our POV, I know. To some extent though it's what you make of it, and winning helps.

The game is often as scruffy as a ragamuffin dragged through a hedge backwards at this level, I have to admit. You know in SL when the ruck is a [ureal[/u mess, but the ref sometimes decides to be lenient - happens a few times a game maybe? Few times a set in the Championship.

Is Kieron Moss your new Dane Tilse