Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:50 am  

Moe syslak wrote:

After watching Hull last night, I can't see anyway they are making the top 6. Cas, London and Salford will be very unlikely to make it also(no offence to those teams). Huddersfield I'm not sure on yet. This should be the easiest season ever to get into the top 6. Let's just hope burgess can get us peaking at the right time and we get our injuries out of the way early on.

Assuming Wigan, Saints & Catalan are certs, we still have Leigh, Hull KR, Leeds & I’d throw Hudds in there too. I don’t think it will be easy…

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:15 am  

I see all the Sky team had Leigh out of the top 6 & Leeds in. That should be a good motivator for us.

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 12:22 pm  

easyWire wrote:

I like the fact that Lindop is in there. And that we haven’t loaned out Hayes yet on DR. Makes me think that Burgess hasn’t yet decided that Drinkwater is his preferred choice. I guess he wants to see how the first few games go.

Hayes being around puts pressure on Drinkwater to perform. Plus if the plan is to release Drinkwater at the end of the season we can expect to see Hayes getting games.

Nothing like a bit of competition to bring the best out of journeymen.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 12:32 pm  

Cokey wrote:

I see all the Sky team had Leigh out of the top 6 & Leeds in. That should be a good motivator for us.

Yes, I was a bit surprised that at least one of them didn't say Wire to be the team to miss out. Instead, they were talking us up as being likely top 4. I think the whole 'Burgess aura' thing has got them a bit spooked.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:46 pm  

Alffi_7 wrote:

Assuming Wigan, Saints & Catalan are certs, we still have Leigh, Hull KR, Leeds & I’d throw Hudds in there too. I don’t think it will be easy…

I wouldn't have catalans as certs. With the players they have lost I think they could struggle to make the 6. I'm expecting us, Hull kr and leigh to finish above them.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 2:19 pm  

Appears for a Q&A with Toby King on social media that Josh Thewlis hasn’t traveled, he and his partner have had a baby. Would expect Wrench to move to the wing if it is true.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 2:51 pm  

Barbed Wire wrote:

Appears for a Q&A with Toby King on social media that Josh Thewlis hasn’t traveled, he and his partner have had a baby. Would expect Wrench to move to the wing if it is true.

That probably means that Ratchford will be playing centre then, as I don`t expect Lindop to play 1st team centre just yet.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 3:25 pm  

Boss Hog wrote:

That probably means that Ratchford will be playing centre then, as I don`t expect Lindop to play 1st team centre just yet.

Agreed (assuming Stef is fully fit). I'm all for giving young players their chance, and Lindop may well feature at some point this season, but Catalans away would be a tough gig for a debut.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Fri Feb 16, 2024 5:30 pm  

Lindop could well be in at centre if ratch and thewlis are unfit. I'm looking forward to seeing how we go, I expect we will be a bit NRL to be honest. Make ground with 1 up carries early in the tackle count and play a bit more expansive when we get in the opposition half. We will need to be a lot more resilient than we have been in recent years for that to work.

I don't think we will be too pretty to watch, but so long as its effective I don't really care after the last few seasons we've endured.

Re: Squad for Catalans : Sat Feb 17, 2024 11:44 am  

CW8 wrote:

Lindop could well be in at centre if ratch and thewlis are unfit. I'm looking forward to seeing how we go, I expect we will be a bit NRL to be honest. Make ground with 1 up carries early in the tackle count and play a bit more expansive when we get in the opposition half. We will need to be a lot more resilient than we have been in recent years for that to work.

I don't think we will be too pretty to watch, but so long as its effective I don't really care after the last few seasons we've endured.

We probably need a few ugly wins under our belt before we worry about “points for style”!