Eaton prepares to face the Knights. : Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:19 pm  

Keighley Cougars Head Coach Barry Eaton has just four days to turn his team around following their Fourth Round Carnegie Challenge Cup defeat by Castleford Tigers on Sunday.

On Good Friday the Cougars return to league action with their home Co-operative Championship One fixture against York City Knights (7.30pm) and with that short turn around between games Eaton wants his players to remain focussed.

“The Keighley players can hold their heads high in spite of being beaten by Castleford,” he said. “I saw the three previous games the Tigers had played against Super League opposition and I believe we caused as many if not more problems with the ball than Bulls, Huddersfield and Hull.

“The Castleford game is now in the record book and while we enjoyed the Challenge Cup tie, it’s back to our bread and butter, the league, we've got to think about”.

“If we can do the right things, especially in the first half, I believe we’ll be fine against the Knights”.

Eaton’s main injury worries in the run-up to the York fixture are concentrated on loose forward Greg Nicholson (ankle) and full-back George Raynor (neck) while Ollie Pursglove will have to undergo a COG test after suffering a knock to the head against the Tigers.

Added Eaton: “If Ollie comes through the head test on Tuesday then he’ll be fit because he doesn’t have any other injury problems”.

Eaton aims to name his team after training on Thursday evening – injuries permitting.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:01 pm  

Give Craig Fawcett a run out at scrum half, at least he runs forward, and has pace.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:10 pm  

rugby_darren wrote:

Give Craig Fawcett a run out at scrum half, at least he runs forward, and has pace.

Here here, although Craig has to get his head around how good he can be, sometimes he sees no gap and so gives up yet when he just turns on the pace he gets through.

I hope Greg is back in action though as he seems to have toned himself up over the winter and looks stronger for it.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:22 pm  

reborncougar wrote:

I hope Greg is back in action though as he seems to have toned himself up over the winter and looks stronger for it.

I said much the same thing, he looks a lot bigger, and better for it.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:28 pm  

Things do seem to be shaping up rather nicely.
Just think of the injured players we have waiting to come back.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:50 pm  

guess who wrote:

Things do seem to be shaping up rather nicely.
Just think of the injured players we have waiting to come back.

I saw Shick at the match yesterday. It will be good to get him back, just hope he does not rush back from a carteledge clean out and let his knee settle down properly.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:24 pm  

reborncougar wrote:

I saw Shick at the match yesterday. It will be good to get him back, just hope he does not rush back from a carteledge clean out and let his knee settle down properly.

Players health has to come first. Nothing and i mean nothing can compromise that.
I really cant see him coming back to soon. We are missing him though. Not so much for what he does, more for the extra prop we need.
With him and Rawlings coming the front row is looking ood.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:41 pm  

guess who wrote:

Players health has to come first. Nothing and i mean nothing can compromise that.
I really cant see him coming back to soon. We are missing him though. Not so much for what he does, more for the extra prop we need.
With him and Rawlings coming the front row is looking ood.

I can't see many teams even trying to get through the middle once we have the fab four back together and firing on all cylinders.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:50 am  

Look at it this way, we will get our players back when we need them most, in the later stages of the season.

: Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:09 am  

rugby_darren wrote:

Look at it this way, we will get our players back when we need them most, in the later stages of the season.

Not if we're after automatic promotion, it's too late then.