Paul Rowley has had us worked out Home and away this season. (3 defeats?)
If we come 2nd or 3rd, the likely scenario, (barring Fev getting beat at home) is that we'll face Leigh at home if 2nd or away if 3rd.

Think we need to win the game v Batley for 44 points & Leigh need to win at Home to Keighley & on neutral ground to Swinton to reach 44 points but Leigh have a superior score difference.

'Neutral ground', are you sure?!



By the way Jeff it's actually 4 defeats this season if you include the friendly...just wish we could take on your habit of beating Fev!

Like we do against Fev, we'll beat you in the game that REALLY matters

Just like you did in the NRC Final last year and the Challenge Cup this year?

First and second places have the advantage of 2 bites at the cherry.

Third and below it's straight knock out, third place looks more likely for Fax now so we will have to do it the hard way.

Leigh have got the measure of us this year and if they win the next 2 home games which they should will finnish second.

Fev have been the most consistent again this season and should take the league leaders shield so there can be no complaints it's all been decided fair and square on the field.

Batley could sneak third if they win big in their last 2 games and deny us a bonus point but will most likely finnish fourth with Eagles fifth.

I'm with you on your finishing places. This will mean first week of the play offs being:

Halifax v Keighley and Batley v Sheffield. If we win we will have another home game against Batley or Sheffield.

This is unless Keighley or Swinton have their best games of the season against Leigh and do us a favour.

Play off footy. Nowt to pick from 1-5. Owt can happen. Any key injuries between now and the final could have a major impact on the final outcome. Thursdays and Fridays results indicate there is bug ger all between the top 5 this term.
I would have thought Leigh are perhaps the form team at the mo. They have the momentum at the mo and are a dogged set of bug gers. Paul Rowley should be coach of the season taking Leigh to where they are with the hand he was dealt last autumn.

Sadly we've paid the price for inconsistency on the pitch. We haven't put a full 80 min performance in the league at all this season. We need to reach the level of concentration and performance like the NRC final each week. This is where Fev have the edge on us in the League. We like to do things the hard way and hopefully the intensity of knockout football will bring the best out of the boys again. It ain't over by a long chalk but I'd like to eradicate our inconsistency over the next couple of years.

Just a personel thought and the biggest doubt for me concerns our defense again.
Every time the opposition gets anywhere near our line you half expect them to score.
Again taking nothing away from Leigh some of the tries conceeded last night were down to poor defence.
We can get it right for the odd game but can we get it right for 3 or 4 on the bounce because we will have to.
Not the end of the world by any means but there will be a lot of disapointment across the board at the moment, but were still in it and will yet ask a few questions.

"Paul Rowley should be coach of the season taking Leigh to where they are with the hand he was dealt last autumn."

As you say Robin fantastic effort by paul and the Leigh club and it does show that you can come through serious adversity.

Nothing but respect for them all.

That's it - in a nutshell.

Also, we make the breaks OK but have trouble finishing them - certainly was the case last night. We're still panicking in the oppo's 20 and every now and again Thacks should just bloody run trough the gaps - he's quick enough over the short distance.

We do it the hard way and if we finish third and get to the GF it will mean at least we will have had one extra home game than if we'd have finished 2nd. Small consolation but nice to have the extra cash.

As a Keighley supporter i feel WE have the easiest way to the GF



Come on people,dont forget the Cougars




Fax Fev final without a doubt

Agree Chris, we need to look and learn from Fev topping the league for 3 years only losing 2/3 games per season is a great achievement, we are far too inconsistent something I never expected with Karl's teams and yet again have to look at the half backs who blow hot and cold.

yer it seems like we cannot score near the line yet the opposition seem to find it easy, where has our plan to have a strong defence gone it aint working! Plus we gave them good field position from some stupid penalties like challenging the man in the air from those bombs, stupid. The ref didn't help though letting that second knock on for their second or was it third try.

2nd spot has gone now as Leigh have two easy games and a superior scoring difference, I knew not putting York to the sword would come back to haunt us.
3rd spot is not a certainty as Batley will thrash York meaning if they beat us at the Shay even if we get a bonus pint they would go above us on scoring difference so we could finish 4th! We have to beat Batley end of story, we have messed it up by losing at Leigh a game we could have won with better application. Don't we make it hard for oursleves?
I am already looking to next year and with a couple of good signings like a decent half back then we could be up at the top with Fev, this year was all about transition winning the NRC was a bonus.

Looking at your squad you had this season I thought you were the team to take the league leaders shield from us I don't know who you will or won't be signing next season but I would of thought you would want to keep all this years playing squad would you

Just awaiting Penky's sig and we're almost there. Although there are some good 9s around so if he doesn't want a fax shirt I am sure we could attract some quality more than capable of filling his boots (albeit different playing style)

Tonks would be a massive boost but just have to wait and see.

Fax must be better next season, it will be KHs 2nd season with a settled squad so the consistency should improve.

TBH the league leaders shield is neither here of there (for me), the GF is the prize and I think we should be much better positioned next season to be strong favourites for this and much better positioned to stake a claim for a SL place.

Will Fev have the same consistency in 2013?

Dunno. Difficult to tell at this stage. Depends on how well we recruit. Barlow would have been a nice addition but it wasn't to be. So it's going to be a trawl to see what is available and who might want to come to fev. We'll see. I've never been one for making daft predictions.

Now that's a really worthwhile incentive!

Could be another cracking season in 2013.

Leigh have already re-signed: McNally; Maden; Littler; Gardner; Pownall; Ridyard; Ostick; Beswick; Parker; Goulden; Hopkins; Nicholson; Thornley and Briscoe; WE do need a good scrum half to replace Duffy, and a couple of big props though.

Absolutely amazed to be in with a chance of 2nd place, given our situation at the start of the season and have really enjoyed some of the games, including last night. Lately, (not just this season) there have been some belting games between Leigh and 'Fax.

Last night we allowed Ridyard a couple of very soft tries just allowing him to run at us, we on the other hand made two belting breaks in the right channel during the 2nd half, Casey running onto beautiful passes and hitting the hole but we bombed both. Although I feel we were third best on the night behind Leigh & the match officials we did create enough scoring chances to turn over a one-score game.
Kicking dead from the first play of the game, what's that all about ? I just got a feeling it was gonna be "one of those nights" even at that point in the proceedings !
We played poor & scored 28 points, I suggest the defence wasn't good enough.

Totally agree with this post. Where has the intensity gone from our first game at Dewsbury?

Batley 50 - York 0.

Only a win against the Dogs will do now to get the third spot as they have a better points difference.

Looking forward to the match, we have a table for the pre match dinner and the post match "chat"
Should be interesting!

Top teams in our league can all beat each other on the day and that's what has made this league such a good one to be part of this season. Credit to Leigh for achieving what they have done after their financial implosion at the end of last season.Team with momentum will go far in play off's. Come on Fax get back on the horse against Batley and then get on with the real serious stuff. If we dont do it, at least we have done very well with a new coach and loads of new players this season. Always chance to get better in 2013 as the boys settle down and get used to playing together.
Keep the faith!