So onto our nearest and dearest. Surely we're due a win after they comfortably beat us 3 times last year including a humiliating defeat with an extra man for the entire game.

Hard to call this. Fax seem up and down, including in the 80 minutes. We've been much better this season but when we've been bad, the bad habits of trying to take short cuts have reared their ugly head from last season and we've stank the place out. However when we've played well we've won this year.

If we suffer two Derby defeats however, it will be a sore one for the fans. Particularly as we've made a promising start this year. Ignoring the bragging rights at stake, it's a pivotal game this one.

Agreed. If we perform like we did at Keighley then we'll get beaten and all the goodwill the team and coach have built up will evaporate. Would be good to have Thompson back if he's fit. We need a grown up on the field when it gets tough to stop the headless chicken play.

Sadly, i think we're going to be subjected to social media videos of the Fax players singing childish songs and Grix doing one of his self-congratulatory interviews. Can't wait

That guy's never going to kiss a girl

Some big decisions to be made next week in terms of selection.
Holmes in the halves Jowitt at the back?
Appo to an edge?
Lilley at 9?
Tompson back in at 13?
Who starts at prop along side Baldy?
Has Lawford done enough?
Just Tindall on DR?
Too early to throw Turgut in?
Any new players signed this week?

Going to be some moving and shaking this week with the 3 bans along side Lawrence, England, Walker and Matongo still missing and serious doubts over Gilly.

I can honestly say i havnt a clue what team we will put out!!

Fax have made a forward signing already in time for our game.

What position did Turgut play

He played prop and was quite impressive for a first run out.

Might well be worth playing him then rogers and Johnson are a big miss

I think you deserve a pat on the back for that comment.

Up
The
Fax
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Literally

I’d go:

Holmes
Tindall
Arundel
Blackmore (played a few games at C in SL)
Foggin-Johnston
Patton
Lawford
Baldwinson
Lilley
Scurr
Butler
Wallace
Thompson

Flanagan
Appo
Turgut/Green
Foster

Dunning said after game against Midlands Gill could feature, which would be a huge boost. I think he will bring Lawford off the bench for this one and put Lilley in at Hooker.

Looking one short in the forwards with so many injuries and suspensions.

Hope Gill's fit as a makeshift option at centre has disaster written all over it.

Jayden Myers he’s a centre give him a run out

I'm all for giving youngsters a go by its too soon for Myers. He's only played against York Acorn and Midlands. Making your championship debut in a Derby at Halifax could be a disaster.

Presuming we get Tindall again, I'd rather him or Blackmore at centre.

I wouldn’t give it to blackmore just because he played a few games earlier in his career Dosent mean he can play centre like pickersgill at stand off

I played a bit at centre about 30 years ago, maybe I should have a go?

Just shows that going into the season with only two bona-fide centres has blown up in our faces. IMO Blackmore isn't so good with his lateral movement and could easily get caught out in the centres. It's a really difficult position to play defensively as every decision is a potential try saver.

Picking Myers would be a real baptism of fire for a kid. I'm still hopeful that Gill makes it, even if he's only 70% fit.

If there's no Gill I'd probably go with Myers but have Blackmore, Tindall or DFJ outside him. Preferably whoever is the best communicator who can nurse him through positionally. I'd also not have Appo inside him for that reason - Myers will need an experienced backrower who's a good talker on his right to help with the inevitable traffic that would come his way.

Unsure on this one . Need to see the teams .hopefully fax will have their game heads on and a win is on the cards.

With all the real ale you drink I'd want heavy duty rubber gauntlets to do your prostate exam.

I get that a makeshift centre isn't ideal and against anyone else bar Fev, I'd have Myers. But Fax, especially away is too early for him. I don't fancy him going up against McComb or Maizen. Out of all the outfield players only Butler and Blackmore have played centre before. After Butler's showing at Keighley, I don't think I'd have him there. But rather as the 'experienced' back rower on Blackmores inside shoulder. Otherwise you tell me, who else would you have if Gill isn't fit? Luis Roberts is a centre from Leeds? Shall we go down that road again?

Mmm. eusa_naughty.gif

Centre is probably our weakest position, I'm not even sure we have a centre at the club.

All in all should be a decent game, if it comes down to quality then Fax should win pretty comfortably but given both teams form is all over the place anything really could happen.

Everyone else is playing this Friday so not only are we likely to lose this match, we're also losing three days of recovery time on Batley

So the pre match interview, Dunning says 2 new Super League loanees potentially for this game. If we get someone experienced, who understands the competitiveness with Fax, then I’ll take that as evidence he’s learnt after the Roberts & Ruan problem. And the player who fits the bill would be Donaldson. If he’s in the squad, I’ll be very pleased. Especially if as expected Bodene is ready to play also.