I can see the advantages of 3 games vs SL opposition, players know the required standard before we hit the ground running at Leigh.

You're thinking Cas & Leeds Mat? Both relatively local. High standard. I could go with that.

Those 3 teams are also unlikely to be in the middle 8 at the end of the year as well.

And we're opening up Odsal for at least 1 game.

I don't really see any point playing our usual pre-season game vs Dewsbury for example.

January at Odsal is a miserable experience and against Huddersfield even more miserable still. I wouldn't go to it but if it benefits the team great.

I love our game at Dewsbury but for the greater good perhaps it wouldn't help us this year.

you will probably win as id imagine we will be fielding a mainly youngsters like the last time you beat us

thought id escaped having to go to odsal again

That is exactly the way I'd view it, and to be honest it's exactly what we did as an SL side. Certainly we put a large first team contingent out for 20 mins but it was mostly the juniors, a situation I don't think will benefit us over much now.

Well, its lucky for you that we're playing them.... on April 6th

a game at york i think would be a good game ,

It was a real shame York didn't come up, and with the commitment to play all our friendlies against SL teams our only chance would be in the cup.

The obvious game against 'lower' opposition would be Keighley

Aren't we duel reg with them next year....

Are we? First I've heard of that, though I'd agree it makes sense if it's allowed for championship clubs, that is?

I hope they push the link up through quickly because it makes sense on so many levels. Not only do Keighley hold us in high regard, viewing us as a benevolent big brother, but they are also very comfortable with duel registration and the way it is policed.

Go on, post that on the Cougar board....I dare you!!

TROLL MODE INITIATED: I don't think they have the internet in BD20-22 do they? TROLL MODE OFF

Some kind of analogue version, I believe. I think it works by burning vehicles on Braithwaite and then wafting rugs at it and trying to control the smoke. Biggest trouble seems to be that no-one really knows whether the well known problems of reading it are caused by poor wafting or poor spelling..

Friendly against Leeds too as Jamie Peacock testimonial. Don't know the date though.

It was being reported via Facebook that we are playing Castleford for Andy Lynch's Testimonial on January 11th (although I can't locate a link now)

If true, then with Huddersfield on the 28th, it would seem we'd play Leeds on January 25th

Confirmed by the T & A that we travel to Cas to play the Tigers on Sunday 11th January for Andy Lynch's testimonial. Kick off is 2:30pm. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... stimonial/

Confirmed by the T & A that we travel to Cas to play the Tigers on Sunday 11th January for Andy Lynch's testimonial. Kick off is 2:30pm. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... stimonial/

would it have been better to play at least one Championship club to gauge the opposition

Rather play the super league teams as that is where our fate will be decided. We'll finish in the top 4 in the championship.

Great that we're part of Andy's testimonial. Great servant to RL, scandal he's not received more international honours.

I have a lot of respect for andy lynch and his work ethic domestically. We always knew that he'd never have left cas unless they'd gone down so I'm glad he's got over the hull blip and gone home. I personally think he's got as many international call ups as warranted which is not to say he isn't a valuable and dependable player at domestic level.

is no big deal anyway. We have a big squad, with a fair few players the coaching staff will want to evaluate in match conditions, so I guess it won't matter whether we get games against SL squad players and juniors or championship teams.

Im glad we're playing classy Cas as Andy Lynch's testimonial as like alot have said, he's been a very important player and person to rugby league and deserves all he gets.

Just got to remember how he didnt get a place on the bench for 2005 GF when Morley came over early to play for us. He has been unlucky not to play more for GB/Eng but Lynchy has been and is still a prominent player for Castleford and RL

Leeds at Headingley on the 25th confirmed in T and A today for JPs testimonial.

Linchy has been great for both Cas Tigers and Bradford Bulls. Hope to see a lot of support for this game down at the Jungle.