Well we are at Thursday and no discussion yet - no interest?

Who is going up to Whitehaven? Or are some of us going to Keighley?

I will see you in Whitehaven via Keswick and Skiddaw - win or lose - a great weekend ahead.

(Rain or shine)

Far too interested in Jarrod Sammut not coming back I think...

I'll be there. First time for ....ooh, well yonks I guess. Can't remember the last game there, though my abiding memory of Whitehaven is the unfortunate one of the coaches being bricked as we left, way back in the seventies[?, but I'm sure it's not the same today.

Must admit, it's going to grounds like the rec, and various others not visited since Adam was a lad, and Terry Price was kicking for the Northern, that really appeals to me this year.

Really keen to go but not sure I can justify the 3 hour drive each way for an 80 minute game! Supporting a team hurts sometimes.

I'll be going, can't wait. As Bulliac says, visiting some of these old school grounds is a plus side of been relegated.

Think it will be a tough game and we'll have to grind this out.

Heavy rain forecast for Sunday so it will be a slog in the mud.

I'm not going to this one but if I was, I would almost certainly use the coaches put on by the club rather than do the 240 mile round trip myself.

And if it does turn out to be heavy rain on Sunday, then that is very frustrating. Sidlow is quoted as saying the haven pitch is quite wide by comparison - it would have been nice to have plenty of space on a firm pitch to really open them up. If it's a mudbath then I can't see us doing that.

Me too!

There are some definite advantages to life in the Championship and re-visiting these grounds and destinations is one of them...

My son was born on 1996, he only remembers the glory years and the subsequent crash. So he absolutely loves this stuff and all the old stories of bricks through windows, coach getting lost after the 73 Wembley disaster etc...

We must be a similar age but young at heart of course

You must be very young. Can I assure you that you missed a lot. Back in the day, when there was no such things by and large as motorways, pretty much any away fixture was a bit of an expedition, and a whole day job, and it made matchday a fantastic adventure for a young kid. Setting off at crack of dawn for such exotic locations, sarnies and flasks packed. Then, once I was old enough to drive, it was a trip I looked forward to a lot, it's a fantastic drive, up through the Dales and Lakes, and some great stop-offs, such as the Watermill at Ing. Or if you're fearless, return via the Hard Knott and Wry Nose passes. Steep? There were goats turning back! Those were the days, and I'm not even kidding a bit. Eeeh bah gum, kids today, don't know they're born.

Haha mate, that's a pretty good guess (I'm 21). Don't forget the cost of fuel these days is pretty ridiculous!
However, your post has persuaded me to book a coach seat from the Top House. See you all there. Coach sets off at 9am so might even be able to get a decent walk in, depending on the weather. COYB.

Now [ithat's[/i the spirit!

Don't forget a decent sized hipflask. Capn Morgan Spiced Rum is always a good un or else JD

Yeah if you're a tart.

The Booaza drinks cherry brandy

19 Man for Sunday

Adam Henry, Adam O’Brien, Adrian Purtell, Adam Sidlow, Alex Mellor, Dale Ferguson, Dan Fleming, Danny Addy, Danny Williams, Epalahame Lauaki, Etu Uaisele, Jay Pitts, Jean-Philippe Baile, Lee Gaskell, Paul Clough, Ryan Shaw, Steve Crossley, Tom Olbison, Vila Halafihi.

So it's likely Shaw back to FB then

FB: Shaw
RW: Williams
RC: Purtell
LC: Henry
LW: Uaisele
SO: Gaskell
SH: Addy
PR: Sidlow
HK: O'Brien
PR: Clough
SR: Ferguson
SR: Olbison
LF: Pitts

Subs: Lauaki, Fleming, Baile and Crossley, but the last two I'd imagine would be based on their fitness following injury

Shaw
Williams
Purtell
Henry
Uaisele
Gaskell
Addy
Sidlow
AoB
Clough
Olbison
Ferguson
Pitts

Mellor
Halafihi
Fleming
Lauaki

Not risking Crossley and not playing Baile because the current centres deserve to keep their places.

Wouldn't bother risking Crossley or JPB. Let them have a other week, send the entire squad on a weeks break/holiday, come back a week on Monday 100% fir, fresh, energized ready for the second part of the season.

Also wouldn't change the team after last weeks superb performance, think that will be the first time this year we've played the same 17 back to back.

I agree with this... Plus I think Mellor deserves to keep his spot... He is becoming a real prospect IMO

Slightly pedantic, but the 17 is different (no Mullaney)

Some think I am a tart, but I couldn't possibly comment ...

I'd go with this. Hopefully Halafihi can get on for a decent stint at hooker to give OB a break and get him some gametime. Last chance saloon for lauaki for me, if he doesnt make more impact then one of tahroui, crossley or davies to replace him next game.

...because you have a mouth full of cumberland sausage?

OOOh err missus..

That's a good point. Its not unknown to totally rest athletes, in our case Rugby I.e. I was training under a coach and when I told him I was away in New York for 10 days he was disappointed and worried. However when I got back I was feeling totally fresh and ripped into what I had to do. I am not sure that will happen but there is definitely a case for it.

Didn't Nobby do that once or twice during his tenure? I'm not sure if Macca did.

Not sure about Nobby. In the T&A JL says he does not believe in burn out. Mmmm really. I respectfully disagree. I know players have to harden physically in the process of playing. But it sounds more like putting all his eggs in one basket. I have voiced an opinion about some rotation. Trying to read behind the lines I just hope we are not getting into mindset of being afraid to lose. Rather we will use all the clubs resources to win whoever we play.

Two related issues here: burn out and putting players on the pitch with injury niggles. I know, as ever, we seem to have a a number of injury issues already but surely the reason behind building a large strong squad was to allow some rotation to try to keep at least 17 of the squad in peak condition for each game, and ensure competition for places. I know AOB has come on leaps and bounds this season which JL puts down to plenty of game time - but what does this do for the other two hookers in the squad? If god forbid AOB picks up a serious injury someone would have to step in with little or no playing time so far in 1st team games.
Still I suppose after the last few years it is nice to have this problem?

:3jqs4taz
Yeah, agree with that.

People are individuals and have different responses to stimuli and whilst there is bound to be the odd athlete who doesn't appear to be affected by 'burn out', it's only because it affects different people at different levels - reach his level and he's gone.

I agree with NR too, what's the point of the squad if they're not going to get a game? We have no reserve team and you can't farm them all out to give them some game time - come the time they will be needed.

I'm not sure how to take Jimmy's statements, to be honest. He's a cute cookie, so I'm certain he knows both the score [i:3jqs4tazand [/i and maybe the statements in the press, as they sometimes are, are really for internal consumption, rather than for the public?