I’ve had a feeling all week that Fev may be pushed very close by Batley tomorrow (your today). I look forward to checking the scores when I wake up. Fev are feeling the pressure and are a team with some players carrying injuries of one level or another. I wish them no ill-will but just think Batley are the type of grafting team that fits Fevs playing field and challenges them at just the wrong time for Fev.
I’m probably wrong but ………..,,

Yes, for all those reasons it could be a close one. I think Fev are favourites but i fancy an upset too.

Batley will now probably lose by over 50!

Think Feath and Leigh are stand outs this year. Sure Batley will give it a good go but think they will fall short.

If this match had been played the week after we'd played them then I think Batley would have a far stronger chance, the break has helped heal bodies and minds, but given that Batley almost beat them in the previous fixture I think Fev will be wishing to make quite the point this time around.

Come on Batley !
16-18 up at the half.

16-18 at half time to Batley. Guess they were playing down the hillside 1st half!.

Job half done!

If it stays close, which it probably won't, then the pressure could be well and truly be on Fev towards the end of the game. I reckon they cannot afford another defeat if they aim to finish top of the league by the end of the season.

This game could just get very interesting

20-28 to Batley with 10 mins left. Now the pressure is on Fev.

Full time 20-28 to the Dogs

Well done Batley. Great result for Leigh

Well that’s certainly turned the pressure up on Fev. Well done Batley. They will be over moon and nearly as happy as me !

Advantage Leythers

We will now really see the benefit of our well balanced and younger squad, and an experienced coaching team who know how to best rotate it.
Charnley this season was not essential but can now be a master stroke, keeping our back line fresh, hungry for a place, and the points rolling on the board.
We have experienced what Fev are likely going to face now. An older squad, who are starting to hurt and still have the hardest part of the season to come.
I will keep saying that I am counting no chickens, but things are certainly looking very good through my rose tinted glasses.

How a season can un-ravel in one month.

Featherstone's closest rival is now York City Knights

We need to remember that also.
But I think we have the set-up to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Good initial call VL

.

It’s not all cut and dried top two finish( for Fev , the have York at home us Barrow and Fax away from home yet

Just looking at the format for the play-offs on page 12 and 13 of the RFL Operational Rules.
My understanding is, if Fev come 3rd they would play whoever comes 4th at home in the first week of the play-offs. The loser being eliminated. If Leigh finish first they get a bye in week one and in week 2 play the winner of 3rd v 4th at home with the winner going to the Grand Final. The home team for the Grand Final is the higher ranking team from the regular season. So if leigh finish top and reach the Grand Final they will be at home.

Sorry my post above is incorrect. If Fev come 3rd they would play whoever comes 6th at home in the first week of the play-offs. The loser being eliminated. If Leigh finish first they get a bye in week one and in week 2 play the winner of 3rd v 6th at home with the winner going to the Grand Final. The home team for the Grand Final is the higher ranking team from the regular season. So if leigh finish top and reach the Grand Final they will be at home. This is the link to the if anyone can make sense of it! https://www.rugby-league.com/flipbooks/ ... .html#p=12

Sorry my post above is incorrect. If Fev come 3rd they would play whoever comes 6th at home in the first week of the play-offs. The loser being eliminated. If Leigh finish first they get a bye in week one and in week 2 play the winner of 3rd v 6th at home with the winner going to the Grand Final. The home team for the Grand Final is the higher ranking team from the regular season. So if leigh finish top and reach the Grand Final they will be at home. This is the link to the if anyone can make sense of it! https://www.rugby-league.com/flipbooks/ ... .html#p=12

Well done VL for daring to post what Bongser had been wondering for the previous fortnight. This party was enjoying Leigh’s longest spell in top spot this season and had sussed that a win at Sheffield would guarantee us another 8 nights of sweet dreams. However a subsequent and dearly hoped for Batley victory at Fev would ensure that, regardless of the latter’s result hosting Newcastle or indeed Leigh’s result at Odsal (hopefully another triumph and one without the grandstand finish we had to endure in the Cup tie) The Cherry & Whites would still bestride The Championship pile on Bongser’s birthday.

One doesn’t wish for much at this age on yet another birthday (general good health for those nearest and dearest, a card or hug from ones daughters, a few beers and then to lie down at the end of it with La Jeunesse), but Batley have made it a promised-to-be special one.

Cheers Bulldogs.

Bongser hopes L.I.S.A. doesn't organise coaches for those games - they are at LSV!



One by one, Leigh chickens are hatching.

Its only Barrow at home we have played and beat Fax home and away...

Correck!

No matter how many hatch, don’t count the little buggers yet BnB

I see that there is total meltdown on the Fev Fans Forum on the Total Rugby League website following their defeat to Batley.

If anyone has not seen what their fans are saying and wants a chuckle then I highly recommend having a peek at the forum. Wow! Total hysteria! How fickle confidence can be. If you look at what they were saying prior to the 1895 Cup final, which i note, was exactly one calendar month ago to the day, and contrast it to what is now being said. Its interesting to say the least.