Just read on club site Greg Nicholson out for a while with slipped disc. Also the club have received offer from a championship for Neil Lowe.

Greg has been one of the best and consistent players in my opinion.

bye bye Neil.

Bad luck Greg, he seems to have put a lot of work in during the off season and we are a better team for it.

Keighley Cougars injury troubled season continued with the news that loose forward Greg Nicholson will be ruled out for between three and four weeks with a slipped disc in his back.

Barry Eaton, the Keighley Cougars Head Coach, said: “It’s the story of our year so far. We get one player back from injury and then lose another. Last week Karl Gunney came back into the side after his hamstring injury and now we’ve lost Greg.

“Our physiotherapist Nigel Bondswell says that Greg can be treated but it could take three to four weeks for him to recover.

“Greg’s now having daily treatment as part of his rehabilitation programme.

“The good news is the Carl Hughes has stepped up his training as he recovers from his ankle ligament injury and we hope to have him back in the side very soon”.

Prop Craig Brown is unlikely to be in the reckoning for this Sunday’s Co-operative Championship One game at Blackpool Panthers.

His foot injury is responding to treatment but Eaton says: “We’ve decided to give him another weekend off because he’s still not moving as freely as we’d hoped.

“Now he’s got another week of rest and that should see him back to full fitness.”

In the meantime it looks as though Scottish World Cup squad back row forward Neil Lowe will be leaving the Cougars as they have received a serious enquiry from another Championship club.

Keighley said they would listen to offers for Lowe after he refused to play in a reserve team fixture.

The club have signed a forward from workington called ryan benjafield a former penrith panthers who has played for hull and rochdale, best thin is he as british passport so not on quota.

I have seen Benjafield play and he is quite a good player, and a good signing for us.

I just wonder if we are gonna sign the Whitehaven player we have been linked with(Ryan ?? can't remember his last name)

As for Neil Lowe, I think since the world cup, he has gotten a bad attitude, I watched the Oldham game on DVD and he gave Greg Nicholson a right bollocking for a missed tackle, and a few mins later, he missed one.

I hope we have turned the corner now and can win away, and hopefully have a 1st v 2nd when we play dewsbury.

Its Mcdonald and I doubt it to be honest, apparently he lives in Cumbria and would be unlikely to travel.

I have got to ask the question --- HOW MANY PROPS do we NEED ?.

ANDY,SIMON and SCOTT have done us very well for the last 2 seasons and improve every game. We never lose much in the middle defensively and we are pretty good at attack.
We have cover with all our other forwards, youngsters included who should be BLOODIED THIS season.

The old adage idle hands springs to mind , and id have hated being a squad player with a game every 2-3rd week.
If Brenden gets back in next few weeks and Craig Brown recovers in the next week as suggested, thats 6 Props on the books plus our youngsters.
NOT a Happy situation, unless the CLUB knows something WE dont know.
Like are we going to lose some of our established Props, in the near future?.
Or are we going to convert one or two to 2nd ROW, or even Centres
( JOKE)

I think its a good thing to have 5/6 props, look at the problems with Brendan stuck on a beach, shick with his knee and craig with his thumb (?). We need both cover and competition for places. This is a great move, far better to have the headache of who to play and how rather than oh my god who can play prop.

Personlly I like shick and bis on first and scott and brendan second, it just makes counting shirt numbers easier. Actually I find shick and bis stronger and scott and brendan quicker, then again do you mix the props and have both strength and speed on the pitch. I assume the new chap will come in for Brendan. (I can't see him coming back to the cougars sadly). I guess what type of prop you play must also come down to finding out who you are up against.

Good post reborn .

But the problem lies with the 2-3 Props you have who are not playing what do they do on game day sit at home reading .
You cannot rely on 2-3 Props being permently injured, God forbid these lads have Jobs to do to feed their families, so i hope we have NO injuries.
Aslo if we continue this idea of having 3-4 players for each position fighting for a place as stated for COMPETITION, thats going to be a mighty BIG squad of players and expensive if your also paying money to players NOT actually worthy of a game , or not playing because there is no room for them.
How do they all stay sharp and match fit ?. How do they compete if they dont get a game to prove their abilities and one game every now and then isnt the answer .
Reborn its a minefield, certainly for players.
I repect baz knows what he needs to do and he has acted but as a player id be concerned, and looking for another club.

Players on the fringe will I would have thought keep sharp in reserves, All players know they are part of a squad no matter which club they play for.

I agree some will be less content than others but competition for places no matter what position is good in my humble opinion.

I only see 5 props and Craig is currently out (is that right?). So 4 slots, 4 props but they have to work hard to keep their place for when others get fit /arrive on a boat from aussie.

I think it is a great spot to make them all work a wee bit harder.

Still the same argument , i have no issue with your premise but with respect the Reserves and training do not constitute competing , its commonly called understudying .
You can be as good even better than the lad in the spot but often thats where youll stay as back up.Its how the system works
Look at our current crop of lads over this last 3 seasons coming through Academy and reserves how many play 1st team.But there are some good lads playing who really should be moving on to get a game .

As a player your either 1st team or nowt.
At a certain point being understudy is not an option.