anyone notice a reduced number of first team pre season matches, looks like most teams (apart from the leeds/wakey boxing day money maker) are only playing once vs SL opposition

[quote="number 6":2s5xp3qc]anyone notice a reduced number of first team pre season matches, looks like most teams (apart from the leeds/wakey boxing day money maker) are only playing once vs SL opposition[/quote:2s5xp3qc] I wonder whether friendlies count towards the number of minutes players are allowed to play with the new rules coming in this year. Could be a factor potentially? There's also the guarantee of Super League clubs playing a lower league team in the Cup as the first competitive fixture, so clubs may look at that as an additional semi pre season match.

[quote="B0NES":1ilq43f6]Heard Rapana has picked up an injury now .[/quote:1ilq43f6] It’s not a bad one. Will miss Catalan and Wigan should be ok the week after.

[quote="Faithful One":39yp8819]I wonder whether friendlies count towards the number of minutes players are allowed to play with the new rules coming in this year. Could be a factor potentially? There's also the guarantee of Super League clubs playing a lower league team in the Cup as the first competitive fixture, so clubs may look at that as an additional semi pre season match.[/quote:39yp8819] Not sure if the playing minute guidelines are the same as those proposed for 2024? Those were primarily for forwards playing 25 games (totalling 80 mins) and backs 30 games, per season. Therefore, it is unlikely any player would get near those numbers when considering most forwards only play 40-60 mins per game, plus most players will miss a game or two through injury/suspension.

[quote="Rugby Raider":bmu08yys]Not sure if the playing minute guidelines are the same as those proposed for 2024? Those were primarily for forwards playing 25 games (totalling 80 mins) and backs 30 games, per season. Therefore, it is unlikely any player would get near those numbers when considering most forwards only play 40-60 mins per game, plus most players will miss a game or two through injury/suspension.[/quote:bmu08yys] Remember reading the below article how a few players would have met the threshold this year. Will take some thinking about for some clubs, can you imagine a player being unable to play in a Grand Final because he's played too many. Probably not going to be a problem for us though, maybe one day https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... ore-target

[quote="Rugby Raider":bmu08yys]Not sure if the playing minute guidelines are the same as those proposed for 2024? Those were primarily for forwards playing 25 games (totalling 80 mins) and backs 30 games, per season. Therefore, it is unlikely any player would get near those numbers when considering most forwards only play 40-60 mins per game, plus most players will miss a game or two through injury/suspension.[/quote:bmu08yys] Remember reading the below article how a few players would have met the threshold this year. Will take some thinking about for some clubs, can you imagine a player being unable to play in a Grand Final because he's played too many. Probably not going to be a problem for us though, maybe one day https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... ore-target

If Rapana is out, hopefully not serious, no issue with Moy starting at FB, have heard he is really impressing in training and some of the new overseas players have been shocked how good he has been.

Yes Moy will have a lot more experience and more quality around him this season, so JC can drip feed the likes of Moy, Martin, Barron, Charles, Jebson, Staveley, Westerman.

Cust and Sezer then [url:1v8jlpnz]https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/jordan-abdull-injury-update-worst-9835883[/url:1v8jlpnz]

Who'd have thought that the injury prone abdul would be injured again? Is this the same knee injury that has plagued him in recent years? Who the hell signed off a marquee contract for him? We all know that in a month or two we'll be getting him operated on. It should have been done when it happened

Not ideal, but good to have Cust, better than Smith and Brown at halfback.

[quote="Jake the Peg":1sxiges8]Who'd have thought that the injury prone abdul would be injured again? Is this the same knee injury that has plagued him in recent years? Who the hell signed off a marquee contract for him? We all know that in a month or two we'll be getting him operated on. It should have been done when it happened[/quote:1sxiges8] its why catalan wanted rid and didnt want any part of him for 2025 this is classic JA and he will average 7-10 games if youre lucky great player but riddled with injuries and ill self discipline

Rovers and Catalans refused to get his knee cleaned out as he was off. Not sure why we've chosen not to get it sorted though.

I doubt Abdul will see out a year at hull never mind three.

[quote="B0NES":2k7b0pqd]I doubt Abdul will see out a year at hull never mind three.[/quote:2k7b0pqd] Laughing his teets off then on a 3 year marquee contract. Madness

[quote="Jake the Peg":1dlduv5a]Who'd have thought that the injury prone abdul would be injured again? Is this the same knee injury that has plagued him in recent years? Who the hell signed off a marquee contract for him? We all know that in a month or two we'll be getting him operated on. It should have been done when it happened[/quote:1dlduv5a] In Ritchie Rich we trust Wont be the last of this Saga squad

[quote="Jake the Peg":3bsh7hty]Laughing his teets off then on a 3 year marquee contract. Madness[/quote:3bsh7hty] Does it matter if he's marquee? All it does it keep his cap value lower, especially if he's our home grown marquee

[quote="mwindass":30rqz0or]Does it matter if he's marquee? All it does it keep his cap value lower, especially if he's our home grown marquee[/quote:30rqz0or] but a three year contract does just like the other average Joes on 2/3 year deals

[quote="bonaire":122zw8pm]but a three year contract does just like the other average Joes on 2/3 year deals[/quote:122zw8pm] Depends on what the 'average joes' are on doesn't it? We've obviously got spare cap space for this season with us signing Salabio and ready to sign Cross if/when Salford go belly up.

[quote="bonaire":3raxv8if]but a three year contract does just like the other average Joes on 2/3 year deals[/quote:3raxv8if] Wondered when you'd pipe up. Any negative news and your like a rat up a drainpipe

[quote="bonaire":1xoa871s]but a three year contract does just like the other average Joes on 2/3 year deals[/quote:1xoa871s] Depends what's in the contract though, doesn't it?

If we had a team full of "average Joes" wouldn't we finish mid-table..?

[quote="ComeOnYouUll":bxsgvteh]If we had a team full of "average Joes" wouldn't we finish mid-table..?[/quote:bxsgvteh] A team full of FC Joe's would be a great off season thread. 1 2 3 Joe Arundel 4 5 6 7 8 9 Joe Lovodua 10 11 Joe Cator 12 13 Joe Westerman I'm struggling after that.....

Yep Sezer and Cust as half's for start of the season. My optimism for the new season has just taken a knock.

Oh boy things are quiet!!!! I can recall just 9 more Joe's who played for us and that just about gives us a team, although a lot would have to play out of position!!!!. I think looking at the stuff I have its difficult to furnish a full FC team with joes. Of course there was Joe Brown loose forward or half back, the famous Joe Oliver full back and we also had a Joe Ramsden a second row who played for us in 1942 on loan from rovers because they didn't run a war time team. More recently there was Joe Bullock who played two games on loan from Salford for us. Joe Hamill was a prop in the 1914/15 season There was also a Joe 'Cloggy Clarke' but about him I know nothing Then stretching it a bit, there's young Joe Thompson Joe Ward and Joe Turner who play for our current academy

[quote="mwindass":3q0cjspt]Rovers and Catalans refused to get his knee cleaned out as he was off. Not sure why we've chosen not to get it sorted though.[/quote:3q0cjspt] Rovers got rid because he turned up preseason massively over weight, he then had hamstring issues at Catalan