[quote="bonaire":25zcffjk]Thing is Steve do we really need to be paying anyone to come up with a revamped C/C competition I agree the RFL are pretty useless but in this digital age all they had to do was ask fans for their ideas about revamping the C/C. using this approach rather than spending what is likely to be millions on the Speadsheet Charlies IMG who know sweet FA about the game would most likely have come up with far better solutions to enhance the sport than what IMG have so far delivered. Lets hope the NRL come in sooner than later and get rid of IMG before they bankrupt the RFL[/quote:25zcffjk] Something needs to change with it, for me and I imagine most other fans, it doesn't really get interesting until the quarter/semi final, even then, given the small no. of top flight teams, it gets boring playing the same teams over and over. If we're paying for the 'spreadsheet Charlie's' for the next ten years, we might as well use them, rather than listening to chairmen that care about themselves only

The CC has been dying on it's ar$e for a few years now and change was needed but I don't think the changes the RFL /IMG have made will stop its decline . Both need to go back to the drawing board asap to come up with a better plan .

[quote="Mr. Zucchini Head":22h9qg9m]I just don't see what meaningful practice and fitness they are going to get playing against amateur opposition. For me it's just about getting through it without injuries. I would look at the squad and say, which players can we not afford to be without for the start of the season. Those guys wouldn't play. There is no point. Moy Martin Westerman Briscoe Barron Cust Kemp Sao Balmforth Aydin Lane Jebson Gardiner Salabio Fash Hutchison Kirby A smattering of first teamers to show respect to York Acorn and the competition, another chance for a few of the youngsters to make an impact, and guys like Asiata, Rapana and Sezer wrapped in cotton wool. Even with that team I would expect to be winning by at least 80.[/quote:22h9qg9m] It’s about going through drills they’ve learned on the training ground and having a ‘game head’ on, giving players match fitness. So there’s every point imo

[quote="Steve0":3b7n7edm]IMG had suggestions to revamp the cc didn't they with group stages and two legged semi finals? The club's I imagine rejected it, the RFL came up with this ill thought out novel idea, now they're looking to revamp it again. Don't spend 500k a year on consultants if you're not going to listen to them! The club's thinking they know best is why IMG were brought in in the first place. The third round draw would've been better if super league clubs weren't seeded, could've been a few big teams out early doors that way and an amateur/champ team would've had more chance of getting to a later round, thereby rekindling the magic of the cup, rather than it's current state[/quote:3b7n7edm] I think maybe as the word suggests img we’re consulting. Ie a discussion with rather than a directive to the clubs. Img are amongst other things trying to make money for the game. The clubs are trying to make money too but can’t do this by having players play too many games. If most teams can develop sizeable squads filled with youth then fair enough. For me clubs need to have a reserve team and at same time be able to afford a sizeable squad. It’s a conundrum. Given that there is a limited reserve league then the cc certainly needs some youth in it. But clubs need to imprint their training on match day. I’m sure Cartwright knows all this better than us

[quote="Ellam":3rt423qa]Surely Asiata play first half with Cust then rest them, can see Balmforth going in halves 2nd half. Kemp Barron Jebson Westerman Martin Moy Cust Fash Balmforth Aydin Holmes Kirby Asiata Subs Ashworth Gardiner Hutchinson Salabio[/quote:3rt423qa] Don't think that's far off, although Johnston is a centre I think, so I'd play him there and Jebson off the bench, maybe instead of Ashworth. Anyone know of Wainhouse is injured, not seen him mentioned at all during pre season?

[quote="Steve0":tv7vzqic]Something needs to change with it, for me and I imagine most other fans, it doesn't really get interesting until the quarter/semi final, even then, given the small no. of top flight teams, it gets boring playing the same teams over and over. If we're paying for the 'spreadsheet Charlie's' for the next ten years, we might as well use them, rather than listening to chairmen that care about themselves only[/quote:tv7vzqic] I think fan input is great as we want bums on seats but img etc have the responsibility of using the competition to market the game and make money amongst other things. Whatever you think of the RFL and IMG they have a tough job. We need the game on terrestrial tv but not Wigan v Isle of Skye ARLFC

[quote="Dave K.":tenmwkdh]Anyone know of Wainhouse is injured, not seen him mentioned at all during pre season?[/quote:tenmwkdh] It was in the HDM last week that he was back in full training after his ACL rupture. I don't think we will be rushing him into anything after such a long recovery.

[quote="C for Cuckoo":y3v2q88h]It was in the HDM last week that he was back in full training after his ACL rupture. I don't think we will be rushing him into anything after such a long recovery.[/quote:y3v2q88h] Missed that, but he did play a couple of times for the academy at the end of last season, so you would think he would ready now?

[quote="TnT":1y640rx7]I think fan input is great as we want bums on seats but img etc have the responsibility of using the competition to market the game and make money amongst other things. Whatever you think of the RFL and IMG they have a tough job. We need the game on terrestrial tv but not Wigan v Isle of Skye ARLFC[/quote:1y640rx7] Can anyone tell me what IMG have done to market and make money for the game? The answer is sweet FA If IMG was an individual person working for a company he would have been sacked by now

[quote="bonaire":2fgvp3va]Can anyone tell me what IMG have done to market and make money for the game? The answer is sweet FA If IMG was an individual person working for a company he would have been sacked by now[/quote:2fgvp3va] Tell me sir what would you do different to those who are and have been trying in recent years to resuscitate our great game and guarantee long term sustainability. There’s a lot of criticism so let’s have some ideas, pls

[quote="TnT":3rgvq3oj]Tell me sir what would you do different to those who are and have been trying in recent years to resuscitate our great game and guarantee long term sustainability. There’s a lot of criticism so let’s have some ideas, pls[/quote:3rgvq3oj] Here you go Super league needs to pull away from the RFL and align themselves to teams in the NRL. That alone would would enhance the game in the UK when you have Aussie fans and media following their UK team Increase the cap substantially so that the UK game has a lot more superstars on view.Thats the way you can really start to market the game when R/L superstars become household names and people start to follow them and the game. The interlink of an Aussie club and a UK club could also be used as an outside quota means of a limited interchange of players during a season. TV will always follow success and trying to get TV deals for a product that lacks an audience and Superstars is the wrong way round. The NRL is a great product but they also spend big on marketing and dont stand still. The RFL have over the years proved to be not fit for purpose so if we now have a sport where most of the S/L teams have wealthy owners it should be time to ditch the RFL and IMG with it.

Hull should win by 70 plus points today.

[quote="Captain Dave":3tscx3z2]Hull should win by 70 plus points today.[/quote:3tscx3z2] Think it will be closer than that, a lot of young kids will be playing and they will try and make it as physical as possible.

[quote="Captain Dave":1uo2gii9]Hull should win by 70 plus points today.[/quote:1uo2gii9] Unlikely given the young side but a chance for them to impress Cartwright.

[quote="ComeOnYouUll":2ubnlpkb]Unlikely given the young side but a chance for them to impress Cartwright.[/quote:2ubnlpkb] Acorn are a mid table NCL side , I can see Hull posting that 70 plus score and getting a record away win even with only a limited number of first team players selected. The amateur teams facing SL opposition are all just hoping to keep the score down. Also Acorn have had very limited gametime too, I don't think the NCL season has started yet.

Don't care how many we score today as long as we get some more miles in the legs and most importantly no injuries.

There’s very little evidence on which to guess what the gap will be. I think I saw something saying that this will be Hull’s first game against a community team in 27 years. If you’d have put out your first team, it’d have been one-way traffic, check the all-time records book. It still might be. At first, when I saw the squad, I thought it might be interesting to see how so many of these kids go in one team. But you’d probably learn more from any given Reserves game - it just feels different because this is officially a first-team match. Stab in the dark, I’ll say 20 by half-time, 60 by the end.

[quote="Yippee try yay":2lhdhhft]Don't care how many we score today as long as we get some more miles in the legs and most importantly no injuries.[/quote:2lhdhhft] Correct. I totally get why they would set the bar as high as possible so they can later claim we underperformed but a good run out and no injuries matters more than the margin of victory. Points difference doesn't matter in the Cup.

[quote="ComeOnYouUll":3rr0fwxg]Correct. I totally get why they would set the bar as high as possible so they can later claim we underperformed but a good run out and no injuries matters more than the margin of victory. Points difference doesn't matter in the Cup.[/quote:3rr0fwxg] That's exactly what they're doing, if we only win by 30-40 they can come on here and say well we beat proper York by more than you did amateur York blah blah blah it's so predictable.

[quote="Yippee try yay":2mdi0j7e]That's exactly what they're doing, if we only win by 30-40 they can come on here and say well we beat proper York by more than you did amateur York blah blah blah it's so predictable.[/quote:2mdi0j7e] To a degree, yes, of course. It depends, as well, on whether you go with the strongest 17 from the 21. Rotating a middle of Ashworth, Aydin, Asiata, Fash and Salabio against amateurs would be absolutely crushing. It makes me think, on reflection, that 60 might be pessimistic from a Hull FC perspective. 30-40 is just setting expectations in the other direction. Unless you include all the kids with the higher-30s squad numbers named in the 21 and get a man sent off early, there’s about as much chance of it being only a 30-point margin as there is of me beating stockfish at chess.

[quote="Mild Rover":10l47rxm]To a degree, yes, of course. It depends, as well, on whether you go with the strongest 17 from the 21. Rotating a middle of Ashworth, Aydin, Asiata, Fash and Salabio against amateurs would be absolutely crushing. It makes me think, on reflection, that 60 might be pessimistic from a Hull FC perspective. 30-40 is just setting expectations in the other direction. Unless you include all the kids with the higher-30s squad numbers named in the 21 and get a man sent off early, there’s about as much chance of it being only a 30-point margin as there is of me beating stockfish at chess.[/quote:10l47rxm] I imagine most of the 1st teamers named in the squad will play, Asiata is starting and captaining the team but I can see him and Cust being withdrawn by half time. But as I said earlier I couldn't care less if we win by 10 pts or 100 as long as no one picks up any injuries especially with the extra travel time to get to Catalans.

[quote="Mild Rover":3la5qdhi]To a degree, yes, of course. It depends, as well, on whether you go with the strongest 17 from the 21. Rotating a middle of Ashworth, Aydin, Asiata, Fash and Salabio against amateurs would be absolutely crushing. It makes me think, on reflection, that 60 might be pessimistic from a Hull FC perspective. 30-40 is just setting expectations in the other direction. Unless you include all the kids with the higher-30s squad numbers named in the 21 and get a man sent off early, there’s about as much chance of it being only a 30-point margin as there is of me beating stockfish at chess.[/quote:3la5qdhi] I do agree with most of that. Hull are in a bit of a no win situation. Win by 30 and we get laughed at. Win by 100 and nobody cares because it's just an amateur team. No injuries is really what I'm bothered about today. As for a prediction, I'm going something like 90-6. But it depends how hard we go at it and how long our first choice forwards are on the pitch.

[quote="Yippee try yay":3huwr6c0]I imagine most of the 1st teamers named in the squad will play, Asiata is starting and captaining the team but I can see him and Cust being withdrawn by half time. But as I said earlier I couldn't care less if we win by 10 pts or 100 as long as no one picks up any injuries especially with the extra travel time to get to Catalans.[/quote:3huwr6c0] I agree it isn’t very meaningful. It’s just a curiosity. If it is 100+, well it is pros vs amateurs, maybe let’s not do this again next year, but check to see if there are any records that need updating. If everything that could go wrong (sickness bug, very rusty, atrocious weather, bomb numerous chances, man sent off) goes wrong then at least you have got lots of bad luck out the way in a game you couldn’t lose. Tomlinson could probably spin a triumph in adversity narrative out of it. That’s the point really - we all get to build our own stories out the same set of events. This is just our rough notepad for establishing our outlines.

[quote="Mild Rover":17ke1c8a]I agree it isn’t very meaningful. It’s just a curiosity. If it is 100+, well it is pros vs amateurs, maybe let’s not do this again next year, but check to see if there are any records that need updating. If everything that could go wrong (sickness bug, very rusty, atrocious weather, bomb numerous chances, man sent off) goes wrong then at least you have got lots of bad luck out the way in a game you couldn’t lose. Tomlinson could probably spin a triumph in adversity narrative out of it. That’s the point really - we all get to build our own stories out the same set of events. This is just our rough notepad for establishing our outlines.[/quote:17ke1c8a] As someone said above Hull are in a no win situation today (not literally but a loss would probably be the biggest upset in the history of modern RL). Hopefully for us nothing goes wrong and we can get through with no dramas but if there were you lot would have a good laugh, as would we if the roles were reversed. I'll just take a low drama routine win and get them prepared for the trip to France (although nothing is ever drama free with Hull fc)

Strong ish side today, good chance to blow away some cobwebs. Moy Ward Barron Westerman Martin Kemp Cust Aydin Balmforth Ashworth Fash Holmes Asiata Gardinier Hutchinson Kirby Salaibo