Well I have got my early bird ticket bought online.
The bugger has gone from £11 to £12 to £13 in the space of a few seasons.
This is my look see at the Dons....I need to be impressed or I won't rush back.
Hunslet are usually a problem for us early in the season and we are usually half asleep....so have been duffed up in the recent past.
It's been like groundhog day in this league since 2015...

Good to see you've got your ticket for Sunday, S/O.

I collected my season ticket this morning and bought a ticket for the Oldham cup tie.

Looking forward to Sunday. There should be a decent atmosphere with a few coming from Hunslet.

If we win, it's probably what we're expecting. If we lose...

We always seem to make hard work of playing Hunslet ,but having watched a couple of friendlies I'm confidant of a Dons win.
They have a number of what you would class as squad player with a few old heads dropping down the divisions.
Crossley and Knowles are proven players at a higher level but maybe a bit long in the tooth to cause us any major problems, then we have the ex Dons players Sweeting ,York and Lawton who wouldn't warrant a starting shirt in our current team.

Ryder in the centre is a proven try scorer in both league 1 and the Championship and ran riot against Leeds at the weekend according to the match report ,however from what I can gather from the Leeds forums it was a team of their kids.
Given our starting 17 , on paper we look far to strong for them,............. however to under estimate them would be a mistake.

I'm going for a Dons win by 16

As I previously posted our first three games should inform us quite a bit as to this seasons aspirations. We are playing strong teams on consecutive weekends and ok one is a cup tie but IMO that makes no odds as to any marker that we lay down for the year.

Squad announcement. https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/ ... review/685

Squad announcement. https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/ ... review/685

3 outta 3 wins would make a strong case of the automatic promotion Carl has said is the goal (but later back tracked to just "promotion"icon_wink.gif.

Quote ="Wilf Grimshaw"Squad announcement. https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/ ... review/685'" I think there must be someone missing as they have 21 names there, but 2 of them are Matt James. Normally there is 21 players named (without repeats)

Quote ="Wilf Grimshaw"Squad announcement. https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/ ... review/685'" I think there must be someone missing as they have 21 names there, but 2 of them are Matt James. Normally there is 21 players named (without repeats)

Always professional...photos right up to date.
They had a photoshoot of the squad only the other day...but the teaboy or whoever posts these things couldn't be d.

Remember they have engaged with a "professional media company" to help with this stuff (its 3 blokes with some cameras really)

The website, or at least large portions of it, are managed centrally on behalf of most of the clubs

So good they named him twice

They never did it for York.. when he was new.
Missed a trick if you ask me.

I agree the match is always a difficult one with Hunslet, But we need to get off to a better start this season to boost confidence.
But its going to be a close one.
Dons to win by 4

So not having your squad photos up to date is outside your control?
And you can't add them by having some sort of access?
That's progress!

Will be very surprised if the Dons don't win comfortably.

I'm going for a Dons win by 16.

If we can better that, we'll be sending out a message we're serious candidates to win the league.

Nothing's won or lost after the first game of the season, so we perhaps shouldn't get too carried away one way or the other.

Looking forward to the match.

Ask me about this if you see me today

Skybet ...

Dons -8 10/11
Hunslet +8 10/11
Handicap Draw 16/1

Bet365 follow suit, same handicap, same prices.

Ever the optimist



For my part all judgement reserved until 3pm 5th March

I'd be surprised and disappointed if Hunslet are good enough to win this fixture.

HT Dons 18 Hunslet 6
Dons Tries - Hall, McConnell, Halliday
Conversions - Robinson 3

FT Dons 18 Hunslet 16

I pressed the send button before I'd finished...

It should have said... I'm going for a Dons win by 16 points to 18!







Enjoyable match between two evenly matched teams. I don't think we could have complained had the Hunslet conversion that hit the post gone over.

Have we seen the league champions? It's hard to say but I doubt there'll be much between us and Hunslet come the end of the season.

I thought the ref had a good game. He let it flow, wasn't whistle happy and got the six again calls right.

I was surprised to see the half-time draw was back. I was even more surprised that S/O didn't win it.

I got there early and never saw a ticket seller.

Hunslet looked up to speed a lot more than we were, and have had a better preseason, so I'll take the win. I feel we have a lot more capacity to improve than them. Underperforming and winning is a good thing, as long as you don't keep under performing.

Matt James and Dave Petersen stood out for me, Robinson was involved in most of our good things (although the brain fart of him kicking the ball that lead to their third try was baffling) and he defended well above his weight. I actually think he was defending too much, so either they were working at targeting him well, or people around him were letting him down too often, I like to see a half back defend but it shouldn't be relied on.

Hey played well but is a second rower, for me, so hope Tali is back again soon