Paul, I think part of the problem is the fact that until a few weeks ago, we didn't know what the fixtures were. I missed the Barrow game (probably a blessing) and I miss next week, simply because I had to make decisions when I couldn't know if we were home or away ... I'll wager I'm not alone.

I fear that a continuation of this philosophy will cost the sport many supporters.

Good point Gary .
A sad state of affairs indeed , will be there ,god willing , to cheer the boys on next Sunday .

I worry about the club in 2017 if we are in division 1 .

COYD

One worrying aspect was the poor crowd , looks like some fans have given up on the 2016 season

COYD'"

I think we got what was expected today a good effort from the players but totally outclassed, there is no way we are in the promotion race and next year we will be in the same boat ie replace toulouse with toronto, unless we recruit well over the winter (not going to happen) then this time next year we we be where we are now. The crowd , or lack off one, speaks volumes for our crisis. Im trying hard to find some positives , but to be honest from what Im seeing there aint none. Another year in this pathetic league does not appeal to me, (unless the structure is changed home away fixtures for all the teams) Toronto coasting to the top of the league, Someone please tell me Im wrong. Felt for the players today, Outclassed .

Entertaining game with Toulouse showing too much quality in the end. Donny were superb and better than the 20 points difference. A lot of effort which matched the French for much of the game.
Disappointing crowd must have enjoyed the performance despite the los, it's no disgrace being beaten by a better team on the day.
The ref didn't help with some inconsistency in the first quarter but he let it flow eventually to allow both sides to play some nice stuff.
Loads for GT and the lads to work on and all is definitely not lost so get behind the team for the next game.

More importantly, re the fish & chips - Whitby's was the first one of the list I found and I have to say the F & C were absolutely sublime............Britain will remain 'Great' as long as the fish & chips are as good as that !!

Good fish and chips & out of the EU what more can you ask for.

I would ask for a club we can be proud of and a team that can compete,, and a battered sausage,???

Any news on Liam Welham , hope his injury isn't season ending.

I think Brad England was running down the touchline on the west stand side before the game .
Mike Kelly has been at the last few games , is he near to full fitness ?

Precisely, and next time i'm going to ask for a Sheffield Rissole and some curry sauce.

Gary Thornton believes the winning margin flattered Toulouse and takes the positives from the defeat:

[urlhttp://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/doncaster-dons/doncaster-rlfc-thornton-takes-positives-from-defeat-to-unbeaten-toulouse-1-8068752[/url

I cannot fault the attitude or commitment of the players yesterday, and I am confident there are members of our squad who will prove to be good players given time, however it is worrying that we are not competitive enough to gain promotion this season, after last season the club spoke of their determination get back to the championship which appears not to be the case. If we were owned and managed by others with less resource I would accept it and support the club with the same passion as in the days when we were propping up the leagues, but under the stewardship of our current owners I expect more.

I think these are very fair comments - supporter expectation is related to resources. The players' commitment yesterday was great. We couldn't have asked for more.

There are two issues to be considered:

1) If we do have genuine aspirations to become a Super League side why are we not able to put together a squad with sufficient class to be able to get out of this league? We have won once in six attempts against teams above us in the league this season.

2) Are the people in charge not able to identify players who are good enough to do that job or are the resources not really being made available?

In his post match comments to The Star, Gary Thornton is either trying to use yesterday's game to motivate his players for the forthcoming matches or he's kidding himself that we're better than we are. I hope it's the former because if it's the latter, I am very concerned.

Next season, Toronto will almost certainly be the Toulouse of the league. Assuming Rochdale go up with Toulouse, we've got to be better than Barrow, York, Keighley, Hunslet, Workington, and Whitehaven (if they are the two relegated clubs).

At the moment, we're probably ahead of Keighley and Hunslet. Next Sunday will tell us a little more about where we're at in relation to Keighley. Either way, the off-season recruitment has got to be very good if we are to have a realistic chance of going up next season.

I appreciate that winning any league isn't easy. There are 13 players doing their best to stop you every week. There is a lot of hard work and effort being put in by a lot of people. I don't want to belittle the hard work and effort that is being put in. I do appreciate what everyone does. My concern is that unless the top level decision-making is made better, we will continue to struggle. The longer this goes on, the more the fan base will drop. This worries me.

I don't think that super league is an option anytime soon, and I don't believe the club think it is achievable. Sure they say the right things, all clubs do, about what they want to achieve, but only a handfull have any real hope. With the new salary cap regs (joke) coming in, clubs like ours have no real hope to achieve that goal without running at a substantial loss, not going to happen. The Rfl are not interested in smaller clubs, and definitely not in the bottom division. The crowds at most games are making the sport unsustainable, it can't go on indefinitely, something has to give. At least while we are under the club Doncaster umbrella we may ride out what is a bad time for the sport. And whether we like it or not, and I know we don't, the main income for club Doncaster comes from the football side, until they get their act together, the Dons will be a afterthought. I would love to see someone come in and plough money in, but realistically it isn't happening. I think the biggest obstacle for us this year has been the stupid fixture format, the lower league clubs deserve better

See my post re 2017 , I E Mailed the CEO incorrectly calling him Director of rugby & was belittled by him on In the Dugout !
If we donot get promotion & Club Doncaster donot make changes & show more commitment to the Dons I will not contribute to the Squadbuilder fund after 1/10/2016.
I willnot stop going to matches cos I enjoy it .

I do not disagree with you weighman, on the contrary, you make some very valid points. But I really can't see much changing, I can only say it as I see it, I would dearly love to be wrong. Each and ever one of us will make up their own mind regarding what he/she does next year, as it should be, haven't watched in the dugout for a while, but belittling a committed supporter like yourself doesn't sound like a good investment for the future, without the paying public, there is no future.

Well i've watched The Dons twice this season and I feel they are not far off being a top of the table side quite capable of promotion. As i've said before I believe someone like Aizue is a hinderance rather than help because of his age and kids should be playing in place of such RL OAPs. The team spirit looks great and the tactics against Toulouse twice seems to have been sound enough though I reckon GT would be better off spending less time in the stands to shout out instructions from the touchline, it seems to work for Houles.
Impressed with all the team and it was good to see Feka doing what he does best.
Good discipline from Donny and less errors this time around, you can't always legislate for quality moves from Ford, Curran and Kheirallah who controlled most of the game..

Mike Kelly out for the season now , having an op.

Only just picked up on this ... I have missed one or two, when was this????

4/8/2016 I think , not last Thursday anyway.

Anyone know what the crowd was please , have to rely on the Oxford site of RL fans these days , not on there yet !

Crowd was 573 , our average to date 622(going down).

Source Oxford RL Fans

considering there was no away support,that was,nt to bad i suppose.

Sorry but it was poor.

i'll have you know there were at least five French supporters. In fact the same number of Hornets supporters at Toulouse yesterday.

you just cant please some folk ,tut