Well although we have a bus thread we don't have a game thread as far as I can see ... so here goes.

According to the League Express the Dons players are going to give up drink before the Skolars game and have a drink after the game if they win.
Then they will refrain for the rest of the play-offs.

They will also not stop overnight, but travel down on the day. That being the players preference.
That's presumably so Tony can't catch them having a brew the night before the game.



Skee of the Skolars has scored 20+ points a game for four out of the last five games and the Skolars have won three home games on the trot. Skee carved us open twice for identical arcing tries when we beat them at our place. He needs watching!
Plus they badly want a play-off spot and what with Oldham at Gateshead and pretty sure of a win themselves, only a win will do ... so look out the Dons!

What do we think?
I think unless we get control early doors and rack some points up, there is every chance of some very squeaky bottoms.

yes need to start well and get on top early, a lot depends on how the players settle into the game. Paul cooke ,with all his big game experience is going to be very important, and you would expect him to be vocal in trying to settle the team.

Team selection should be interesting this week with players coming back into contention .

I believe that if they try and man up on cookey it will allow fawcett enough space to run the show himself.
Although it's nowhere near going to be a stroll in the park.

Coyd

It said in the RL Express that although Hodgson (WTF?) and Butterfield were both back in the frame, next Sunday was too early for them.
I don't believe that if they were fit they would not be played, because otherwise they are not really fit!

We are getting our strongest side back at precisely the right time for the play-offs.
We have won twice as many games as the Skolars and they have lost three times as many games as us.
We need to take the high ground. We are the class side, they are an in form side only.
If we believe, we will win, and a point more than them is all it takes.
They may well post 30+ points by us, but we can put 40+ by them.
COYD.
£50K plus £20K is at stake.

what is the £20K for?

Play off final

Thanks. Is that a winners sum or do both finalists get it just out of interest as I hadn't heard of it.

Just the winners

so cnt wait for this Sunday, not gonna be an easy game but one I think we should win, Tom Hodson available again is excellent news. This will be my first away day since the 2008 Grand Final, Will see u all on the bus COYD

Which bus are you going on though??

First 1 mate, gettin on at York Road

Latest score from Gateshead at half time - Thunder 12 Town 6 !!

51 mins

Gateshead 18 Workington 6

62 mins

Gateshead 18 Workington 12

66 mins

Gateshead 18 Workington 16

Thunder 18 Town 22

Admit it...you were nipping a bit there!

76 mins

Gateshead 24 Workington 22 ... keep 'nipping'

Tom Hodgson scored for them.

FT Gateshead 24 Workington 22

Congrats to Thunder on their first league win of the season.

Ridiculous...massive well done to Gateshead

Two points dropped and almost guarantees us a top 2 spot.

Totally shocked Massive well done to Gateshead but as for Workington poor form at the wrong end of the season, now to win the league on Sunday COYD cnt bloody wait

Not really ridiculous, Town had to scrape the barrel just to name a team. Played a 16 year old scholarship prop on the wing, a 2nd row at stand off, a centre who hasn't played or trained for 6 months, an ex-player who hasn't been seen for over a year, a winger who came out of retirement to make the numbers up, 2 injured players named as sub who were never going to play just to name 17 players.

We are absolutely decimated by injuries and will struggle big time in the play offs.