Indeed it was tough Vikingman. It's hard to judge any half back when their pack is getting mullered as ours was today. Both Kelly & Campese have had better days. You may have had a few key ingredients (most notably Kev Brown) missing, but our problem was simple, only 2 props in the 17, as we have 1 suspended, 1 retired and 1 AWOL. Still, a good day out, the sun shone and I was impressed with the Rovers numbers today, I would estimate 800+ easily.

Great support from your fans today from all but one idiot. After Flynn scored went 90 yards direct from the scrum in the second half, the widnes team where returning back towards your fans end one of your fans was making racist monkey gestures towards Phil Joseph. This was reported promptly to the stewards but as usual no action was taken. There is no room in society let alone our wonderful game for racists and idiots and cowards as I very much doubt he would repeat this action face to face with Phil.
I am no way tarring your fans with the same brush as your support today was excellent, good luck for the rest of the season.

Totally agree all idiots like him want baning for good we over the years have had some very good black players some who I have in the past had a drink with and if i saw them today would have a drink with them again

Phil joseph was one of the black lads who played for us !

I was surprised Kelly didn't take the line on more, he passed about 5/6 metres from the line the majority of time making him much easier to read. A player with him pace should be playing closer to the line.

Tough game and one both sides desperately wanted to win, Widnes were never behind so would have been cruel to lose it in the last 10 seconds. The fact that you guys only had 2 props may have prompted Denis to play with 4 forwards on the bench (we usually play with 3), seemed to work.

How's the 1970's?

It may pay you to read bambams post and cravenparks post,otherwise give the samaritans a ring before they ring you.

Without wanting to be preaching and I mean this is in the friendliest way possible, the word you used is no longer an acceptable one.

If you weren't prior to this point, you are an absolute shoe in for Moderator now Goose.

Let's move on, eh?

Before we do let us pray. You see I don't mind preaching if the need arises.

If there are 3 key things that have stifled our good nation since the 1970's, it's political correctness, civil liberties and health and safety in whatever order you like.

Not happy that political correctness has infiltrated this generally constructive thread here. In defence of DesLawson he made his post for the right moral reason, albeit using a bad choice of word. We've all got that TShirt. I would prefer it if those Rovers fans that were at the game and maybe witnessed this moron fan of ours making this gesture towards Phil Joseph could name and shame him or confront him if they see him at the next away game.

Sermon over.

Didnt realise i'd put that.

Apologies.

Yes, we should move on, I don't think deslawson meant any offence, language evolves, that's all.

I hugely disagree with your three reason that you think the country has in your opinion been stifled, I think that the UK is a fantastic place to live, and in particular God's Own County!

Absolutely no bother, and I'm glad you took my post in the spirit it was intended. It was clear you meant no offence.

Can't really believe such a word is so now no-go! The world is now totally pc crazy because whether you like it or not people from some different countries have different 'coloured' skin so why a word to say that is now 'banned' is ridiculous!!

Aye, calling someone black when they're more of a brown colour is a bit wrong if you ask me.

Would you prefer the love thy neighbour type of correctness and health and safety conditions akin to Bangladesh or perhaps civil liberties on a par with North Korea?

It's not 'banned' most people just choose not to use it as it has apartheid connotations,thats all.

I agree to a point especially regarding regarding the pc brigades over zealousness. the word coloured is a dated term for sure, however, to chastise somebody for using the term "coloured" might be missing the point as I'm pretty certain it's rarely used with racist intent, as it obviously wasn't in Des Lawsons case.
Personally i believe time we all stopped being so easily offended, both on our own behalves and on behalf of other people, we cant go around all the time worrying that we say something unintentionally that is deemed politically incorrect, unfortunately it appears to be a growing trend these days where you say something in passing without malice or racist intent and along come the PC brigade and take it out of context.

I don't think anybody has in this case been offended, I think we've all just discussed this as Internet friends, which can only be a positive.

Apart from a few people who are clearly looking to get a rise out of someone.

Cracking good post and basically says in a briefer way what I wanted to say in my earlier “sermon”.

Someone mentioned Bangladesh, North Korea and Love the Neighbour all extremes of the 3 issues I blame for a national loss of reasonable perspective.

Personally I am not an extremist, but I am getting peed off by those in this country who hijack these ideologies and push their boundaries beyond acceptable limits to distorted extremes.
There are umpteen examples and they are multiplying by the year. Where would you like me to start? With hindsight, best not as this thread will break the page record for off topic rants.

Back to yesterday's game. Just seen it in full on Hull KR TV.
First half, we were poor and lacked urgency and line speed. Most Widnes forwards made a good 5 metres after first contact. Unforgiveable. The penalties we conceded were dumb (note - homage To Shaun Wane).
Josh Mantellato try disallowed for forward pass was harsh. He was behind Charlie who was right on the 10m line when he threw the pass running at speed. Mantellato caught the ball with arms outstretched on or around 9.5 metres from the line.Try every day in my book, despite my bias.
What followed from the resulting scrum was the game breaker. Donaldson taking out Hanbury 5m from the try line from Campese's high kick 2 mins from the end. Dumber than dumb.
Should have won. Didn't deserve to though. Hope we learn from it.

All of that is pretty much spot on as regards my thoughts at the game.

Donaldson's foul on Hanbury was really unfortunate. The kid had worked so hard to get there and then he just got over exuberant, if he'd taken a very slight step back he would have the opportunity to drive him behind the line.

I thought we lacked any sort of control and direction throughout the game. Our first half kicking game was probably the worst so far this season. Too many times, we were going sideways and seemed to lose our direction and our set up play on the 5th was a bit erratic, with the ball ended up being forced to Kelly or Campese under pressure. End result nothing kicks caught on the full, too easy for Widnes backs and who made easy yards. That seemed to be the trend all half. A lot has been made about lack of go forward down the middle so far, but it has been the norm in every game imo esp away. At Wire we found away around them, Wakey we just never clicked and at Widnes a lot of sideways play that Widnes by in large nullified. I know and appreciate our resources were stretched on Sunday, but having the normal 3 and sometimes 4 tackles taken up by the backs isn't going to get us on the front foot from our own half. I know it's the norm for the backs to do the early clearing work, but it did seem to me, that they were doing more than normal in the first half.

I did think we were on the end of some consecutive harsh calls at times and Widnes profited on the back of these, but this was more than 'evened up' (if you like) in the second half so can't really complain. When we were forcing the game and running our plays towards the end. I think we may have been better served looking to go towards Sio instead of Mantellato. We worked a few opportunities/space for Josh, who maybe 100%'ter - but he doesn't have raw pace or the same finishing ability of Sio.