We'll be very disapointed if it's academy lads, we want a proper game against front line players, if we wanted a walk in the park, we'd be playing another Championship team

I appreciate that the HKR first team would probably beat us comfortably, but I want to see us tested against a higher standard of team

I think it's a load of crap mate, personally.

I'd hope that Paul T - HKR's prediction of us fielding a strong first half team and then using the second half to scout our team depth is more correct.

Featherstone would never have agreed to playing us if they had any idea it would be an academy team, like you say, they could just play York for that. They're obviously hoping to test themselves against what should be a stronger team, a Superleague team and I hope that they do.

The result of a friendly isn't important, Morgan seemed to use them to just have us constantly defending sets of 6 on our own line and inevitably lose to lesser opposition.


I'm going to travel to Featherstone, I like the ground and I like the fans and I'll be disappointed to see an academy team get beaten by Fev. What would be the point?

The point would be that our young pro's would play against a higher calibre opponent than they have played previously. A great test for them. Our fringe players like Wheeldon and Netherton get first stab at stepping in to replace O'Hara.
I am excited at the prospect of watching that potential squad line up against the best side outside Super League.

So what's in it for Featherstone?

Hope you're right and I hope there's hundreds of you there, should be a great afternoon

I totally get that, but the flip side of that coin is that the best team outside super league wants to test itself against super league opposition

a decent payday if we travel in numbers.

Doubtful, If it's published that we will be fielding an academy team. Also, The tickets are at a reduced rate with it being a friendly so it'll just be like a normal gate, it not lower.

When we played them couple years ago in a friendly it was mainly youngsters playing with the odd exception like Cooke if I remember correctly.
I'm going to it again but I hope this time we get to see some of the new players

This is the perfect game for the youngsters although looking at the team listed earlier, Clinton at scrum half might be pushing it and if the youngsters struggle against a good championship team then they will really struggle in super league when called upon. For Fev, its a good hit out, good pay day and for us we try some younger lads out and give them a feel for what is the minnimum required. We did the same at Halifax last year although I would say this year we have more talent on show.

Would rather see this than when we played Batley a few years back played first team for twenty minutes then hauled off the majority including some showered and changed by half time.