I also think it's a bit harsh on Fleming, he is what he is and sums up the squad perfectly. The reason he was picked was because there's no other senior forwards and the cheap policy of picking up loans was scuppered. Our position in the league is flattering because we only played 20 games and had multiple weekends off to regroup a threadbare squad. Our best performances often included loanees.

We're 10 1st team players short of a realistic promotion push and the policy of 'finding gems' in League 1 is galling when we are the best supported team.

Come on be fair

Fleming has always played for top end champ clubs and has had a bad couple of weeks

I agree we are many players short of a realistic promotion push but so are every other team outside top two

We were 62 seconds away from clinching 3rd, then 16 points up and playing well for it to collapse which I agree wasn’t acceptable. If ever a team could be accused of throwing away 3rd it is us. We are aS good as any other team from 3rd down but I agree have no chance of promotion just like the rest barring top two.

We beat Halifax once, lost against them late with one half back with broken ribs, beat Batley once in only game with them, beat Whitehaven once and threw the other away so I disagree we are in a flattering position. Every other team outside top 2 has same issues, lack of funds, small squads and get loans in where needed to fill gaps. We can’t afford to carry big squads and have every position covered so clubs gamble and look at loans where required if possible to plug gaps. Gone are the days where you can carry cover for every position. Many clubs have used loan market, Halifax, York to name two along with ourselves

Fleming isn't the problem ( I think the criticism is overdone considering the overall performances), it's the 6 other signings we didn't make to support the premise we were making a serious attempt at promotion.

I don't buy Toulouse are a SL team. Casty, White, Hansen led the front row. Who would sign any of them? Gigot, Hitchcox?
I look at Toulouse and Fev and see them exact same squads of ex- SL players and good championship players down to 25/6 that you've needed to win the championship forever. Without 8/9 players Toulouse will finish bottom. And we're 10 signings away from that level. It feels a bit dishonest to pretend.

The Bulls have funded the best squad they can within a budget. in terms of aspirations, it’s professional sport selling tickets, they are going to say they are going to give it their best shot

I’m not sure I’ve heard any club say they’ve no chance of winning owt before a ball is kicked

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make re Toulouse. Obviously they will recruit if they get promoted. The squad they have now is not the squad they would start a SL season with if they go up, because it doesn't need to be a SL squad yet.
However, I think they do already have some players who would not look out of place in SL. They've done very well to keep hold of Kheirallah and Ford for as long as they have. Both are better than some of their counterparts currently playing in SL imo.
I want them to go up and I want them to be the first promoted team not to come straight back down (or implode).

Exactly, we sell more tickets and we're significantly worse than the top two who have spent more.
Whereas we are marginally worse than 2 clubs who we also sell more tickets than and probably have similar budgets.
Either way in terms of 'professional sport selling tickets', 5th and being slaughtered in 3 out of games with the top 2 looks an underachievement on and off the field.

If the key achievement this year is the use of last years donated season ticket money to pay off debts run up by Chalmers in preparation for more of the same next season then it needs to be called what it is.

The point I'm making is our budget is self evidently tiny. The board either in terms of sponsorship or investment are bringing precious little.

Says it all when our most attacking threat in the second half came from a player we have just signed from a second string RU team who had only trained a couple of times and played for only 20 minutes previously. Give him a start on Sat in place of Oakes who offers nothing from centre on attack and plays more like a 2nd row.

Also give Jack Sanderson a spot instead of Brown. He's in the 21 most weeks but never gets a start. Also let's hope Scurr is back this week.

Not too sure he has the legs yet but he is a really really promising player!