To be fair to Swift the way we seem set out to play by having the backs do an awful lot of the work I’m not surprised we havent seen the best from Swift. The amount of times he’s taking the ball in along with other backs is crazy and taking so much energy out of them it’s a pity we can’t get the forwards to take the ball in as many times.

Can only hope the team is picked on form not reputation this week, Reynolds should be dropped he's got no pace left at all.

If having no pace means having no place, then Jake needs to be worried.

It is and always will be unfair but Sky calls the tune and Super League clubs dance.

I realise it's derby week and the banter starts but isn't this Hull KR's first home derby for three years due to the pandemic? IIRC didn't Hull FC have something like 1-17 in their CC match versus Giants and i do recall at least a couple of posters on here proclaiming Hull FC's first seventeen would be strong enough to challenge for a top four place. Your local paper the Hull daily Mail doesn't seem to think there will be any 'timely boosts' regards Tony Smith or the players in question and likewise Rovers medical team have all but written off Mickey Lewis's chance of competing this weekend. I agree derbies are never savoured, except by the winners, but with Hull FC's loss in the Challenge cup i do reckon the Hull players will have a very big incentive to 'turn the tide' on their neighbours because good news in the West of the city definitely needs a boost.

he would certainly win a footrace between himself,Connor and Griffin

Confirmed Savelio is fit for Friday.

Great news



Surely if Hodgson, retakes control from the players, and insists we work our forwards instead of impersonating the harken globe trotters we win this comfortably.



Set the platform, quick ball to Reynolds, draw the defense, ball to Connor, try time

Lane should play Coach has had a week fix his issues whatever they were

Smith and Minchella re-signing pre Friday are the worst disguised manufactured TBs of recent years. Especially how they've tee'd up Minchella as an arbitrary litmus test of Rovers status. Classic stuff.







Rovers are favourites of course, aren't they Cocker? We'll just enjoy our underdogs tag and take our punishment.

Glad it’s not just me who did a double take when reading that about Minchella. Is that the true gauge of the Dobbins being up there with Penrith Panthers?

I know it’s the usual Barista tactic to do in essence what she’s done in this thread but it’s getting a bit tedious isn’t it.



I believe it’s a genuine 50/50



My concern is your pack, could easily steamroll us and create the space for Connor. I wouldn’t be surprised if we spent a lot of time with 2 hookers on and made them do extra D, keep the ball in play and tire the big boys out. Don’t get the energy levels right it won’t work.



Derbies are big for both, but I do believe the onus is on you to get a result which fills me with dread. I think somebody mentioned earlier in the thread sarcastically that you perform well after a bad performance but it feels like some truth in it, and you are due one.

The side that wants it the most will win. In all seriousness you're at home, in form, in front of a sellout crowd and 3 years between derby drinks. If you can't get deliver in that context maybe the GF chat pre season could be construed as a bit hasty x

Same squad as last week.

Connor

Swift

Griffin

Carlos (if fit, if not Mitchy)

Mcintosh

Reynolds

Gale

Sao

Houghton

Satae

Savelio

Mau

Lovodua



Evans

Fash

Brown

Lane



Personally would like to see Lovodua get a proper chance at Hooker, but can't see Hodgson changing things up before a derby. I'm just hoping he goes away from the idea of having two backs on the bench

Aye having seen the respective squads our pack is just too lightweight.



No vete, no Garrett, sims supposedly not playing even though in the 21.



Means relying on Will Maher & Greg Richards, dependable but not exactly meter eaters.



I’d have you lads in as slight favourites but as I said in previous post we do have momentum so balances it out. Genuine 50/50



I hope those making the journey enjoy it and it’s good to have some big games to look forward too again

I'm not so sure that weakens you.

Probably a fair point

Pleased to read Gales comments today, about how we need to set a platform this week and play on the back of it. I think we l see a repeat of the Leeds away game plan. An insistence on Satae, Sao, Evans, Savelio, Mau, Brown and Fash grinding Rovers down, through the middle.



If we do that and complete our sets of 6, it's a comfortable win for me.



Start with the sloppy errors and forced play to the backs Then it's a dog fight.

Takarangi's bottled it i see.

Off field issues aside (which the fact he avoidable a prison sentence is quite laughable) he has to be in the top 3 for worst signings in Super League in the last couple of seasons.

I don't think Reynolds is far off the top 3 so far.



Hope he proves me wrong, but so far either been injured or fairly average.

First couple of games for us last year I thought we'd picked up a gem. Sadly it went downhill once injuries kicked in for him.

Definitely.up the pace of the game for us when he came on Saturday but seemed to disappear out of it.

Hopefully he gets a good run of games now on some firmer ground and shows us more of how he started off with us.

Like what you did there?





Quite honestly he should be no where near a rugby pitch for a long time and should be serving time at her majesty’s service?

Comfortable win for us on Friday but whilst its always pleasing to get the win over HKR its just another League game and doesnt put any money in the clubs account like a win last week and a semi win would have done

What we dont need is a repeat of last weeks first half giving away 5 penalties and making 5 errors gifting them most of the possession