Rugby League

[BobG]

Ridiculous. He's got pedigree, quality and experience. What else do these fools want? If they someone younger, who's going to pay?

BobG

[Jemmo]

I run the man of the match votes after every game, add all the points up and thats where the Supporters Player of the Year. Hall is currently 5th in that.

It comes about with him for 2 reasons. Firstly when he makes a mistake it tends to be high profile or costly, due to the way he has to be involved and his position. Secondly, and for me there is some merit in this one, he isn't a full back. However we need to get him onto the pitch somehow, and being there lets him float around and chime in where wants which is how he creates most trouble. We kind of need to invent a new position for him

[VivaRovers]

Hall isn't a poor player, but he did have a poor game yesterday – though I take your point about his mistakes tending to be me more visible owing to where he's playing.

I thought the defat was harsh on The Dons, but was surprised they didn't look to set up a tying drop goal opportunity on the final forays forwards.

Still, I did get to see some silverware yesterday... I nipped in the pub by the train station when I got back and the Crusaders were in there with their League One bowl sat on a table by the bar.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Highlight v Barrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpmHG_X2qF0

Just imagine the Benny Hill theme tune as you watch

Have they given up on applying the forward pass rule? That pass for Barrow's first try went about 3 yards forward. Look at the cut marks on the turf. The lad on the break has made the pass about mid width of the light grass. The pass has been received well over the edge of the next dark grass strip. Those strips are 6 yards wide, so it's gone forward at least 3 yards. It's not even close for the officials to justify not calling it.

[Jemmo]

Highlights from game at Oldham

https://youtu.be/OZX2EnVS65k?si=Gj59HIAYpsEKfdW0

[Jemmo]

Highlight v Barrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpmHG_X2qF0

Just imagine the Benny Hill theme tune as you watch

Have they given up on applying the forward pass rule? That pass for Barrow's first try went about 3 yards forward. Look at the cut marks on the turf. The lad on the break has made the pass about mid width of the light grass. The pass has been received well over the edge of the next dark grass strip. Those strips are 6 yards wide, so it's gone forward at least 3 yards. It's not even close for the officials to justify not calling it.

Even taking into account the momentum of the player passing the ball that is a bad one. They tend to get away with them if running fast (because its harder to judge and the ref is usually behind it rather than side on

[BillyStubbsTears]

Yeah I appreciate it's tough for the officials on tight calls. Always has been. And I also get that it is to some extent about the spirit of the law. You do have to give a little bit of leeway for momentum, if the player is at least trying to pass the ball backwards. But that's a shocker really. The Barrow lad made no attempt to play it backwards. The No4 was almost level with him and running flat out when the pass was released. Craig Hall knew. He immediately turned and looked at the ref with his arms outstretched.

It reminded me of Union back in the day when it was amateur. They used to turn a blind eye to outrageous forward passes, and there'd have barely ever been an open play try without forward passes.

[Jemmo]

You can always tell by the passers hands, that was the givde away for me on that one

[scawsby steve]

Yeah I appreciate it's tough for the officials on tight calls. Always has been. And I also get that it is to some extent about the spirit of the law. You do have to give a little bit of leeway for momentum, if the player is at least trying to pass the ball backwards. But that's a shocker really. The Barrow lad made no attempt to play it backwards. The No4 was almost level with him and running flat out when the pass was released. Craig Hall knew. He immediately turned and looked at the ref with his arms outstretched.

It reminded me of Union back in the day when it was amateur. They used to turn a blind eye to outrageous forward passes, and there'd have barely ever been an open play try without forward passes.

Regarding that last paragraph, BST, I totally agree, and it's still there in the professional game. Also, they get away with a lot of knock-ons in Union, with those little fumbles around the ruck areas.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the women's World Cup, but I've seen loads of forward passes and knock-ons that the refs have missed.

[Pintolager]

Not Dons related, but that's one way to be sent off.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/which-one-are-you-shagging-womens-super-league-player-sent/video/4f996b51cbd7678c40496507b1929b0c

[scawsby steve]

Not Dons related, but that's one way to be sent off.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/which-one-are-you-shagging-womens-super-league-player-sent/video/4f996b51cbd7678c40496507b1929b0c

Thanks for that, PL. Brilliant.

[BobG]

Bloody brilliant! Thanks Pintolager.

BobG

[Jemmo]

As this season winds down the rumour mill has been picking up speed about next year. Doing the rounds a bit has been that Dons are signing the Sheffield half back Cory Aston; this is now being reported in a couple of places so fair game to talk about!

Interesting signing for a number of reasons; Cory has been one of Sheffield best players for a number of years so combining this with us finishing well above them this year it really represents a changing of the guard in South Yorkshire.

Half backs are like rocking horse shit outside of Super League, between Aston, Robinson and Boas we will be one of the better equipped at that key area.

Finally he's just a very good player at this level

[BobG]

[Jemmo]

Well that was awful

I know they’re the best team in the division but to get nilled by them twice is just painful

[BobG]

Aye. But nothing to play for. Injuries everywhere. Knackered after fighting bloody hard for quite a long period. To me, it's understandable even if it's unpleasant
.

BobG

[Jemmo]

Last game of the season is a satisfyingly risk free dead rubber. And a good chance to let the retiring players. Ben Johnston who’s been here 5 years and Jason Tali whose been here 10 and finished agonisingly short of our all time try scorer record.

Also a couple of the younger squad who haven’t had a lot of game time can get a run out

[Jemmo]

Just about summed up the season yesterday. One of the best 40 minutes we've played all year in the first half; high completion rate, zero penatlies conceded, winning the arm wrestle and went in 16-0 up.

Second half the complete opposite; silly penalties, missed chances and too much in our half. Lost 16-24

We had a try disallowed when it was 16-6 that looked pretty harsh to me and that was very much the turning point, also denied Ben Johnston a top drawer of a try on his last game before retirement.

It is what it is, finished in same position as last year but a lot further clear of the regelation battle. All in all a good year, there's room for improvement but we have a good core squad, we just need more bodies to back it up when we have knocked bodies

[BobG]

It's been year on year improvement for at least 4 seasons now. That is pretty bloody impressive in itself. Another season of improvement will make this team a proper contender.

BobG

[Jemmo]

Agreed. I am still happy with the way things are going

[Jemmo]

Dons have confirmed the following players have not been offered new contravts for 2026:

Craig Hall
Ben Johnston
Josh Bowden
Jason Tali
Junior Mafi
Andrew Gill

I'd have kept Hall, was easilly the top assists of the year, but he is 37 and had defensive frailties. As eluded to in previous posts many are happy to see him go. As long as we bring an actual full back in it will work out. (The expected signing of Cory Aston already makes up for the kicking game Hall had and another creative option)

Johnston and Tali are retiring

Bowden was one of the big signings of the last close season and never got going unfortunately, and picked up too many injuries.

Mafi is a young lad and will find another club, I just don't feel he's the right bodt type for the position he's in. Too small for a prop at this level.

Gill never got a game outside friendlies, but is a young local lad. I might have kept him on for that alone, particularly when we're gonig to get a few less intense games next season now the divisions have merged (although we're not still sure how that will look)