Rugby League

[Jemmo]

Our player was hit with a high tackle in the act of scoring a try. So it's 4 for the try, 2 for the conversion as normal. But then you get another kick from in front of the posts for the foul. It's been a rule for decades but very rarely awarded

Different to a penatly try which is awarded when the foul prevented the try from being scored

[Jemmo]

Highlights

https://youtu.be/uqvHNDEEl-M?si=lpsL7xKuqNurfh0p

[scawsby steve]

Great result, Jemmo. Strange that the highlights didn't show any conversions. Wasn't Robinson playing?

What was the attendance?

[Jemmo]

The Dons highlights show the kicks but the sound is worse

https://youtu.be/pJo_Z1HAXMs?si=ItHZQbO6RmGDS0py

Robinson didn’t get picked; looks like Aston is the first choice half (particularly as captain) and the other is a choice between Boas and Robbo. They’re very different so it might be they chop and change

Most teams would kill for a right footed and left footed kicker in Aston and Robbo

[Jemmo]

The Challenge Cup this weekend and the Dons are at home to Newcastle (3pm, Sunday)

It's certainly not the "gimme" it was when it was drawn out, Newcastle have pretty much signed a whole new squad, most of which have come from last years Championship table toppers York, having got into bed with them. They also have a number of others on loan from York. While I think we'll still be favourites this is another potentially difficult game to start the year.

[roversdude]

Did I see that Dons play Barrow in place of Fev

[Jemmo]

Yes, we've pretty much got the hardest game we could have done in the Fev replacement fixtures (although so have they). The only other team we could have got was Hunslet, who would have been a much easier prospect

[Jemmo]

Dons 24 Newcastle 22

Made hard work of that, after last weeks controlled performance we seemed to make an awful lot of bad decisions this week which nearly cost us. Won’t get away with that every week

On the plus side, Newcastle are broadly full time, and last year we would have lost that

Bring on castleford in 2 weeks time

[Jemmo]

Dons v Castleford confirmed for Saturday 7th Feb, 2pm kick off

We don't know for sure but that is traditionally the slot for the BBC game

[Jemmo]

Tries from Newcastle game and some awful music

https://youtu.be/U2bHgJRUzE8?si=htuBfkeGoMdxWzNd

Dons are away at Midlands this Sunday at 2

[Jemmo]

Dons have brought in Titus Gwaze, who was my pick of the players I wanted to nick from Sheffield so I am well chuffed with this.

Another mobile workhorse up front, part of what I genuinely think is the best set of forwards we’ve ever had

https://www.doncasterrugbyleague.co.uk/article/2354/dons-welcome-prop-titus-gwaze?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPogcJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeil_dq5V5cq-8M8w59FLSss_lwzKN4o6anSYmKjEi1GyXLqPvZLQPHw8Pwac_aem_wIDhwEk11pZm6AwmUBMwMw

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Really enjoy reading your posts about the Dons, Jemmo. Thanks for your continued input and obvious knowledge.

[Jemmo]

No worries, it’s pretty much all I do with my spare time so good to make it of use 

[Jemmo]

A little late in coming but our away kit has been released, very Paramatta, very Dons 1994

[BobG]

The Don's really are going for it this season aren't they?

That has to be a conscious planned decision with all the necessary staff, equipment and players made available. Somebody is investing a lot of money.

And Jemmo, I too really value your posts very highly. Please don't stop. Living in the SW I've only managed occasional games ever since the days of George Pflaster,  Dave Varey (my favorite player - a real tough nut), Stuart Piper (who looked like a fairy but wasn't) and Tony Banham.

BobG

[Jemmo]

Yeah there has definitely been investment to have us challenging at the very least. Not least with the squad, but also we have more assistant coaches and physio staff than we've had before. With the ever changing way Rugby League defines success we just really need crowds to go up, that's our main missing piece in the IMG puzzle.

Stewart Piper is a regular at all the games and acts as a club ambassador. Lots of old old players pop onto the supporters facebook group, in fact George Pflaster posted for the first tome on there today.

[Jemmo]

Looks like we won;t be the TV game, so not sure why we moved it to Saturday at 2pm

[scawsby steve]

Jemmo.

You've hit the nail on the head with your mention of crowds. It's suffered ever since the Dons left Tattersfield. I remember being in that crowd of 6000+ against Leeds when we were in the top tier.

Despite that great side of St John Ellis in 2000, that went the whole season unbeaten at home in the league, the crowds never exceeded 2000+.

It's a real problem, and I don't know what the answer is.

[Jemmo]

I always say we've had a real problem with aging crowds over the last2 decades. I stand with the gobby lot at at the back but I am in my mid 40's. By this age I should be half way down the stand moaning about how npsiy the teenagers behind us are. We essentially missed a generation or 2.

This has started to look better recently, there are more kids and younger people coming now than I remember for a while and it does appear to be growing, just will it grow enough?

There's also a lot of rugby league fans in Doncaster, they just don't all support the Dons. You pretty much need a generation of relative success to change that

[Jemmo]

What an absolute stinker of a showing that was today!

Midlands 26 Dons 24.

Midlands were 16 - 0 up and Dons couldn't have been making more mistakes if they tries. We then managed to get back and lead 20-24 with 10 to go and contrived to throw that away. The early season excitiement got a real reality check; one thing getting the players in but they need to put a graft in

[Jemmo]

Highlights of the defensive shit show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk7E0eLhUfI

[Jemmo]

Castleford have named pretty much their strongest squad ahead of tomorrows game, going to be a realt test.

As with all these games, when it's part time versus full time super league teams, just staying in contention as lnog as possible, getting a try or 2 and keeping their score down below 40 are all seen as wins.

London v Bradford aside, we seem to be the game people say there is most likely to be a "shock" but even then it is far from expected

[scawsby steve]

Castleford have named pretty much their strongest squad ahead of tomorrows game, going to be a realt test.

As with all these games, when it's part time versus full time super league teams, just staying in contention as lnog as possible, getting a try or 2 and keeping their score down below 40 are all seen as wins.

London v Bradford aside, we seem to be the game people say there is most likely to be a "shock" but even then it is far from expected

As regards your second paragraph, Jemmo, I can remember us all saying the same thing before the game at St Helens on that hot day in 1994. We all know what happened next.

It'll be difficult tomorrow, but you never know.

[roversdude]

Fingers crossed for tomorrow
Thanks for the updates Jemmo was really surprised at last week’s result

[Jemmo]

Finished 0-14

Couldn’t be prouder of the effort today (although frustrating when compared to last week). Would have been good to nick a point but our defence was outstanding

[Jemmo]

Rugby League looks set to lose another traditional club, Halifax were placed into liquidation yesterday following a court ruling arising from unpaid taxes to HMRC. The RFL are holding emmergency meetings to try and work out a way forward but seems very unlikely they'll be able to function unless there is someone with money ready to go now.

From the Dons pooint of view this could mean we lose the 2 points we got on the opening day

[Jemmo]

Highlights from the Castleford game (great for anyone who likes hearing a ref shout "Six again")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6mkVOhXALg

[Jemmo]

Dons have announced a surprise signing today, usually I've had a sniff before theyre announced but this one has come out the blue. And it's a position we all thought we needed, with a lot of experience. Former NRL and SL man (most recently at Hull FC) and Fiji international winger Mitieli Vulikijapani. One thing we have lacked is a bit of pace out wide, he brings that.

Another excellent bit of businsess, but I am glad we have a week off next week cause it's going to take a while to workshop his chant!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5_2Ch9Frgk

[scawsby steve]

Dons have announced a surprise signing today, usually I've had a sniff before theyre announced but this one has come out the blue. And it's a position we all thought we needed, with a lot of experience. Former NRL and SL man (most recently at Hull FC) and Fiji international winger Mitieli Vulikijapani. One thing we have lacked is a bit of pace out wide, he brings that.

Another excellent bit of businsess, but I am glad we have a week off next week cause it's going to take a while to workshop his chant!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5_2Ch9Frgk

Good video, Jemmo. He looks a good player.

[Jemmo]

Away at Batley today at 2pm. The site of a particularly great memory for long standing Dons fans (although the ground has changed considerably since then).

We've also become quite their bogey team in recent years, they didn't score a single point past us in 2024, and only did marginally better in 2025. However we need to be warned against the complacency of the game at Midlands before thinking it's job done. Had to make a couple of changes this week, Reece Lyne and Titus Gwaze both out, Buretta Faraimo is back in the squad having been out for nearly 10 months.

If we play like we did againsy Castleford we win, if we play like we did against Midlands we lose