fevnut's musings 2023/#28: Champions, Bradford, Newcastle and David Watkins

   

Champions

What is a league competition about? It is a season long competition in which points are awarded for wins (and less for draws) and the best team in the league finishes at the top. In other words, they become the league CHAMPIONS.

Fev have now finished top of rugby league’s second tier for the fifth time, having previously done so for four seasons in a row from 2010 to 2013.

But the powers that be (we suspect at the behest of Sky TV) in 1998 decided that the winners of the league should just get a cheap shield and denied their rightful tag as Champions.

It made a mockery of our sport when Fev were the Champions for four years in a row and were denied promotion because of the awful franchise system. We had the ludicrous decision in 2011 when Widnes were promoted under ‘franchise’ despite finishing only fifth in the league. And how had Widnes fared in their matches against Fev that year? Fev won the match at Widnes 56-16 and the home match 44-4. An aggregate of 100 points to 20!

It’s hardly surprising that Fev fans feel embittered about the way we have been treated.

Sadly we have to grin and bear it and let’s hope that Fev can claim our deserved promotion this time, via the play-offs.

 

Bradford

As we expected, the Bradford team were much stronger opposition than we have faced in matches against them over the last few years.

While there is still huge scope for improvement, our lads were hugely strong in defence but we really do need develop the cutting edge in attack and maximising the skills of our very talented team.

Last Sunday turned out to be our ninth win in a row against them. Not bad considering that Bradford hold the record for the most points ever scored in a match against Fev!

For us, the really awful part of the game was not on the pitch (can you really call that a rugby league pitch) but in the attitude of many of their fans. According to them and their constant abuse, poor James Vella made at least 100 incorrect calls. Of course, everyone is passionate about their own team and often blinkered about decisions made against them (or not made in their favour). But non-stop screaming about referee calls, of which well over 90% are correct, is unacceptable.

Maybe, anyone who wants to behave like this should be forced to actually do some refereeing!

The abusing of referees in our culture has gone way too far. Such fans should be rooted out and especially those who take to social media in the disgusting manner in which Marcus Griffiths has recently been abused. You won’t get better referees like this. On the contrary it is a disincentive to them to take up the whistle in the first place. The fewer who give it a try the worse the number of really good referees will become.

 

Newcastle

Friday night’s game should be ‘interesting’. Fev have sealed top spot in the league and Newcastle can’t escape relegation. Thunder have drafted three reserve players, who have never played in their first team, into their squad. It’s certainly not going to be the quality of opposition that we need at the moment.

It is so important that we build our team so that they are ‘play-off ready’.

We won’t be going but will be avidly waiting to watch it when it becomes available on FevTV to see how the team is gelling.

The only reason we are not going is the fact that age makes us very reluctant to accept a situation where we would have to embark on a 2-hour return journey arriving home after midnight. We were shocked when we discovered that this match is scheduled for a Friday night with an 8pm kick off. Apparently, the fixture being on Friday is because the Great North Run takes place on Saturday.

 

Sam Lisone

Well, what a way to score your first try!

Last Saturday, Lisone made his 21st appearance for Leeds, coming off the bench in a match against Hull FC. He had not registered any tries previously in his first 20 games.

In case you are unaware he scored a hat trick. For prop forwards try scoring is not a common occurrence and scoring a hat trick is extremely rare. The first two of Sam’s tries were typical of the tries that props score but the third one was amazing and involved a brilliant side step to beat Hull full back.

Congratulations, Sam.

 

David Watkins

We were very sad to read that David Watkins has died.

Being born and brought up in London, the sport of rugby league was not to the fore in our consciousness but it was watching David Watkins playing for Salford and Wales in the occasional televised match that contributed to our developing understanding of the skills of rugby league players and the wonderful nature of the sport.

For that we are very grateful to him, and our condolences go to all his friends and family.