Super League XV. Round 0? (Praise the Lord!)

toomevara

Crusaders V Leeds. Fri 29th,Wrexham, 20:00 Sky Sports 1.
Quins V Wakefield. Sat 30th, The Stoop. 15:00.


Thank jebus folks, at last the long, long drought is over and the greatest game in the world is about to get back up and running. Two games this weekend...can only see one winner on Friday night or maybe crusaders can prove us all wrong, as for Quins/Wakey who knows? Be interesting to see who hits the ground running given the heavily disrupted pre-season.

Dozen Wicked Words

Heart says Crusaders (just for the whole undergog thing) and Quins, head says easy win for Leeds and Wakey win by a few points.

Incidentally, does anyone know if the Irish Mirror is going to have the Super League pullout tomorrow or is it UK only?

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

Heart says Crusaders (just for the whole underdog thing)

More of a cat thing surely, as in dead-cat-bounce (should they win).....:D

WakeyTyke

I just hope that the Crusaders-Leeds game isn't a squirmathon as the Rhinos put up a cricket score. Best we can hope is that the game stays competitive until half-time. A bad game for the Crusaders to be launched in Wrexham, new supporters might be put off coming back again if they get a trouncing.

Sky should have gone to the Stoop, for what has to be a more even and entertaining contest.

Let the show begin:D

toomevara

WakeyTyke wrote: »

Sky should have gone to the Stoop, for what has to be a more even and entertaining contest.

Let the show begin:D

+1.

WakeyTyke

Quins, it seems, have been hit by the pre-season injury curse losing Luke Dorn as well as Purdham, plus other injuries as well. Not the start to the season that any coach wants.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_5884846,00.html

Stev_o

Leeds should walk this one without any major trouble. Should be interesting to see how their pre season purchases get on.

AdeT

Full teams and I think I'd go Leeds & Quins but Purdham and Dorn are unbelievably important players for Quins. IMO Purdham's England best loose-forward

This week I'll be going Leeds and Wakey though. Both by a bit of a distance (eventually)

amacachi

Leeds by ~60, Wakefield by 8-12. Never understand why they have that game as the season opener though.

WakeyTyke

amacachi wrote: »

Leeds by ~60, Wakefield by 8-12. Never understand why they have that game as the season opener though.

World Club Challenge is the answer.

Leeds-Crusaders match is brought forward from Round 4 to accommodate the game and the Quins-Wakefield game is brought forward from Round 3 so the Quins can once again provide a warm-up game for this years challengers Melbourne Storm.

amacachi

WakeyTyke wrote: »

World Club Challenge is the answer.

Leeds-Crusaders match is brought forward from Round 4 to accommodate the game and the Quins-Wakefield game is brought forward from Round 3 so the Quins can once again provide a warm-up game for this years challengers Melbourne Storm.

Ah yeah I know that, but having a trouncing to open the season is just so silly.

WakeyTyke

Sorry misunderstood.

Sky always had it that the first game of the season would feature the newly promoted side so I suppose the 'new' Crusaders is the closest to that. Or maybe that's just the way the fixtures fell by chance.

Either way agree with you totally - poor fare for the opening game of the season.

Oh! and Wakey by 14 points:D

toomevara

WakeyTyke wrote: »

Sky always had it that the first game of the season would feature the newly promoted side so I suppose the 'new' Crusaders is the closest to that. Or maybe that's just the way the fixtures fell by chance.

Yeah, I don't get this...the very same last year, I remember going to Headingley on a freezing cold February night, for the opening game of SL XIV, Leeds V the then 'Celtic' Crusaders. Poor game...Celtic competitive for 35-40 mins and then trounced.

Dozen Wicked Words

WakeyTyke wrote: »

World Club Challenge is the answer.

Leeds-Crusaders match is brought forward from Round 4 to accommodate the game and the Quins-Wakefield game is brought forward from Round 3 so the Quins can once again provide a warm-up game for this years challengers Melbourne Storm.

Dead right WakeyTyke, its quite a big deal hosting the Aussie teams every year for Quins with so many Aus/Kiwi ex pats in London. Not sure how much of a team Storm are going to send but hopefully it will earn Quins a few quid.

toomevara

Looks like Eastwood will finally get to pull on a Rhinos shirt in anger on Friday night; Be interesting to see the Crusader starting XIII....

Crusaders (from): Nick Youngquest, Vince Mellars, Gareth Raynor, Michael Witt, Ryan O'Hara (c), Lincoln Withers, Mark Bryant, Jason Chan, Rocky Trimarchi, Luke Dyer, Tommy Lee, Frank Winterstein, Adam Peek, Jamie Thackray, Jordan James, Ben Flower, Lloyd White, Elliot Kear, Peter Lupton

Leeds Rhinos (from): Brent Webb, Scott Donald, Brett Delaney, Keith Senior, Ryan Hall, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow, Kylie Leuluai, Danny Buderus, Jamie Jones Buchanan, Ali Lauiititi, Kevin Sinfield, Matt Diskin, Greg Eastwood, Ryan Bailey, Ian Kirke, Carl Ablett, Luke Burgess, Kallum Watkin

WakeyTyke

Squads for The Stoop on Saturday

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Murphy, Morton, Millard, Gleeson, George, Jeffries, Brough, Tronc, Newton, Korkidas, Ferguson, Morrison, Demetriou, Johnson, King, Moore, Obst, Latu,Henderson

Harlequins.
Bolger, Clubb, Esders, Gale, Golden, Howell, James, Jones-Bishop, Kaye, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Melling, O'Callaghan, Orr, Randall, Sharp, Ward, Wilkes, Williams, Williamson.

toomevara

The Crusaders game is a sell out. Good news for all involved.

WakeyTyke

That is a great start for them, just hope and pray that the team put in performance of courage, committment and pride that will make them want to come back for more.

AdeT

Thank god we're back to Super League after a dull winter!

Wanted to get over to Wrexham tonight but I'll have to settle for a pint in Headingley.

I wonder what sky's new analysis will be this year; there seems to be something new every year

toomevara

AdeT wrote: »

Wanted to get over to Wrexham tonight but I'll have to settle for a pint in Headingley.

I sincerely hope this game doesn't degenerate into farce...crazy opening fixture imo.

AdeT

toomevara wrote: »

I sincerely hope this game doesn't degenerate into farce...crazy opening fixture imo.

If it's close it's an inspired choice...IF!!!

The more likely occurance is a heavy win for The Rhinos leaving Crusaders with a bit task of filling the ground next time round...

Anyone going?

toomevara

AdeT wrote: »

If it's close it's an inspired choice...IF!!!

The more likely occurance is a heavy win for The Rhinos leaving Crusaders with a bit task of filling the ground next time round...

Anyone going?

I'm not, as had an away weekend to London last weekend to catch the LI/Leinster game....but hope to make all the home games this season despite bleedin' work's best attempts to keep me from my rugby....

Trojan

Who'll win the league this year?

WakeyTyke

Trojan wrote: »

Who'll win the league this year?

It is hard to see past Leeds, who on paper, look even stronger than last season. Don't think St. Helens are going to be the main challengers this year, think it is going to be Wigan.

Stev_o

Counting down the minutes to this now

toomevara

Trojan wrote: »

Who'll win the league this year?

Cant see past Leeds,Saint or Wigans right now, but having said that I think this season could be the closest in along time, as I reckon there are about 4 teams under the top three who, given a rub of the green and a bit of momentum could just shake things up.

amacachi

For betting purposes Wigan are probably the best value.


Gonna miss most of the match tonight, shall record it.

amacachi

Great to see so many at the match tonight, long may it continue.
Come on Crusaders!

Pitch looks awful, no yellow balls?:P

Risteard

Poor try conceded there.

Stev_o

Quest will never hear the end of that mistake, feel sorry for him. Pitch looks dreadfull due to the snow.

toomevara

Impressive first 40 by the Crusaders, some useful performances from Witt, Trimachi etc... Classic Noble team, the guy's a superb coach, you can tell he's already got into their minds. Leeds look undercooked, which is surprising given their pre-season, but wouldn't panic just yet...snow's a bit of a bugger, a good leveller though.

amacachi

Not a great match. Leeds just didn't seem to get going at all til the try in the second half. Once that went in that was the end. Maybe they were just holding back? Lot of promise from Crusaders early, really hope they can build on it.

EDIT: Just getting to the last few minutes, not sure about the last try at all. Still, match was only ever going to finish one way. Hope the empty seats at the end don't stay empty.

toomevara

amacachi wrote: »

Not a great match. Leeds just didn't seem to get going at all til the try in the second half. Once that went in that was the end. Maybe they were just holding back? Lot of promise from Crusaders early, really hope they can build on it.

EDIT: Just getting to the last few minutes, not sure about the last try at all. Still, match was only ever going to finish one way. Hope the empty seats at the end don't stay empty.

Not a great game, sure, but only a season opener I guess at the end of the day. Thought the Sky commentators were hilariously awful, Stevo in particular was beyond the pale. Trying to read the runes for an entire season based on 80 minutes of rugby in a snow bound north wales in January. How much did they want that upset? Completely skewed the commentary, Oh and agree with you completely on the last leeds try, never in.

Thought Delaney, Eastwood and Buderus were in fine form for Leeds as indeed was McGuire and Burrow. Definitely impressed with the Crusaders, looked like a coherent, committed, (particularly in defence) team performance and I saw enough last night to suggest that they'll do better than their South-Walian counterparts last year. Fair play to the folk of Wrexham as well for getting out in numbers...Think McCrea will have seen enough from the commentary box to worry him about Salford's upcoming clash.

amacachi

toomevara wrote: »

Thought the Sky commentators were hilariously awful, Stevo in particular was beyond the pale. Trying to read the runes for an entire season based on 80 minutes of rugby in a snow bound north wales in January. How much did they want that upset? Completely skewed the commentary,

Aye the commentary was woeful alright. If ya weren't paying attention to what was onscreen you'd've thought Leeds were getting a lot more from the ref than they did.

Dozen Wicked Words

Was working yesterday, so only watched it today. Quite hard to watch because of the state of the pitch. Wasn't a classic, but again, pitch didn't help.

Commentary was biased, but not surprised with such obvious underdogs, nearly all commentators will skew their opinions in favour of the minnows.

Regardless of how much attendance will tail off, I think 10,000 is absolutely brilliant, Crusaders Mk1 certainly didn't get much of a crowd for their first game, so maybe the move to Wrexham will be a good thing for them.

Today is the biggie , shame we don't have Purdham and Dorn, but another local boy will get his chance off the bench - Ben Bolger. Also hoping for big things from Leeds wonder kid Ben Jones-Bishop.

Dozen Wicked Words

I have noticed refreshing a page on the internet every minute or so is not making Harlequins score any quicker! If fact the last refresh was a depressing score for Wakefield. What button on this stupid laptop gives me a feckin Quins try or three? :(

Result: Quins RL 10 Wakefield 18 (all dodgy scores obviously!)

Oh FFS, so we WERE undercooked!!!!!! Not even thawed out I don't think. Congrats Wakefield, hope this isn't the start of a LOOONNNGGG season.

toomevara

Still waiting on the match report. TBH, given Quins pre-season, not a bad result.

Dozen Wicked Words

Both teams finished a man light:

BBC Match Report

"Wakefield opened their Super League campaign with a hard-fought victory over Harlequins.

Daryl Millard crashed over early on before Ben Jones-Bishop replied on his debut for the hosts.

Ben Jeffries crossed the line to give Wakefield a 12-4 half-time lead, only for Jones-Bishop to hit back again.

But with the Wildcats piling on the pressure, Aaron Murphy barged over before Richard Moore and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook were sent off.

Using their superior physical strength, the Wildcats spent most of the opening 15 minutes in the Quins half and were rewarded when Millard leapt to claim Danny Brough's kick and crossed the line.

Quins replied in their first real attack, Jones-Bishop finding space following good work from Chad Randall and Luke Gale.

Jeffries stormed home following a weaving run from Murphy to ensure the Wildcats led at the interval, but Jones-Bishop hauled the home side back in to the game just after the break, evading three tackles before touching down.

But Murphy settled the contest, receiving an inside pass and crossing the line before Moore and McCarthy-Scarsbrook saw red as tempers flared."

Attendance: An underwhelming 3,688. Think during the football season playing Sunday is a better option.

WakeyTyke

Was up a mountain in County Kerry this afternoon so didn't find out about the Quins-Wakey match till this evening:D

Think Wakey had the good fortune to meet an under-strength and under-cooked Quins, who I am sure will be challenging for a top 8 spot come the business-end of the season.

Let's hope this result is the start of a good season for Wakey. Next week's clash with the Dragons will give a better perspective on any aspirations.

Maybe be our luck will continue and we will have a cold, harsh winter spell in West Yorks to greet the sunny-siders;)