Massive loss is Jed, Fash is ok there for a brief spell, think we need to try and bring someone in.

As much as I like Knight we had Salbio out on DR and Eseh not making the 17, add in one of those and we could have used a quota spot on a backrower.


Think getting Bailey in early could be an option.

This is my concern with him too, he just can't seem to string a run of games together.


It doesn't help us this year, but hopefully we can manage him better next year with Batchelor, Bailey and Bell all coming in

Hamstrings are just a feature of fast sports -soccer rugby athletics. If it’s the same hammy then longer out and longer rehab. They do do surgery but I think his is low grade, not sure. Not the time to write him off. He is our best second rower at the moment. As someone said love to get Bailey early but not sure if that’s possible- I assume but don’t know his current contract or if he has a job away from rugby to sort out too

Slightly new territory for us in 2025. Reckon this is the first game we have played this year where most of us are almost expecting a win, rather than simply looking for a decent performance with signs of improvement/advancement to bolster us. 

Even Wakefield last week felt like a 50/50 call beforehand, but given the way we have started the year and given the fact that Cas haven't looked any great shakes so far, it'll be disappointing if we don't come away with the spoils on Thursday night. 
We'll need to maintain the attitude and commitment we've shown so far and take our chances when they come, but I would hope we have enough in the locker to come away with a further two points in the ledger.


Against this, Cas will be desperate to kick-start their season. They run the risk, a bit like us twelve months ago, of seeing the year whither away before we have even reached Easter, so beware of the wounded Tiger and all that!! but think most of us on here will be a touch deflated if we lose. We've a big three weeks coming up after this, it would be nice to go into a run of tough fixtures with 9pts from a possible 12 in the bag. 


One final thought, Cartwright has hardly put a foot wrong since he landed in the UK, but he maybe needs to take a look at our preparation - warm up process. Once again last week we looked half-asleep in the first fifteen minutes. If that first disallowed try had stood we would have been 14-0 down and a long way back. We can't keep giving teams a head start and then have to claw our way back, we need to be on it right from the kick-off. Other than that minor gripe, I've no complaints with how we have conducted ourselves so far this year. 


Looking forward to another little trip out to West Yorkshire, hope the night goes as well as last Friday, should be a good atmosphere amongst the Faithful.