Challenge Cup - Hunslet Away (Again!)

This weekend sees us back in action, this time away at Hunslet in the challenge cup. The game should have a familiar feel too it as we take on ex Coach Dean Muir and a number of ex cougar players (at least 8 I can think of off the top of my head, there might be more )

Foster said yesterday in interview on Radio Leeds that Billy Walkley hasn't broken anything a could be available if he comes through training this week. Other than that I suspect it'll be a similar squad to what we had for the Dewsbury game. There's no further update on Bishop, DFJ and Copland, though I did see Bishop on one of the videos the club put on socials and he appears to be in training now so hopefully not too far off. 

For some reason it always feels like we make hard work of Hunslet away. We should be winning this fixture but it's certainly not a given and with all the ex cougar players likely wanting to prove a point, I expect it'll be hard fought. A victory would mean in all likelihood a home tie v Fev which would pull a decent crowd, so fingers crossed we can get the job done. 

Looking forward to this one. I guess they'll be a lot of ex-Cougars with a point to prove. Could get very tasty.

Thought we deserved the win although a long way from our best.

Our forwards were excellent but we constantly failed to capitalise on it.

We need to improve quickly for next week if we are going to give the bulls a game.

12 hours ago, Dovster said:

Thought we deserved the win although a long way from our best.

Our forwards were excellent but we constantly failed to capitalise on it.

We need to improve quickly for next week if we are going to give the bulls a game.

We certainly deserved the win and in truth the scoreline should have been more flattering for us. That said, it's never easy at Hunslet, we always seem to make hard work of it. 

Agree on our forwards, on the whole we dominated the middle, second half especially. 

Found it strange that we had Stead on the bench, it didn't seem like the game to carry a utility back, unless someone was carrying a bit of a knock. I also thought it was harsh on Ben Dean being dropped for Oscar Thomas.

Bulls and Fev the next 2 home games. We will be massive under dogs for both but hopefully 2 good crowds to boost the bank balance. 

What I dont understand is that we constantly go down the side of Sau and Graham. It's as if our backs cant pass the other way.

It may be our strongest side but it must be pretty easy to defend against when you know where its going. 

Fully agree our forwards were dominant throughout the game. Bigger test for them in the next 2 games

1 hour ago, Mr Hicks said:

What I dont understand is that we constantly go down the side of Sau and Graham. It's as if our backs cant pass the other way.

It may be our strongest side but it must be pretty easy to defend against when you know where its going. 

Fully agree our forwards were dominant throughout the game. Bigger test for them in the next 2 games

It might have been a tactic to target their right hand edge. In fairness, 3 of the 5 tries came down that side, with one other being an interception and the other a chip and chase. It makes sense to keep attacking that side of we are having success. 

Obviously a big step up in quality of opposition these next 2 games and I don't think anyone is expecting us to win either of them. We will certainly need to improve from Sunday.