Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Gareth Walker's Column: March 26th

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.







Dons on the rise

 

ANY team that can boast a bench including Jamie Thackray, Feka Palea’aesina and Makali Aizue should probably be feared - and Doncaster have made a promising start to 2017.

          That was their substitute line-up for Sunday’s 48-22 Challenge Cup win at Gloucestershire All Golds, who let’s not forget had comfortably accounted for Keighley seven days earlier.

          It made it three consecutive wins since the Dons’ League One Cup defeat at the Cougars, and the early signs are there that they could be credible promotion contenders this season.

          Guided by the vastly experienced duo of chief executive Carl Hall and coach Gary Thornton, they have put together a squad containing an eye catching balance of youth and experience - not least that formidable front row.

          They also have that out wide in winger Richie Barnett and centres Jason Tali and Liam Welham, with Kyle Kesik and Ryan Wright their hooking options.

          At the other end of the scale, young halfbacks Kieran Cross and Jack Miller have been impressing in recent weeks, with Cross scoring four times at weekend.

          Much of the talk so far in League One has centred around Toronto Wolfpack and then probably Barrow and Keighley.

          But Thornton’s side should certainly not be underestimated, and clips of some of their tries in the recent win at North Wales show they are playing an exciting brand of rugby as well.

          Two in particular stand out - involving remarkable offloads from first Palea’aesina and then Thackray, men who have over 400 Super League appearances between them.

          Having them and Papua New Guinean international Aizue -  who played 50 top flight games himself for Hull KR - climb off the bench will resonate with any opposition coach.

          This weekend they host improving Oxford, and although Hall is keeping his feet firmly on the ground, he has seen cause for optimism in recent weeks.

          We’re still some way off we still feel,” Hall said in one of his weekly briefings to supporters online.

          But for half an hour against North Wales we were red hot.

          We showed some real moments of magic out there, and it’s good to see the boys playing with a smile on their face.

          We put a couple of clips online because we want people to come down and have a look at what we’re about.

          We’ve won the first game by 20 and the second by 40 so there’s improvement there.

          We’re in a good position.”





 

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