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.
Great Expectations
THIS
weekend it’s time for Betfred League One to take centre stage, as the 14 third
tier clubs kick off their 2018 seasons.
Most eyes will inevitably be on
Bradford Bulls, the former World Club champions who now find themselves in the
bottom division of the professional game.
Their trials and tribulations of
recent years have been well documented, but Sunday will feel very much like a
fresh start under experienced boss John Kear, who is looking to write yet
another successful chapter in his career coaching book.
His side could hardly have had a
tougher start to the campaign however, with a trip to a York City Knights team
that knows all about what it takes to succeed at this level and has recruited
well.
A bumper crowd is expected for what
should be an absolute cracker.
The other relegated team Oldham also
have a stern early test of their promotion credentials when they travel to
Whitehaven, who only just missed out on the Championship themselves last year.
It’s an early return
to his former club for wily Roughyeds stand-off Paul Crook, another who knows
all about being successful in League One and who could hold the key to Oldham’s
fortunes this year.
Elsewhere, Keighley Cougars are
confident they can build on a disappointing end to last season and kick-off
against Leon Pryce’s Workington Town, who boast a wealth of experience in
new signings Ryan Bailey, Jamie Foster and Sean Penkywicz.
Doncaster are another club who faded
somewhat last time around and they take on a Coventry Bears team that can never
be underestimated.
North Wales Crusaders and London
Skolars have flown under the radar somewhat during the close season but will
both believe they can challenge anyone in the competition, and their clash will
be fascinating.
Hunslet Hawks travel to Hemel Stags
buoyed by a resounding Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Cup against a youthful Leeds
team, and coach Gary Thornton will have high hopes they can kick-on after an
underwhelming 2017.
The latest new team to emerge from the
Valleys is West Wales Raiders, who will be looking for stability and gradual
progress where others have struggled.
They host Newcastle Thunder, last
season’s
big over-achievers who have a considerable task to repeat their play-off
heroics but will start the campaign believing they can.
It looks as even a competition as we’ve had
in recent memory, with as many as half of the competition having credible hopes
of promotion - enjoy the action.
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