fevnut's musings
State
of Play
It’s
getting to that time of year when fans start to look seriously at the table to
see what might be in store for their club as we approach the play-offs.
As far as
the Championship is concerned a few things are already decided. Toronto are definitely
in the play-offs. They are so far ahead that even if they lost every game from
now on it would be impossible for any club currently not in the top 5 to push
them out.
That leaves
4 further play-off places and, mathematically, there are 8 clubs left in with a
shout of making it. We did say mathematically because for Swinton to get to the
play-offs would take the most unlikely miracle of all time. They would have to
win every one of their remaining matches whilst Fev would have to lose all
theirs!
Looking at
the relegation places (bottom 2) there are now 7 teams who cannot be relegated
(including, of course, Fev).
This table
shows it all.
If Toronto
beat Widnes this weekend then no-one will be able to catch them and they will
secure the League Leaders Trophy.
The
situation is very different in Super League. All twelve clubs are
mathematically still able to make the play-off positions. The only matters that
are already decided are that Saint Helens have clinched a play-off spot and
Saints and Warrington have enough points to mean they cannot be relegated.
In League
One the team finishing top of the table will be promoted and there will then be
play-offs following a similar format to the Championship and Super League
except that it will be contested by the teams finishing 2nd to 6th.
Reserves
At last the
Rugby League has re-introduced, from next year, a properly constituted reserves
competition. It is something that has been desperately needed for the health of
rugby league. For all teams with a Cat 1 Academy entry into the competition is
compulsory. That is Super League teams (other than Catalans, and Toronto if
promoted) and Bradford and Widnes. Any other teams wishing to take part will
have to apply. It would be monstrous if those who are currently running a
reserve team (Fev, Halifax and Keighley) were to be denied entry.
Connor
Jones delivers a milestone
It will
have passed most people by, but in his début game Connor scored Fev’s 25,000th
point in away matches going back to when the club became professional in 1921.
It is a
mark of the higher scorelines nowadays that it is only 10 years since Jamie
Field scored a try to bring up the 20,000 total. That was just after halftime at
Whitehaven on April 19th, 2009. It is fascinating looking at the team sheets
for that match which Fev won 44-16.
On the
Whitehaven side were Ade Adebisi, Gregg McNally (at scrum-half) and on the
bench was Kyle Amor. The Fev side included Ian Hardman, Iestyn Harris (Man of
the Match) and Stu Dickens.
While we
were about it we looked to see who are the leading scorers in away matches. No
surprise that the leading goals and points go to Steve Quinn but we were a
little surprised to discover that the player who has scored the most tries in
away matches is Ian Hardman. He is followed on the list by John Newlove, Don
Fox and Paul Newlove.
Sheffield v Dewsbury
We wonder
if anyone else noticed that all four starting props in this match last Friday
had previously played for Fev. The Sheffield props were Shaun Pick and Brad
Knowles and for Dewsbury it was Jode Sheriffe and Daniel Igbinedion!
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