They're out...
Home to York, then away to Kendal for the first two matches.
"Level 5 rugby club, 10mins from Leeds, England, looking for second row / back row.
Match fees available, excellent club, great facilities... please get in touch."
Can only assume Harrogate is looking for a friend to join Brady in the row? Alternatively the non paying clubs around Leeds have had a change of heart.
Harrogate is not 10 mins from Leeds though
Also there will be no space in the row as we've got both Brady brothers, plus a lot of back row options if everyone has signed on for another year
About 10 miles from the southern border of Leeds to Sandal.
Driffield?
I'm sure this new season had been started and deleted.
But this are my thoughts
Alnwick quietly go about business every year. Strong at home and always a side that are up there. Top 5 finish
Blaydon with the DMP signing from last year should be good when they are available, some good players and could upset some teams, particularly at home. Mid table finish
Cleckheaton without the Pipers could be interesting, how quickly Hainsworth rejoins from injury could be the key. Lost a few players and an aging squad. Bottom half finish
Driffield haven't lost any players to the national leagues this season so unchanged squad. Few local lads joined and another season under the belt of the young lads. Some great colts coming through. If they can make Kelleythorpe a tough place to visit then top half finish should be on the cards.
Harrogate will back themselves to bounce straight back again. They weren't convincing for me winning the league last time out but they got the job done. I think some pressure will come from other sides this time out. Top 3 finish
Heath been consistent for a lot of seasons now. Lost scrumhalf to Huddersfield could be key for them but the pack give anyone at 9 an armchair ride. Top 3 finish
Ilkley could fly high or could be battling at the bottom. They are a great team when they are firing. I think mid table to bottom half but safe.
Kendal seem to have some good faces through the door, some long away days for them but also gives them solid home advantage. Mid table finish
Middlesbrough coming up are an unknown side. What has been shown over recent seasons is the promoted sides have struggled to break out of the bottom. Recent history says a relegation battle
Penrith could well be in the same boat as Middlesbrough, mid table last time out in a not so competitive west league. Relegation battle but some good home wins I imagine
Sandal have apparently lost a few, if the captain has recovered from his knee injury then mid table, if he is out for most of the season then bottom half and potentially dragged into a scrap.
York have been attracting players to the club £rom £ar and wide. They obviously have a lot on o££er as a club. Real promotion £ocus. Top £ finish. But how the the second team hold out this time round is the big question
Yeah I started that post but unsure where it's gone. Or if I've deleted, still getting to grips with the posting.
But I'll add my thoughts in here again.
Most of my predictions are somewhat close to yours Differ Lid. Think mid to lower end of the table and those who might get relegated are almost impossible.
Alwnick - Strong at home and some really strong players in pivotal positions. Front row players in abundance and a set of backs who can play. Can see them doing well if they keep a consistent team out every week.
Blaydon - Managed to avoid relegation in the last game. Some big signings made near the end of the season - will they be sticking around? Need a front row to be competitive and again consistency with squad selection. Will their coaches be playing this year? A lot of factors to determine how Blaydon will do this year. Don't think they'll be fighting relegation.
Cleckheaton - Solid team. Some great players, their 13 is influential to them achieving. Hopefully he's back to give them some go forward. Dickie Piper off to Huddersfield after his supposed retirement. How will they go without him? I predict they'll be mid table.
Driffield - Good outfit, great club ethos. Strong pack and some hard running backs. Seemingly haven't lost any players to national 2 sides. My apologies. Think they'll still do well.
Harrogate - The yoyo team of national 2 and our league. Brady brothers are reunited. Is that enough to send them back up? Usually quite consistent but their pitch is an horrendous bog. Has this been sorted as its definitely a leveller for travelling opposition. Potentially title winners with their financial backers.
Heath - Huge pack and strong go forward from their back row. This paired with the trusty Johnson and some solid backs could finally beat their best finish of 2nd. Heath are a potential title favourite.
Ilkley - Some superb backs, particularly the fullback. Haven't seen any signings, but still time to come. Influential captain who makes them tick. I'm guessing they'll compete but end up mid table comfortably.
Kendal - Unknown opposition but have made some good signings. Moir from Alwnick will definitely give them plenty of opportunities for 3s. Plenty of their players in the Cumbria squad but didn't manage to beat anyone except a poor Durham team. Think they'll struggle.
Middlesbrough - Tough promotion year. Didn't run away with it. Went down to the last game. No news on any new signings. But player coach seems to be guiding them in the right direction. Can see them struggling against better opponents in this league. Relegation?
Pentrih - Plastic pitch and mid table last year in the West. Not many players in the county side. Not got much to go on but plenty of BP last season which could help them. I predict lower end of the table.
Sandal - Jekyll & Hyde of last season. Not quite sure what was going on there? Their better players seemingly unavailable for away trips which resulted in some heavy, heavy losses. Unsure what will happen this year. I think lower end of the table.
York - A solid team all round and despite the claim of no match fees seem to keep attracting quality players. If they keep their team from last year and don't bottle the tougher games I can see them up near the top. Their scrum half is vital to them doing well, runs the game is very dangerous going forward. Top 4 for York.
Top Four
Gate-York-Heath-Hudds (not sure on order, but hoping for Gate to be top).
Surprise team - Middlesborough
Think it will go down to the last game for the top spot and the bottom
Hudds - which team is that - BishBB?
The one playing in NW1 :o
Any news on preseason friendlies?
Driff to my knowledge have played 2.
Boro got beat by Percy Park.
Kendal must've beaten Ryton?
Ilkley trounced by Manchester...
Alwnick have Morpeth and Northern next week or so. Could be a good test for them.
Blaydon play Scarborough away next week...
Don't know about York, but a lot of signings - especially Selby lads. Ca£h being an incentive I'd imagine...
Heath must've beat Rochdale?
York, Penrith, Sandal, Cleckheaton and Harrogate yet to play or announce any.
Just thought I'd see how preseason fixtures are going and try get some discussion going!
Quote from: Bin Juice on Aug 16, 2025, 10:20 PMAny news on preseason friendlies?
Driff to my knowledge have played 2.
Boro got beat by Percy Park.
Kendal must've beaten Ryton?
Ilkley trounced by Manchester...
Alwnick have Morpeth and Northern next week or so. Could be a good test for them.
Blaydon play Scarborough away next week...
Don't know about York, but a lot of signings - especially Selby lads. Ca£h being an incentive I'd imagine...
Heath must've beat Rochdale?
York, Penrith, Sandal, Cleckheaton and Harrogate yet to play or announce any.
Just thought I'd see how preseason fixtures are going and try get some discussion going!
York pulled out of a friendly against Otley today. Harrogate have Leeds Tykes, Yarnbury and Darlington MP coming up.
Driffield played Ionians away, scoreline not ideal, but it was a good competitive match throughout with some new faces and young lads in the side for the Woldsmen. Played some good rugby. A good test, giving set piece and strike moves a good work through.
Then played Bridlington in a stop start game that was frustrating to watch. A good win and some good tries scored, but wasn't the type of preseason game which showed what the squad has been working on during preseason. Just a good physical test.
Week off this weekend before playing Pocklington.
I heard York were struggling for availability at training and for the game. Maybe ££ isnt paid for friendlies or the less cynical view would be a Saturday in August making it difficult to get a squad together.
Gate have Leeds Beckett this Wed
Yarnbury the following Thursday
DMP for the CPM memorial game on Sat 30th
Quote from: Bin Juice on Aug 16, 2025, 10:20 PMAny news on preseason friendlies?
Driff to my knowledge have played 2.
Boro got beat by Percy Park.
Kendal must've beaten Ryton?
Ilkley trounced by Manchester...
Alwnick have Morpeth and Northern next week or so. Could be a good test for them.
Blaydon play Scarborough away next week...
Don't know about York, but a lot of signings - especially Selby lads. Ca£h being an incentive I'd imagine...
Heath must've beat Rochdale?
York, Penrith, Sandal, Cleckheaton and Harrogate yet to play or announce any.
Just thought I'd see how preseason fixtures are going and try get some discussion going!
Rochdale 7-24 Heath
Seems funny for York to blob on Otley when it's only 40 minutes or so away.
Good score for Heath.
Seems like Driffield have picked some good opponents for pre season. Ionians would have been a stern test!
Harrogate have some interesting opponents coming up. Hope they provide a good challenge for them.
Be interesting to see how Blaydon fair on Saturday.
Looking forward to the new season beginning!
Thoughts for the season ahead:
Alnwick - Will be hoping for a better start to the season than last year. If they do think they will be a top 4 team again. Hard place to travel to up north.
Blaydon - Strange team Blaydon. If they have managed to keep the DMP players then they could be challenging for top 4, if not they could be battling relegation again, could also be in mid-table - too much unknown at the minute imo.
Cleckheaton - Change of coaching staff, Captain Piper gone to Hudds, A few retirements and I believe the Superstar 13 Hainsworth snapped his achilles at the end of last season so he won't be back for them until after Xmas at the earliest if back for them at all as no doubt the moneybag teams in this league and above will have been sniffing around him in the off season - I expect Cleck to struggle this season and could go down!
Driffield - Driffield are always a solid outfit and sounds like they haven't really lost anyone in the off season - Expect them to be around mid-table.
Harrogate - Coming down from the league above they have to be one of the favourites to finish top of the pile this season. However won't be easy imo with teams like Heath & York also going for it.
Heath - With Huddersfield moving over to the west league I do make Heath favourites to finish top this year. Sounds like they have kept most of their powerful squad together. Rumour has it they tried with Hudds to move over to the west league - Do teams see that league as an easier path to promotion?
Ilkley - Another strange team are ilkley. On their day can beat anyone but on their off day can lse to anyone. Going for a safe bet that they will be somewhere around mid-table again.
Kendal - A bit of an unknown team coming across from the North West league. I expect them to maybe struggle a bit as i believe the East league is stronger than the west one - Could be wrong though as haven't seen enough of them.
Middlesbrough - I expect Middlesbrough to be a bit like Selby & Percy Park were last season - They will be in a relegation fight but will compete and pick up a few surprise wins across the season. But we do know how hard it is for promoted sides to stay in this league as it's such a step up.
Penrith - Same as Kendal really, A bit of an unknown team coming across from the North West league. I think they might fair slightly better than Kendal but still struggle a bit adjusting to a new league. Home form will be key imo.
Sandal - Really seemed to struggle in the 2nd half of last season and apparently have lost a few players over the off-season. A bit like Cleckheaton i expect them to struggle and be in a relegation fight - Again could be wrong though.
York - York have been a consistent team in this league over the last few years and again expect them to be challenging for the top spot and almost certain they will be in the Top 4 come the end of the season.
Quote from: Bin Juice on Aug 18, 2025, 09:32 PMSeems funny for York to blob on Otley when it's only 40 minutes away
must be strange contacts that York are investing all this money on! Paying players not to turn up it would seem, that's a new concept!
Maybe they don't get paid for friendlies
Quote from: Differ Lid on Aug 28, 2025, 10:20 PMMaybe they don't get paid for friendlies
Maybe you are just talking sxxx!
Quote from: Dark Arts Advocate on Sep 01, 2025, 10:36 AMQuote from: Differ Lid on Aug 28, 2025, 10:20 PMMaybe they don't get paid for friendlies
Maybe you are just talking sxxx!
DAA when does the penny drop? A ex Driffield Mini & Junior, who's playing history include Rotherham Titans, Hull, Birmingham Mosley, Hull Ionians and a period last year was travelling from a few miles outside of Driffield to play for Birkenhead Park isn't playing rugby for free? So when he turned out for York on Saturday it's not by chance or his loyalty to the club.
Either own it, paying players is part of the game at this level. Or just stay quiet on the situation, but stop denying it blindly.
Hope Birkenhead Park arent paying too much. We have them in three weeks. Our lads will still be recovering from having a strenuous holiday in the Isle of Man this weekend.