25/26 Fixtures

[Bin Juice]

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!

[Rugby Badger]

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.

[Dark Arts Advocate]

Seems 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!

[Differ Lid]

Maybe they don't get paid for friendlies

[Dark Arts Advocate]

Maybe they don't get paid for friendlies

Maybe you are just talking sxxx!

[Differ Lid]

Maybe 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.

[Ribbflagman]

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.