Official West Hartlepool RFC

Sorry roverman but Henry is a very good player and never complains no matter where you play him on the pitch

I never said that Henry wasn't a very good player for your club I just said he wasn't one of the best in the league.

He's certainly not in the class of the Kiwi at Driffield, Steve Wallis or even Steve Jones if he indeed does sign for Rovers as the current thought seems to be.

Tonesy has a fantastic attitude to his rugby and his club and he seems to get away with an awful lot of cheating which is always a good trait in an openside but he is not as rounded as a player as the lads mentioned above let alone a couple of others I saw last season Sheffield 7 who played at Rovers last September, Morpeth 7 who played v Rovers on closing day of the season and the Pery Park 8 who was by far their best player and would probably play as an openside for most teams in our league except for him probably being Parks only option at 8 last season.

Like I say lovely lad, ugly but a nice bloke nonetheless but no way the best openside in the league.

I reckon Tigers, Crossleyans and Rochdale might also have lads to watch in the 7 jersey too.

Jon and Dan Boatman are among the best back rows in the league. It is one area where we have strength in depth.

Most clubs are the same, because it is the least specialized position to play with the possible exception of the wing.

All you really need to be to get by at flanker is supremely fit and to be able to tackle well.

To be really good at it you also need to be able to read the game, cheat like mad without getting caught, a heart like a bin lid and be a little bit of a psycho.

Roverman,

Do you mean the "Abrasive" Kerry Wood??

The Percy Park 8 is a mate of mine Greg Dixon and is much better at 7 than he is at 8.

I would be very interested if anyone has seen any of the new teams in the league play recently.

remember as well henrys come through from a mini and is a good club man

Ivan,

Is that with the exception of the couple of years "finishing off" he did at Rovers?

If Henry is out there and listening he is a wonderful bloke who looks after his club and his old friends very well.....I am also in the market for a used car.

You mean Stabs the man who had to have a back row to do all of his tackling for his entire career showed Henry how to tackle??

Didn't stabs coach Rovers for a while???

Yeah him and Peter Robinson did it for a bit,

I think the 49-0 had less to do with Stabs and more to do with the guest players.

15. Todd
14. Lambert
13. Hodgson
12. Mossy
11. Weegram
10. Wallis (interchangable with Mossy)
9. Tighe

8. J. Boatman
7. H. "the machine" Tones
6. D. Boatman
5. Chocky
4. Garse
3. Carlo
2. Cullinane
1. Carr

We'll give that wooden spoon team a good game.

Upset that there was no mention of a Beverley back row player ROVERMAN, why is that then? after our 27-5 and 39-5 victories over you, did none of them catch the eye?

Best 7 in the league for my money last year:

Beverley's David Worrell. Now he's abrasive! And he's actually a Beverley born and bred player.


Going forward in an open game; Kerry Wood. (he's gone back to NZ but may be back next season near Newcastle.

Greg Dixon was their skipper wasn't he? Best player in an abysmal side.

Tones strikes me as a nice lad; will always enjoy in a spot of banter on and off the pitch! But I don't think he would get into many N2E teams; lets be honest he doesn't noprmally get into West's.

I reckon Sawyer is your only back row of note and u lot don't seem to like him much. I hear you talk about the two Boatman's, I honestly can't remember them doing anything against us in recent seasons.

There is a skinny blond fella for Rovers who i find infuriating as he refuses to tackle upstairs but keeps going for my legs which I just don't think is on. Plus he jumps in the lines which shouldn't be allowed for a 7.

FRLE
I saw Old Crossleyans play and they ain't up to much; would expect them to be near bottom; how malton contrived to lose that I don't know.

We played Tigers in the cup and lost; all be it with a weakened side. they will be strong if they have the same side; however their coach has left and has taken a job as Doncaster's academy manager. Lots of foreign accents.

I ain't seen Horden but I think we all know what to expect there!

The skinny 7 is stuey ryder - sorely missed through injury last season appears to be training hard for next season.

Didn't pick any Bev players as they are no longer N2E (thank God) though I did like the scrum half who punched each of our front row down there, esp FRLE cos he deserves it.

I rate Sawyer higher than Tonesey too.

Billy Neesham looked ok the other week for mid 40s.
Bet he could still worry a few!
Is he available?