Rovers’ pre-season is over and attentions have now turned to the Championship season opener with QPR on Saturday.

But who played the most in pre-season, who impressed, who has work to do, and what shape are Rovers in?

In all, Rovers used 33 players, 24 starters and nine substitutes, with 20 of those involved having come through the Academy.

The minutes are incredibly similar given the way that Tomasson has used his players in pre-season, and thankfully, no fresh injuries to report.

Ryan Hedges (259 minutes)

More minutes than any other player for Hedges who captained what had the feel of a ‘second team’ against Stanley and Dundee, but didn’t have the impact he would have hoped, although he did carry out his responsibilities as a senior player well in what were young sides.

Finished last season strongly after a bedding in process following his January move, and there looks to be a role within the front four for someone of his type.

His second half display at Lincoln showed just why, and he will hope to have done enough to be included on the opening day, with good range of passing, close control, as well as going close with a long-range effort which hit the bar.

Jake Garrett (247 minutes)

Heavily involved for a second successive pre-season, helped by the departures in central midfield, and will now have his eyes set on a senior debut.

Thundered into tackles at Accrington, and was impressive in a strong showing at Dundee where he was one of two players to come through 90 minutes.

Wants to be part of the first-team plans at Rovers, and has impressed Tomasson, but was a little slack on the ball in the Hartlepool win which shows there is still room for improvement in his game, though does possess some excellent qualities.

Thomas Kaminski (240 minutes)

Three starts, and three full games for Kaminski. Was unfortunate with the two goals conceded against Celtic, the second in particular taking a big deflection, while there was nothing he could do to prevent Matt Lowe’s strike for Accrington Stanley.

Looked commanding under the high ball, and in terms of distribution, there are signs Rovers will revert to trying to play out with short goal kicks.

Scott Wharton (240 minutes)

Was beaten a little too easily out wide for the Stanley winner in the first friendly, and played Rovers into trouble at times against Lincoln.

Will be a big player this season if Rovers are to look to play out from the back more though, and has talked up his role as a more senior player.

Did well at Celtic and has every chance of putting down a marker in the early weeks of the season.

Harry Pickering (240 minutes)

Played as a wing-back at Stanley, and then as part of a back four against Lincoln where he looks more comfortable.

Had a fine first half of last season, but injury late in 2021 did look to set him back.

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Had a tough opening half against Celtic, but to his credit stuck to his task in the second.

Like the rest of his team-mates, was better in the second half at Lincoln, looking to play forward, giving greater width, and should have had an assist were it not for Brereton missing his kick.

Lewis Travis (240 minutes)

Appears to be Rovers’ captain in waiting, with Tomasson praising his leadership qualities after the Lincoln friendly.

Will need to be diligent in his defensive duties should Rovers continue to push their full backs high up the pitch, as shown with some good covering in the Celtic friendly where he got through plenty of work.

Tomasson wants intensity and tempo to his side’s play, which will again see Travis as a driving force in the team.

Aynsley Pears (240 minutes)

Clean sheets against Stanley and Hartlepool, making one excellent stop in the latter. Was beaten by a deflected effort at Dundee, although he may have been slightly slow to get down.

Any talk of a prospective loan move last season appears to have now died down, with the ‘keeper looking set to stay around and provide competition for Kaminski.

Hayden Carter (240 minutes)

Of the minutes played, a large proportion came as a right back.

Against Celtic he was given a tough time by Jota, and at Lincoln couldn’t provide the attacking threat needed down the right, but again that isn’t his natural game.

When used his preferred central defensive role, he’s looked solid and comfortable.

His position switch was due to the options in the squad, but with Brittain through the door, he should get the chance to compete in his favoured role.

Sam Barnes (240 minutes)

Name-checked by Tomasson after the Hartlepool friendly, and across his three matches, in which he played every minute, he hardly put a foot wrong, looking comfortable in his defensive work and on the ball.

Has proven himself at Under-23s level, and the likely outcome would be a loan move once Rovers recruit in that area, and if so, there shouldn’t be a shortage of interest after a strong pre-season showing.

Been one of the most impressive and consistent performers throughout pre-season.

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Dilan Markanday (239 minutes)

Was getting up to speed more than most after an injury-hit start to 2022.

Looked bright and heavily involved against the opening friendly against Accrington, operating in a narrower role off the right, but didn’t look as comfortable playing much wider against Dundee where he struggled.

After a frustrating first half against Hartlepool, he got his swagger back after the break, setting up a chance for Harry Leonard with a fine reverse pass.

Should only improve with more minutes and training under his belt, but may be edged out in the early weeks of the season.

Adam Wharton (239 minutes)

Like Garrett, has benefited from the lack of central midfielders in the squad, to play in four of the five friendlies.

Has enough of a tenacious edge off the ball, but a real swagger on it, and was both trusted, and willing, to collect the ball in tight spaces.

Wasn’t alone in giving the ball away cheaply in the first half against Lincoln, but impressed after the break, and was also the pick of the bunch against Dundee.

Improving his physicality to be able to go at it for the whole 90 minutes is an area to improve, but won’t fall down on talent.

Jack Vale (235 minutes)

Rovers’ top scorer, and assister, in pre-season, with two of each.

Starred in the second Stanley game, with a goal and an assist, and set up Sam Gallagher seconds into his start at Celtic where he led the line well.

His movement has always been a strength of his, but he now has the physicality to match that, and looks to have matured his game, helped by putting his injury worries to one side.

Looked hungry for goals at Hartlepool with several shots before a confident finish for the winner, and will be in Tomasson’s immediate thoughts against QPR.

Tyrhys Dolan (233 minutes)

Looked a threat from the left against Stanley, coming up with the second goal, but was then used centrally against Celtic and Lincoln, starting the latter as the most advanced of the four attackers.

While that shows good versatility, it remains unclear what role Tomasson sees for Dolan, but his ability to press from the front will certainly give him an advantage in the way the head coach is looking to play.

Joe Rankin-Costello (229 minutes)

One of five players to feature in four matches, helped by a lack of options early on at right back.

Will be interesting to see if Tomasson uses his versatility, or sees him as competition for Brittain, with wing-back seen by Rankin-Costello as his best position.

Played narrower at Dundee, where he fired a long-range shot over the bench, and will hope to have put his injury issues behind him.

Daniel Ayala (226 minutes)

He, and Rovers, will have been pleased to see him get through pre-season unscathed, with the Spaniard likely to be a key player this season.

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Talked Barnes through the game at Hartlepool where his voice was a constant presence, and in defending his box, there are few better in the division.

Was given a tough time by Stanley’s Matt Lowe when running the channels though, and Rovers will be wary of him being exposed on the break with their full backs pushing forward.

John Buckley (226 minutes)

A big season is expected after a breakthrough 2021/22 campaign for the midfielder.

Operated in a deeper role alongside Travis and looked to get on the ball at every opportunity, and what was telling was his willingness to play the ball forward, which Tomasson particularly likes.

Played a couple of terrific passes at Celtic and Stanley, and looks the likely man to replace Joe Rothwell.

Ben Brereton (226 minutes)

Despite the continued talk over his future he remains a Rovers player and featured in three friendlies, scoring the equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Celtic.

Looked a threat in all three games, though his inability to stay onside cost him several great chances against Lincoln.

Whereas Adam Armstrong looked affected by the speculation surrounding his future 12 months ago, the same hasn’t yet been apparent with Brereton, and his ability to travel with the ball could be key in Tomasson’s set-up.

Tayo Edun (225 minutes)

Looks to have taken on the No.7 shirt for this season, and while he finished the last campaign in central midfield, it seems Tomasson views him as a left back/wing-back option.

Saw plenty of the ball in attacking areas against both Dundee and Hartlepool, but while a good outlet on the left, didn’t always make the most of those opportunities with his final ball.

Bar a brief spell at Hartlepool, when Jake Hastie cut inside him to curl a shot against the crossbar, wasn’t extended defensively.

Sam Gallagher (216 minutes)

With No.9 on his back, Gallagher led the line at Stanley, but found himself part of a fluid front four at Celtic and Hartlepool.

He showed how that could work to good effect with his goal after 21 seconds at Celtic, while he claimed an assist with a neat touch for Vale at Hartlepool.

The promising thing was a greater willingness to show to feet for the ball, Gallagher being far more involved in the build-up play than we’ve seen previously.

Hasn’t had the smoothest of pre-seasons previously, but bar being taken off as a precaution at Celtic, looks to have come through unscathed.

Harry Leonard (170 minutes)

Finished with over 20 goals for Rovers’ youth sides last season before being handed a pro deal and is one to watch for the future.

Travelled with the first-team squad to Portugal and Scotland and got his chance against Dundee and Hartlepool, as well as off the bench against Celtic.

Played as the No.9 at Dundee where he had a good opportunity, only to be denied by the ‘keeper, and then in a deeper role against Hartlepool where he struggled to find space as much as he would have hoped.

Definitely one for the future, and seems to be ahead of Sam Burns, but behind Vale, in the pecking order.

Ash Phillips (155 minutes)

Supporters will have heard so much about the England youth international, but seen little, until pre-season.

Having only turned 17, Phillips is way ahead of schedule, and his rapid rise could lead to him being around the first-team in the upcoming campaign.

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Played at the heart of the back three against both Stanley and Dundee, where he was forced off with cramp.

Physically he looks the business, while he was one of the few in the first half at Lincoln who used the ball well.

Will only benefit from the experience he has gained, but getting his long-term future sorted is vital for Rovers.

Tyler Magloire (135 minutes)

Was named in what looked to be a first-choice side in the first game at Stanley, but playing on the right of the back three, didn’t look comfortable in possession, and likewise at Dundee where he gave the ball away in the lead-up to the equaliser.

His productive loan spells have shown that he can perform at senior level, and while Rovers took up the option in his contract in the summer, a move away, which appears on the horizon, would be best for all parties.

James Brown (60 minutes)

Started game one at Stanley, but hasn’t been seen since.

Would have started at Celtic were it not for a slight knock, and of his absence from the team at Hartlepool, Tomasson said he expects him to move out on loan which would be beneficial for his development, as his opportunities at Rovers look to be blocked following Brittain’s arrival.

Bradley Dack (60 minutes)

It wasn’t the amount of minutes that Dack would have hoped for in what he viewed as a pivotal pre-season, but by all accounts he’s been working hard and putting in the hard yards in training.

He didn’t have things his own way at Lincoln, but still came up with the winner, showing that his goalscoring instinct definitely hasn’t gone as he headed in a Brittain cross.

Has work to do in a bid to be fully ready for the season, and no risks will be taken with his fitness.

Players used as substitutes: Callum Brittain, Dan Pike, Jalil Saadi, Louie Annesley, Lenni Cirino, Jake Batty, Jared Harlock, Sam Burns, Dan Butterworth