DOGFATHER

This is what Kear had to say about Bradford (in the T&A) who put in a similar display to us by the looks of things. JOHN Kear says his side surrendered to Leigh Centurions and showed a lack of defensive resolve in a damning defeat against their promotion rivals. Bradford Bulls succumbed to their heaviest loss of the season, losing 52-20 in their trip across the Pennines. Kear said: “Well, I think the scoreline says it all, I really do. We had chances, we bombed them. “But the most disappointing thing was we showed no resolve, no real desire, to defend when the going got tough." “It’s really disappointing and I feel for the fans who’ve travelled over here. Because that’s just simply not good enough." “52 points in a game against a team just before the game start two points better than us in the league, it’s just not good enough.” He added: “We did appear to surrender and obviously we’ve got a character defect, if that’s the case. “Because this is the second time it’s happened in the last four or five weeks. “We seemed to surrender at Featherstone, we certainly surrendered today. The scoreline doesn’t lie.” Despite a thumping on the scoreboard, the visitors did have a host of opportunities in the game, but just weren’t clinical enough. The Bulls also usually pride themselves on their stoic defence, boasting one of the best points against tallies in the Betfred Championship before the Leigh loss. Kear admits, it’s that and the particularly the easy gifts of tries in the latter stages of the game that bothered him most. He said: “It looks like we can’t be bothered to sort of put our bodies in front in an attempt to stop them. “It’s really disappointing and there needs to be some soul-searching by everyone involved. “Coaching staff, playing staff and we need to come up with an answer pretty quickly or else we’re going to end up on the outer of what we wanted to achieve throughout the season.”He added: “We’ve come up with errors that have bombed chances." “We’ve come up with errors that have given them field position. “We’ve come up with penalties that’s given them field position. “There’s an instance there. We tackle Gareth Hock, he knocks the ball on, then we push him, why? I’ve no idea why. “So it’s gone from us having the ball with a scrum to them having a kick at goal and two points. It’s just not smart. “There’s an element of a lack of composure, lack of smartness, but more importantly to me was that giving in, that surrendering which appeared in the last ten minutes.” Does it sound familiar? By the sounds of that, it isn't just us. How we can go from the performances we put up against Widnes and Halifax at home, to that monstrosity is beyond belief. Then again, Radford at Hull, Greenwood at Dewsbury, Houles at Toulouse and Price at Warrington must be asking themselves the same question. As must Kear judging from the article above. I daresay, most of the critics would replace Diskin with the majority of the coaches listed above. Do all of those coaches have a taxi waiting too?

Here's a link:- The ref was right all along!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA The incident is about a minute into the video. I wouldn't let him loose to referee an under 7's tiddlywinks match!

He wasn't "right all along" for the Igbinedion obstruction at the bash last year. Sadly, that was not an isolated incident either. I don't particularly want anything giving to us, other than fairness. As yet, over the numerous times he has refereed us, we haven't even had the benefit of the 70/30's in our favour, never mind the 50/50's. Our only hope is for him to be substituted at the last minute.

Bienik Scott Downs

Sorry BSJ i should have been clearer, by crumbs, I meant the Championship's share of central funding. Once they can remove the funding, I cannot see any of the lower league teams getting anything. That is why a TV deal of our own is so badly needed.

Sorry BSJ i should have been clearer, by crumbs, I meant the Championship's share of central funding. Once they can remove the funding, I cannot see any of the lower league teams getting anything. That is why a TV deal of our own is so badly needed.

It is like most things the rfl touch, clear as mud. You might be correct, the way I had read the central funding debacle was, it will be decided based upon a mixture of factors, attendance growth (hence all clubs inflating attendances), social media presence and league position. I assumed this was ensure the rfl could pay what they want, to who they want from the crumbs left over from SL. However, I am very cynical, so maybe it will be a fair process and the teams that sided with the RFL and SL won't be looked after better than those that voted against it. I look forward to the feeling of amazement by the share we get after the shrewd and talismanic Ralph (smooth as sandpaper) Rimmer has worked his magic on Elstone and Lenigan Et al.

You've spoiled my bet Ernie!!! hahaha

I can honestly understand why clubs are not too bothered about it. No prize money, a recycled trophy and the guarantee of losing money should you reach the final, and the ground will be empty once the game kicks off. The higher up the league you finish, the more money from central funding. Therefore, the league has to be a priority. In the Challenge Cup, there is the history, prize money and national tv coverage. It is a no brainer. I'm usually not much of a betting man, but I'd have a £20 bet with you that Fev don't reach the final Phil.

I suppose it is down to personal opinion, I find it much slower now a days, even compared to the videos. I would argue it the other way that the hookers don't get the chance to scoot as much as they did, because the ruck is slowed so much with most tackles involving 3+ defenders laying all over the man with the ball. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

I 100% agree with you, there is a definite reason teams play the 5 drives and a kick style of play we see today, it wins games. My definition of better, was a better spectator sport, it wasn't as sterile. I just wish they could play to the same speed of PTB now, as they did then, that would be a massive step in the right direction and open the game up and help to reward creative play. I'm sure part of the problem with the modern game, and what is stifling creative players, is simply down to the defensive line being set most if not all of the time. They have had so long to get set and in to position due to the amount of wrestling in the tackle, it is rare to see players running in broken play like you used to. The defensive line speed is partly so quick now, because the defense has had so long to get back and organised. Back then, teams didn't have that time, as soon as the defending team had got back on side, the opposition was running at them again.

Absolutely spot on, it is laughable that some people on here think the game now, is better than it was back then. I have seen it posted many times on here, that we are looking back at things with rose tinted spectacles that the game only seemed better then. I hope some of them watch a few games from back then to compare. RL was a fantastic game, it needs to get back to what it was, a fast, hard and skillful sport.

It could work, however, Sheffield is about as good an example as you can wish for, and the attendances have never really set the world on fire over the years. They have played at a few different stadia but the attendances have never really got off the ground regardless of where they have played. Even taking in to account the recent trend for exaggerating the figures, they still aren't anything to write home about. Even after the shock win in the Challenge Cup, attendances didn't really take off to the levels most would have hoped for. Maybe marketing is the key, but, it is a very expensive gamble, if the game doesn't capture the public's imagination.

Despite the errors due to the shocking weather conditions, this video of a game just about sums up the game I fell in love with 40 years ago. https://youtu.be/IwWDBRA36U0 The moves on show, players hitting the ball on the burst from really deep, all of the players playing what was in front of them, rather than to a stereotyped game plan, fearsome hits, quick play the balls. Power, Pace Personified!!!!

To be fair, I think even the Dewsbury faithful will be rooting for us against the Eagles. I know I certainly would, if the boot was on the other foot, or at least hoping for a no score draw, the nearest we could get to both teams losing. If nothing else, I think we at least have a dislike for Sheffield in common.