Bulliac

There seems to be a consensus forming around the idea that the club is in talks with Potter (presumably about money), given that he seemingly has no other firm plans, and that Brian would cost a fee as he still has year's contract at Quins (assuming he would be prepared to leave anyway), this would seem to be the most likely scenario.

I'm not sure there is much of a decision to take to be honest, if we don't give the kids a go who do we play? They've not let us down when asked to do a job, and to be fair, seeing the improvement in young players is (almost?) as good as seeing a win. I'm expecting big games from the returning former Quins too, they may be the ones to swing the result our way. The one minor surprise for me, unless he's injured, is not including Southernwood, as he's not done anything wrong.

Another newcomer in the nineteen in Vinny finigan: Full squad: Addy, Halley, L'Estrange, Hall, Lynch, Sheriffe, Crossley, Finigan, Kopczak, Sykes, Menzies, Reardon, Godwin, Nero, Kearney, Whitehead, Worrincy, Langley, Platt.

We have the best and most unbiased media in the world...................

Maybe slightly more circuitous but not that much, remember Nobby spent time at Wakefield and IIRC a year in Aussie doing coaching with (Jack?) Gibson before coming back, and Macca also did a stint at Wakey before moving to Hudds and only then coming back to Odsal, so neither of those were exactly seamless!

Agree about Addy and Southernwood in the halves, though not necessarily at the same time (unless we're 30 points to the good) but one at a time with L'Estrange/Sykes would be a good idea. There again what would it hurt?? As for the Silverthon, if we don't give him anything to blow for he shouldn't blow (hopefully), keep onside, no silly holding downs and oh yes, the new rule about using the foot for the ptb, which in ususal fashion has been introduced three quarters of the way through the season , and we can take the game. Assuming we don't gift them too many tries and manage to keep hold of the ball..........

As the only goal kicker on the field for eighty minutes, and a major 'go to ' man for in field kicks, I'd say Sykesy was pretty fireproof, tbh. To take it a bit wider than just the last match, I'm not sure it's really fair to blame someone like Sykes. For sure he's not the answer to all our problems, but after Orford was crocked and Kearney was put back to fullback (where, to be fair, in a free ranging role he's probably more effective than at no. 6) he did stick his hand up and take over as playmaker in the halves and, for my money, he plays his heart out for the club. He's a centre/full back, utility back if you like, but not a half and certainly not really a main playmaker. To be honest in our current situation I'm happy with anybody who tries hard and does their best.

Catch 22?

I tend to go along with that. If the tacklers keep the ball carrier moving, don't lift the feet, then it should be OK. I think the problem has been when they are dragged a fair way and the attacking side side start to push back and it becomes a bit messy. There is no reason why the ref can't just call held when this happens though.

If you mean the search for youngsters should be widened then I agree totally. Attracting kids from non-heartland areas should be a priority, simply because if they don't try the game we'll never know how good they might be and, sad to say, there are thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of young boys who don't evern consider RL when thinking about playing a sport, for no other reason than there is little opportunity where they live. This is being addressed to some extent and there is a great deal more amateur league played up and down the country and the more professional clubs we can get in these areas the more there is something for the kids to aspire to. With all due respect to everyone I don't think there is much to be gained (in terms of more players achieving professional status) by throwing more money at the heartlands; the system, haphazard as it is at the service area stage, does seem to work, with the cream rising through the ranks. Losing the imports will only leave gaps to be filled by players of a lower standard, lets be honest, gaps filled by players not good enough to displace 'second rate Kolpaks'. There is a belief from some posters that if only we give kids the time they need they will all become 'stars', well, I'm sorry, they won't. Even at SL level, clubs would be very happy with a couple of each years intake coming through, eventually, to the first team; even with first class professional coaching many so called 'elite' academy players just don't make it at the top level. As in all walks of life, so it is with rugby league, and the fortunate few reach the top but the overwhelming majority don't, and yes, you can maximise their potential, but if you only succeed in making an amateur player a slightly better amateur then we just have to accept that that is his fate in life and let him enjoy it.

It's time this old canard was dumped overboard. If British players are good enough they will come through; that's why we have an England team now, even though taking your logic to it's conclusion we ahouldn't have one. The idea that every kid who laces up a pair of boots will become good enough to play professionally, let alone in SL or for England If only it wasn't for thsoe pesky foreigners is plain nonesense. The vast majority of young lads taking up the game will NEVER be good enough to play at any level above amateur, with or without overseas players, for no other reason than that they simply aren't good enough. Silk purses and sows ears spring to mind.

I'm sure you're correct. They certanly alter the 'interpretations' very quickly too, Ive seen different one's given in each half of the same match on occasions.

Not tooooo sure about that. Smithy is pretty good and I'm sure he'll penalise any (when he spots it!) but even he can't stop it in the first place

The Welford Rd game was actually a home game for the London Broncos.

I think 'broken' is perhaps going too far, but it's certainly different, in the same way that society in general has changed since those days.

Lately, Bulls have been doing some good stuff closely followed, in equal measure, by things which just aren't the right standard. We seem to be able to both defend pretty well and able to score some classy tries, but never in the same match and not for very long. Defence has been the poor area in the last few games. If this has been addressed then who knows? I've been impressed with the young players brought in (they're definitely not to blame) but they are obviously very inexperienced, of course FC aren't the most consistent side either, so it could go either way, I guess.

I think, to be honest mate, that most people would recognise the days of 'when push comes to shove' as being in a long gone, more amateurish, or perhaps naive, era.

Based on the law of averages presumably? The Bulls haven't won for ages so they're due for one now

There are few things in life which shock me, from murder, rape, mugings, down the scale to braindead chanting. The fact that I'm not shocked doesn't make any of them acceptable though; whether the victims are rugby stars or not. And it's certainly not wrong to point this out.

Sorry?? It doesn't matter a jot whether he's a star player, in the A team, serving in the tea bar or standing on the terraces; everyone has the right to be treated with respect. Even you.

I certainly wouldn't have any particular argument with that, but if what you say is true, how can the club claim to have "a well established system for dealing with chanting"? They could, as a minimum, have told the stewards to take a more active stance, but I have to say there was no evidence of that on Sunday.

Before the game on Sunday, Cas played the standard RFL tape/CD on abuse of players and officials but there was a constant chanted abuse of the referee throughout the game. Their only response was to play the tape again. I assume that this is their "well established system for dealing with chanting". I know it happens elsewhere in response to individual incidents (including Bradford) but this was pretty incessant, particularly during the second half, and I can only wonder how much worse it might have been if Cas had lost the game. I expect the usual suspects will suggest I should get a thicker skin and that it's just how people speak etc etc, but I should point out I'm not 'offended' by it at all, and can ignore any amount of foul mouthed chants (much as I would prefer not to) but it does show the club's earlier response to be nothing more than empty rhetoric.

My favourite was the 'Search for the hero', which showed some classic big hits, all timed to the stressed beat of the music. Super stuff. The newer attempts don't come near it imo.

In some of the smaller market towns north of Bradford and Leeds that may be the case, but not in the bigger towns and cities where the vast majority of people live it doesn't.