Bradford Bulls v Catalans Dragons

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 16-16 Catalans Dragons after 48:00 minutes.

The RFL match commissioner has had words with the referee at half time, he must have.

In the second half the penalty count is five to nothing in our favour.

As Steve Menzies scores in the corner from a perfectly weighted L'Estrange kick.

Sykes can't convert and it's the Catalans now surround the referee.

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 16-16 Catalans Dragons after 48:00 minutes.

The RFL match commissioner has had words with the referee at half time, he must have.

In the second half the penalty count is five to nothing in our favour.

As Steve Menzies scores in the corner from a perfectly weighted L'Estrange kick.

Sykes can't convert and it's the Catalans now surround the referee.

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 16-16 Catalans Dragons after 60:00 minutes.

Catalans won't get another penalty this half, not after Child gave them seventeen first half penalties and by the looks of it, their self imploding here.

But credit is due to this great Bradford defence.

Too early for a drop goal?

[Dave T]

If we win this game, it'll be the greatest sporting victory of all time.

Good God, I genuinely hope you don't actually believe the stuff you type. Loon.

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 22-16 Catalans Dragons after 64:00 minutes.

It's back to back penalties to Bradford after Catalans stray offside and then hold down, before Platt has just enough toe to score in the corner.

Sykes converts from the sideline and the Catalans look absolutely shattered as they've had no possession this half.

[ckn]

Mick, alternatively, at half-time, the Bulls coaching staff told the Bulls players to stop being so f***ing stupid and giving away such idiotic penalties. Can you not simply understand that the number one reason for penalties being given is players getting caught cheating? Yes, a ref might have a bad day but it's far more likely to be the players.

If I could, I'd stick you on ignore. Only being a moderator means I can't. Therefore I have to put up with these things week-in, week-out.

I'm also getting sick and tired of having to read PMs and reported posts about you and your obsession with referees so I've asked John Drake to review your posts to see whether you've breached the terms of you staying on the site. If he does boot you then you've only yourself to blame.

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 22-22 Catalans Dragons after 70:00 minutes.

Eleven minutes to go and my heart can't take anymore of this.

It's another close one here at Odsal and as I type the Catalans expose us down the left and score.

Bosc converts and we have a grandstand finish here!!!!!!

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 22-24 Catalans Dragons after 73:00 minutes.

Sykes kicks the restart out on the full

[Griff9of13]

Mick, alternatively, at half-time, the Bulls coaching staff told the Bulls players to stop being so f***ing stupid and giving away such idiotic penalties. Can you not simply understand that the number one reason for penalties being given is players getting caught cheating? Yes, a ref might have a bad day but it's far more likely to be the players.

Spot on. If a team keeps breaking the rules the ref will keep on giving penalties against you. It's not rocket science FFS.

[Tommy The C5t]

Bradford Bulls 22-24 Catalans Dragons after 77:00 minutes.

Great Catalans Dragons defence to keep Jamie Langley out with a rather fortunate ankle tap.

Enthralling finish here.

[shrek]

BBC are saying its full time 22-24.

Presumably Micks mobile has been launched at Childs thus ending the updates!

[goldcard]

All over then, Bradford beat Wires' 10 match run.

Catalans go into the semi on a roll, Wires on the back of 2 narrow defeats.

Makes it very interesting indeed.

[exxile]

Catalans are no longer at the bottom of the table, and should also overtake Salford. Who would have thought it?

[indomitable]

Forget referees, it is the team itself which is to blame! No pride or passion, a complete lack of determination, and sadly lack of team spirit. I was one of the few supporters when the club disappeared in '63, and following reformation I never thought we could outdo that losing run. The first time round it was lack of money, and very poor playing staff, but this time there are talented players, and I know injuries have been plentiful, but this does not excuse so much lack of endeavour.

Every week we see silly mistakes, so numerous it is unbelievable, and these are mainly from the players who are experienced. It is time somebody stood up and said enough is enough, and please get rid of the players who do not perform, and I see little point in waiting for the end of the season to carry this out.

[amm]

If you weren't at the game, you can't understand how poor he was - honestly.

Well I certainly respect your opinion more than his - and if the ref has made so many terrible mistakes, then he too will be monitored and managed accordingly. You say there are too many baffling decisions to list - can you list any of them - surely the players were at fault sometimes??

I apologise if it feels that I picked up on those points to just have a go

[hindle xiii]

F*ck.

At least the poor performance from the officials (and they were) took the flak off the poor performance from the team.

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Oh joy! Thanks to Bradford we're now bottom

[PaulW]

The refereeing - particularly in the first half - was very curious to say the least. I'm not surprised Mick has got a bit wound up, he seems to "wear his heart on his sleeve". I'd like to think I am pretty level headed when it comes to refs but I was as baffled as anyone for much of the first half. I'd love to watch a video of the match to see if we were as badly done to as it seemed at the time.

Good second half response though. A bit more composure and we'd have won it, but after 10 straight losses the nerves showed at the end.

[ckn]

Sorry to dissapoint you all but IMO Mick is actually right. Childs was absolutely garbage. Someone asked what were all the penalties for? I think you'd have to ask the ref that because he seemed to be making it up as he went along.

What's that? If I can do any better why don't I have a go? I'm not sure I could do much worse. Is that the standard we are to expect and not comment? I can't list the number of baffling and plain wrong decisions.

If you weren't at the game, you can't understand how poor he was - honestly.

No-one's saying you can't criticise refs, that's why the posts are still there and not deleted. It's just we're all way past the kid crying wolf stage now and refuse to believe anything Mick says about referees, even if he were 100% right for a change.

[Tommy The C5t]

You ask for a list Amh but we don't know what the penalties were for.

His signaling was atrocious, even the match commissioner was shaking his head at some of the calls out there.

The facts are that James Child shouldn't be officiating at this level, he's totally out of his dept.

The penalty count at halftime was 17-5 FFS.

I expect him to be severely reprimanded over his performance today.

[Gixxer]

To a certain extent I agree with 'indomitable', However the lack of pride, passion, determination and team spirit is to my mind endemic of the attitude of the management of the last two/three years. The players have been encouraged to see themselves as prima donnas who play the game their way, not as a team but as a set of prancing preening individuals who believe that just because they are the Bulls they only have to appear on the park and they will win. Well all the chickens are coming home to roost now. We need a root and branch clear out at Odsal from the top down, no-one should be excempted, and whats more it needs doing before Mick Potter takes up his post. We need to let these freeloaders know just how we, the fans, feel, that we don't need to spend our well earned money contributing to a continuance of this inert troup and that next season we need a minimum of 100% effort and commitment. A whole new spirit needs to permeate through Odsal.

[PaulW]

Well I certainly respect your opinion more than his - and if the ref has made so many terrible mistakes, then he too will be monitored and managed accordingly. You say there are too many baffling decisions to list - can you list any of them - surely the players were at fault sometimes??

I apologise if it feels that I picked up on those points to just have a go

The main gripe from where I was stood was that we were getting pinged for offences that Catalan were getting away with - in particular offside, not being square and messing around at the play of the ball. I'm not suggesting we weren't guilty of any of those offences, I'm sure we were, but Catalan were seeming offside for most of the match yet rarely (in the first half at least) got penalised. It just felt way too one sided - not sure of the actual figure but someone claimed the pen count was 14-4 at half time. I wasn't counting but it wouldn't surprise me.

[amm]

The penalty count at halftime was 17-5 FFS.

With respect, I didn't know there was a rule saying it had to be even

I am sure the game and reffing will be reviewed - by impartial observers

[Exiled Wiganer]

I am guessing such a long losing run being continued against a team with nothing to play for and everything to hold themselves back for is in part due to a combination of poor defence and attack, and that concentrating on that is a better place to start than the referee.

[Tommy The C5t]

I also expect Bradford as a club to make an official complaint regarding Mr Child today and that unbelievable first half.

How he find the time to pull us for all those penalties I'll never know.

I agree with John in that Cummings can't ignore this shocking display.

Us the supporters pay good money to watch the game, not the idiot with the whistle giving 20+ penalties very 40:00 minutes.

If anyone would like a copy of todays game, please PM me and I'll send you a copy later this week.

It most certainly will make interesting viewing.

Apologies if anyone is upset by my constant moaning about the officials but today I feel I'm more than justified to criticise them.