11 May: CC6: Bradford Bulls v Leeds Rhinos KO 2.30pm (BBC)

[fairfolly]

Agree with you there but let us be honest he does not need a lot of passion to be better than the rest of the overseas players.He certainly has the ability but I believe a lot of his play is "of the cuff" .If it works, fine,if not he looks poor.

[fairfolly]

Harry, I fully agree with you,on todays showing none of the 8 would get near a first team spot in the N.R.L. unless of course,as I posted they are only here for the money and perform 100% better back home.I still maintain the recruitment policy at Leeds is appalling.

[Saintslass]

Well, well, well.  I have just watched the match now (was out when it was on live so duly recorded it).  

Gosh.  Well done Bradford!  What is it about that man Kear and his cup upsets?  He just seems to have the knack of pulling Cup rabbits out of the bag, and in front of what looked like a pretty decent crowd given Bradford's recent rather calamitous history.

What a shock!

[Chris22]

That match demonstrated that a game doesn't need to be of the highest quality to be gripping. Bradford didn't score a try in the second half, but bloody-minded determination, heart and fight saw them through to the next round.

Leeds have better players than Bradford (well, they're all full time professionals at least) and 9 times out of 10 probably would win. It would have been heart-breaking if they would have snatched it at the end. They couldn't really argue that they deserved to.

What a day for Jordan Lilley. Rejected by Leeds, indirectly, and insulted again by not even having a clause in the loan deal preventing him from playing. He clearly enjoyed it and so he should. Crossley, Green and Peltier all showed up well too

I've just read that was the biggest crowd at this stage of the competition for 7 years. The atmosphere, particularly at the end, looked brilliant. In a week where football has created two scarcely believable stories, it's fantastic that rugby league has one too.

Great call from the BBC to televise the game, as they may have been criticised should Leeds have ran out convincing winners.

Halifax vs Bradford quarter final anyone?

[redjonn]

3 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

I think to be fair to Hurrell he has shown more passion and desire than the rest of the team put together 

yep, but he is often out of position, his ball handling and passing at times are iffy, plus he turns like a tanker/battleship (that is his agility is poor for the position he plays).

He does some good barreling runs that excite the crowd and of course is often Leeds only get out the last 20 yards man.

Have to decide if the pro's outweigh the negatives.

In a good team it wouldn't but Leeds are poor so have to accept his limitations.

[John Drake]

Well, that was... extraordinary!

Unexpected and thrilling.

I hoped we'd get about 6k inside Odsal and not embarrass ourselves on national telly, and was wary of how carried away everyone seemed to be getting in advance of the game in case it didn't live up to the billing.

But wow, as a Bulls fan, let me tell you, after a few godawful years it felt pretty special being inside Odsal Stadium today.

Huge backslaps to all the players and thank you John Kear, you absolute wizard! 

I think I had something in my eye at the end...

[fairfolly]

I will bet even Wolford would have been proud of John Kear and the players today.A perfect game plan carried out to perfection,well done John Kear,again.

[Amber Avenger]

First post I read on here is about Bradford being poor. Not sure what standard of rugby you expected from a Bradford squad who were mostly playing in League One last year against a full time SL side. TRL never change! 

After all the rubbish we've been through, this was (almost) worth it all. We've beat a team in the league below us by a couple of points, one in our league in extra time and now a SL team by a couple. Can we thrash an NRL team in the quarters then? 

Never been prouder and never fully believed it would happen until the full time siren. Like John, there was more than a little something in my eye at the end. Hopefully this kick starts us, but if not then what a day! 

Hopefully not too much of a "nostalgia fest" for those who didn't want it on the TV! It did end up with us winning after all...! Same old same old... 

[Northern Eel]

1 hour ago, wilsontown said:

As a York fan I'm sick of the sight of Bradford, but fair play that's an excellent win.

Based on last night's performance they'd have a decent chance of getting past Wakefield in the next round.

I am fairly sure Wakefield would see Bradford off quite comfortably. You only have to do 'just enough' to progress in cup competitions and Bradford have had their moment playing against a very poor Leeds side.

[Dave T]

Well done Bulls, very good effort to beat Leeds, even if they are pap.

I think there were a couple of dodgy tries which should have seen the Bulls well clear tbh, but good on them for holding on.

[Denton Rovers RLFC]

1 hour ago, Chrispmartha said:

I think to be fair to Hurrell he has shown more passion and desire than the rest of the team put together 

And yet when the ball sailed past him into the in goal area he just looked at it instead of simply bending his back and picking it up or even just falling on it, as a consequence Bradford got another set of six and then scored I think, he's alright when going forward but can't be arrised at other times, not worth the wedge you're paying him IMHO.

[fairfolly]

Dave, I to think there was a couple of dodgy tries,the first was touch and go but the second was definitely a double movement,his ball carrying arm hit the floor then he raised his arm and planted it over the line.Personally I think the video ref. was embarrassed to award it but he should have had the bottle to over rule the Ref.

[Rupert Prince]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Agree on the skills side a lot to be desired and mistake ridden, but it wasn't half exciting wasn't it especially for the last 15, on the edge of my seat, same last week at Leigh 80 points scored (not RL in my opinion) but what a last 20 mins, sometimes when ya pays your money you will take excitement every time over quality, quality doesn't get the heart racing the same way.

I am not sure if the quality of the league is anything to shout about. Wigan are playing average, so is Cas. Salford lost at home to KR despite being touted as top 5 material. Very little inconsistency. 

[fairfolly]

Wibsey will be buzzing tonight John. Get down there and have a couple of shandies.

[Chrispmartha]

1 hour ago, Saintslass said:

Well, well, well.  I have just watched the match now (was out when it was on live so duly recorded it).  

Gosh.  Well done Bradford!  What is it about that man Kear and his cup upsets?  He just seems to have the knack of pulling Cup rabbits out of the bag, and in front of what looked like a pretty decent crowd given Bradford's recent rather calamitous history.

What a shock!

The sad thing is as a Leeds fan its not a shock at all, I texted a friend who is a bulls fan before the game and I said I think theres an upset on the cards.

[Rupert Prince]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

I also think there is some bad attitude from some of the Rhino's younger player's, it seems like they are believing that playing for Leeds makes them world beaters, they shoukd realise they are part of a very ordinary team.

No matter how good or bad players are... or rather, never mind different qualities... if players do not have their head straight then they play with one hand behind their backs.  Wigan have been up and down for various reasons and now Salford are worrying about the futures of a number of players.  As for Leeds...

[MZH]

22 minutes ago, Denton Rovers RLFC said:

And yet when the ball sailed past him into the in goal area he just looked at it instead of simply bending his back and picking it up or even just falling on it, as a consequence Bradford got another set of six and then scored I think, he's alright when going forward but can't be arrised at other times, not worth the wedge you're paying him IMHO.

I know the moment you are talking about (the charged down drop goal) and they didn't score from it tbf, but I thought the same at the time. He has mostly done well this year, but that was really half hearted with the game on the line. Summed up the Leeds performance.

[Denton Rovers RLFC]

6 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

No matter how good or bad players are... or rather, never mind different qualities... if players do not have their head straight then they play with one hand behind their backs.  Wigan have been up and down for various reasons and now Salford are worrying about the futures of a number of players.  As for Leeds...

Whose job is it to get the players "head straight" or indeed acquire players who have mental fortitude? Sports psychology is still massively underestimated in RL circles, it's alluded to in the NRL coaching manuals of a few years back done by Peter Sharpe (ex Hull coach), where he states the top end players are the ones who have the ability to keep on going no matter what. It's the coach who has to drill players to do x, to achieve targets/goals for x period of time and then reset, to get players doing things such that it's the default mode not the usual panic stations or withdraw completely/heads down/finger pointing etc which is usually when a side that is on paper an equal usually get a tonking.

The coach can do a lot and ultimately his his job to get players sorted mentally as well ass technically/tactics wise, but if there is something else going on either above the coach or within the players themselves that is hindering that then it can be outside what they can change. For example, a player revolt to a coach wanting the ethos of the team/players to change away from their old habits is one, players/people hate change and so when one is confronted by another who is saying this is wrong, do it this way and it involves more effort fro you many, particularly young men (as in under 35) baulk at that, as a group you can refuse to change even if the end result might be better all round, seen it happen not just in sport but in the work place and you see it in the home too.

Leeds were on paper the better side by far, so far this season their players have mentally waved the white flag, my own team Hull are ridiculously bad to be honest in our mental consistency.

[Lobbygobbler]

What a great game! Well done Bradford FC est 1863.

When Bradford find their way up they will be a great club with firmly supported foundations (fans who have gone through the mill)

[DavidM]

Well done Bradford . Not only more desire but the better side . Comms went on about holding on and the Leeds ‘ onslaught ‘ . No way , outplayed,  outenthused pretty pitiful fall from grace really . Second best and I rarely thought they stretched Bradford as that went on . Thoroughly deserved win

[Cheshire Setter]

Just got in and watched the match on replay.

Usually you get a response from the team the week the coach has been sacked, and this was the perfect opportunity for the players to prove that the coach was the problem and not the players.  

I suppose this now gives the club less distraction to help ensure they avoid relegation, but it doesn’t reflect well on anybody except Agar, who can argue he is only the performance guy and just filling in temporarily.

Interesting that Lilley is deemed not good enough for that current Leeds team.   Based on today’s showing it needs more Lilley and less Lolley

[wasginger]

Well played Bradford, showed Leeds how to manage a game. It's sad when you see a Leeds side, with no ability to use even the simplest skill of passing the ball across the line and creating gaps or overlaps. There was enough experience in that Leeds team for someone at least to lead his teammates. Unfortunately the problems at Leeds are deep rooted, I'm sure Leeds supporters are more aware of these problems than myself.

[Odsal Outlaw]

Wow, what a performance from the Bulls! Fully deserved win and what a great event for the TV, good atmosphere, enthralling game (even if quality wasn’t always there) and edge of your seat finish #COYB so much potential at Odsal!!!!

[Odsal Outlaw]

[Old Frightful]

Anybody notice Mick Gledhill's ugly mug staring out from one of the advertising boards on the pitch perimeter?, Pulse FM if I'm not mistaken.

Well chuffed for him, wouldn't fancy having his hangover in the morning.