Would you? We will have to agree to differ on that one in that case. I want to see a contest between 13 players as much as is humanly possible, even if that means iffy challenges (which will invariably happen both ways over the course of eighty minutes anyway) being referred after the event.



In what sense is it a total cop out? It is used where the officials are unsure regarding the absolute nature of the challenge in question. In a high impact, high speed sport that would be most of the time. Ganson often reacts to a iffy/bad challenge after being advised to do so by the video referee. The instance you refer to (Morley at the JJB) being a prime example of such a case. Left to his own devices it often goes on report, the same as the rest of the referees.



That would have been unfortunate but injuries are a part of the game and you have to suck it up when they happen and get on with it.

It was used as a fairly recent and obvious example of Steve Ganson's unwillingness to send off a player to counter the argument that he relishes the prospect to do so.

The game has never been more professional and the days of the serial hatchet man are long gone.

When the comical antics of Ryan Bailey are about as bad as it gets you know the game doesn't have a problem with discipline that requires games to be decided by referees over-reacting to mis-timed challenges.

That's not to say I believe there is never a need to send off. Leon Pryce's cowardly attack from behind on Kevin Sinfield (CC - 2002) being an example of thuggery that has no place in the game. Ironically he wasn't although that time it was Russell Smith who again had a reputation for getting the red card out.

First competitive club game for over 4 months.
Local derby against Dulls.
New coach.
Injuries to key players.
Opponents have 10 new faces.

And somehow Ganson manages to take over the thread.

Well, he'll be delighted, he always wants to be the centre of attention.

It's this fact as to why I think we've got the hardest match!!

When the MM fixtures were announced, the Dulls were complaining because their match was "statistically harder than any other" given that they were playing a team that finished 6 places above them, and everybody else is 2 or 3 places. But I'd like to argue that we have the harder task. They've got 3 or 4 years worth of footage to study of pretty much the same team. We've got nothing!

10 new players AND a new coach... how the hell are we supposed to prepare for that?!

There all journeymen, rejects, or "hasbeens". I'm sure the club would have seen enough of them over the years to not be too concerned.

For example playing Crusaders first game of last season was a much harder situation, as they had all new players that had come from other countries.

And we struggled to beat them.
As long as we play our own game and play to our strengths we should not have to worry what team the Dulls put out.
But like what has already been said.
It is not as if we don`t know the majority of their players anyway.

I know what you are saying but I would still take an established squad over a team which could well take a while to gel.

As a realistic Bulls fan I am expecting for it to take a while to get the players up to speed, hopefully we can still give you a good game on Sunday though.

Quotes:

There all journeymen, rejects, or "hasbeens". I'm sure the club would have seen enough of them over the years to not be too concerned.

As long as we play our own game and play to our strengths we should not have to worry what team the Dulls put out.

Wow, it sounds like you guys already have this one in the bag.

Not all of us think that. I certainly dont anyway. Its never straight forward against Bulls and Sunday will be no different. Could go either way imo. I just hope Leeds are reborn, ruthless and a really solid outfit under McD.

It's exciting times for both clubs and I don't think there could be a better start to the season. Hopefully the game will be allowed to flow and it will be a cracker.

It's not about the individuals, it's about how Bradford are going to structure their play - where do they like to attack, what sort of set moves they put on and how they structure sets.

That kind of knowledge enables you to gameplan accordingly and makes it easier to defend against, because players know what's coming at them.

Not having that kind of scouting because it's the first game of the season means you're "winging it" to an extent in defence, and gaps occur when you ask players to make quick decisions under pressure without anything to base them on other than what's unfolding in front of them.

Agreed! Should be a good one! Let's just hope, for all our sakes, that there isn't 2 points in it with a minute to go!!

Exactly. That's my whole point (but much better put!!). We might know the players, but not how they play under this coach. In reality, we have no clue what's coming at us.

10 new players, same old coach... yes, we can prepare.

Same old players, brand new coach (like us!)... yes, we can prepare.

Combination of both?! Makes it very interesting indeed.

Hope Potter has got that pinned to the wall at the training base.

And not as a lesson in poor spelling, either.

Who's "Hope Potter"? Harry's cousin? Forgive my ignorance but I haven't read the books.

If he's relying on Gotcha to provide him with motivational material, he's got bigger problems.

Will he have taken down those boards with the "BULLS" acronym on them from the dressing room?

Besides, the players would probably take Gotcha about as seriously as we do.

I can't tell if you are been serious or just trying to have a go for the sake of it? I had you down as more credible than the above Andy.

You could pull a video out of any match that Saints have played for the last 2 years, or Catalans before it, to see what structures the Bulls will play to this weekend.

The assistant coach has just been with us coaching for the last 6 seasons, so if we don't know what his input is then we will have seriously missed the boat somewhere.

Five of the players in the likely line up have all played for Leeds in the last few years.

Out of all the teams we play this year, this weekend will be the least surprise on us for how the oppossition will play. Whether we counteract it, well that's another issue.

1 Brent Webb
2 Lee Smith
3 Brett Delaney
4 Keith Senior
5 Ryan Hall
7 Rob Burrow
8 Kylie Leuluai
9 Danny Buderus
11 Jamie Jones Buchanan
12 Carl Ablett
13 Kevin Sinfield
14 Ali Lauitiiti
15 Ben Cross
16 Ryan Bailey
17 Ian Kirke
18 Luke Burgess
19 Kallum Watkins
20 Weller Hauraki
22 Jay Pitts

The squad in full is:

1 Brent Webb
2 Lee Smith
3 Brett Delaney
4 Keith Senior
5 Ryan Hall
7 Rob Burrow
8 Kylie Leuluai
9 Danny Buderus
11 Jamie Jones Buchanan
12 Carl Ablett
13 Kevin Sinfield
14 Ali Lauitiiti
15 Ben Cross
16 Ryan Bailey
17 Ian Kirke
18 Luke Burgess
19 Kallum Watkins
20 Weller Hauraki
22 Jay Pitts

JJB,Bailey and HAURAKI all included



Hauraki's paperwork has been due all week....hopefully arrive in time for kickoff!

Most noticeable thing for me is NO McSHANE!!!

One hooker baby!!

Good spot, didn't notice that at all.

I hope BM knows what he is doing, I mean the so called experts on here have been telling us for the last two years that Buderus could not play long periods, which is why Diskin was there and nothing to do with sentimality.

Yes, but I did expect that. Great news non-of-the-less.

I would go with:

1 Brent Webb
2 Lee Smith
3 Brett Delaney
4 Keith Senior
5 Ryan Hall

7 Rob Burrow
13, Kevin Sinfield

8 Kylie Leuluai
9 Danny Buderus
15 Ben Cross

11 Jamie Jones Buchanan
14 Ali Lauitiiti
12 Carl Ablett

16 Ryan Bailey
17 Ian Kirke
18 Luke Burgess
20 Weller Hauraki / 22 Jay Pitts


I've gone with Ali as a starting 2nd rower as Hauraki wont be upto pace and Kirke is going to be played at prop this year.

For Me;

1 Webb

2 Smith
3 Delaney
19 Watkins
5 Hall

13 Sinfield
7 Burrow

8 Leuluai
9 Buderus
16 Bailey
11 Jones Buchanan
4 Senior
12 Ablett

14 Ali Lauitiiti
15 Ben Cross
20 Weller Hauraki
17 Ian Kirke

To miss out;
18 Luke Burgess
22 Jay Pitts

or, put Senior in Centre, Burgess in pack, Watkins to miss out.

I could see that squad also. I'll have no problem Watkins starting centre and with Hauraki and JJB having fitness concerns Senior could be a good bet to start 2nd row. Nobody knows if Cross will be a starting man as yet, but I would predict he will start with Bailey been on the bench.

If Kirke is going to be played at Prop then you wouldn't need 3 props on the bench?

If Hauraki is missing, surely better to have Watkins in the squad and have Senior play some part in the pack.

From previous comments from the coaching staff they suggested Pitts had impressed them this preseason, so might be a better starting option. Although he was also down to play the Whitehaven game, which would probably have not been a good sign.