www.hunsletrlfc.com/news-1374-ca ... bulls.html www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article/ ... -year-deal Well i didn't see this coming!!!!

www.hunsletrlfc.com/news-1374-ca ... bulls.html www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article/ ... -year-deal Well i didn't see this coming!!!!

Magnificent signing for us

Good signing. Tough little hombre, vastly experienced.

Not sure who loses out here, Hallas or Vila.

Do we need another hooker?

Obviously Kear thinks so. But its a bit of strange one...

Kear had mentioned we need some experience as average age of squad is 22. Flanagan fits the bill. Maybe Hallas will play a different position.

Has Kear been reading my posts? I said this back in Jan



I will admit I am not familiar with this guy and can't remember seeing play at all, but I'll trust Kear's judgement.



I don't think it's strange at all. It's been clear in every game we've played so far this season that we're missing a proper hooker who can direct the play and distribute well. Hallas and Vila try hard but neither are blessed with speed and they don't appear to be able to read the game well enough to see weaknesses / short numbers in the opposition defence. Hooker is a vital role in any side and right now we're fitting square pegs into round holes imo.
In that regard, the Flanagan signing makes perfect sense. Will also be a great tutor for Butterworth so win-win.

Well people who watch more L1 than we have recently think it's a very good signing. It's a long old season, so another body is great.q

Hooker/Dummy half is such an important position Kear obviously wants more experience there. Toovey was of the same mind last year when he brought Moore in.

I think Hallas will still figure a bit at hooker but I can see him mainly fighting it out with Milton for the loose forward spot. Butterworth is still very young and could be the longer term successor. I think Vila will be cover for Flanagan.

Flanagan’s a tough little so and so. He will give us a bit of edge/mongrel in the pack not to mention some valuable experience. He also started out as a Bull and is a Bradford lad IIRC.

Well Hallas was originally a 13, so I’d imagine that’s where he’ll be moved to as I can’t see him being left out of the side.
And we do need a couple more older heads in the side as the main thing we look to be lacking is someone on the pitch you can point at as a leader

good signing. Adds some experience to side which we need. Wonder who's considered first choice at Loose now out of Hallas, Minchella and Milton?. Nice to actually have options for a change rather than be scratching around to put a team out.

I can see Flanagan and Hallas both being used at hooker.

Good signing. Largely because Halafihi is not very good. EDITED

Shame that Butterworth's chances are likely to be limited by this though.

=#FF0000No real need for that mate.
Bulliac.

Sorry to say it but with a comment like that it makes you lower than Whalesh*t

Good signing. Today’s T&A article says he scored 25 trys last season which is a great return. I think the fact that he started out at Bradford but didn’t make it to the first team(due to opportunities being limited etc) makes this a great signing as he is now living out his dream. He is going to be desperate to impress and be successful. Good experience at this level and an older head in the pack.

The article also quotes Kear as saying the only additions we are now likely to make would be as part of the dual reg agreement with Toronto if we deem it necessary. Does this mean the three trialists have been signed already or not? Does anyone know about this?

My lads playing second row Sunday. Scrum half and loose forward last week, he might be prop next week

Roger, assuming Flanagan was the new nine you mentioned a couple a weeks back it looks like the deal must have taken some negotiating?

No it was actually Mickey Higham but he couldn't be persuaded to come out of retirement for whatever reason

Won't he Be hanging on for the Leigh coaching job after this weekend????

Perhaps they said you know its a great Club from your last time here!??

25 tries in a season from a hooker is ridiculous. Most wingers won't even get that!
It's frustrating me that I can't remember a single thing about this bloke despite him being on our books for so long.
Either way, really looking forward to Sunday now and seeing how things shape up.

Regarding the trialists, you would think that would be something one of the RL journalists would press John Kear on when they spoke to him, but obviously not!

Is George related to Mark Flanagan ( son of Terry) who was with the Bulls at the same time? I think Nobby took Mark to Wigan who paid a fee. George was released around the same time (2007/2008??). Always rated him as a good prospect but it was difficult to get in the 1st team at that time.
He's had a good career - I watched him at Batley and he was consistently good . I think he also played for Dewsbury and he obviously had a great season with Hunslet last year.

I always assumed they were bothers but don't actually know. My main thought when they started was actually if they were related to 'Flash' Flanagan of Hull KR and GB fame..

They're not brothers. I don't think they're even related.

Mark is from Saddleworth, George from Holmewood.

I remember talking to Eddie McGuiness about how highly rated George was at the Bulls, but for some reason he didn't break through. Maybe because we had Terry Newton at the time.

..and probably not related to 'Flash' either!

I think hooker is one of those positions where you have to really be good to cement a place in your early 20s. We let the likes of Lumb and Conroy go yet I think both those lads could well mature into decent players as they get older and more experienced. I vaguely remember Flanagan when he was with us first time around but as has been said he was behind Newton and then we had Godwin, L'Estrange and Diskin. He had to leave to progress his career.