Bulls have signed Danny Addy, Jason Crookes and Steve Crossley for 2 years

Good news, especially Addy and Crossley..I'm not sure about Crookes, i'd rather have kept Wardle (i know he was offered a contract)

[url=http://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/news/4972/BULLS%20TIE%20UP%20TRIOStory on the Bulls site[/url

Addy and crookes seem better prospects to me and are good signings. Not sure about crossley though he looks extremely unfit and couldnt break through a paper bag when he got the chance. Hope potter can improve him

Addy I don't think there's going to be much disagreement on. Well deserved.

I'm glad about Crossley too, as I think he's starting to develop and certainly deserves a bit more time before he's written off. There's definitely signs of a good player there and I'd hate to lose him to another club, only for him to then come on and show the potential.

Crookes I'm not so sure about. He had a good game on the wing for us at the back end of this season, but aside from that I've not really seen much from him to make me think he's going to be anything but backup. But, I suppose with the homegrown status and the fact he can again cover a few positions, he makes a good squad player.

I really do like our squad depth next year. As long as there's a signing or two in the halves, I think we've got some really good cover all over the park, which we were sadly missing this year.

before everyone writes Crookes off, I think we should remember his performance against pat Richards when we beat Wigan at the start of the season. he managed to contain, at the time, the best winger in the super league.

Slight amendment for accuracy...if you regard Man of Steel as representing the best player in the competition?

I think it's also appropriate to question how much game time they'd've got last year if we'd had a proper squad. They're still young and far from the finished article. Hopefully this year their progression and development will be more structured and they can kick on.

I think you've got very selective memory there.

Didn't he have a very good second half but a nightmare first half against Richards? I seem to remember him being party to at least one, maybe two conceded tries in that first half.

Not criticising, as he was opposite, as you say, the best player in the league this season. But let's not pretend he contained him for the whole match, when he very much didn't.

i thought he was much better last year before his season ending injury. I think he's definitely worth a new contract although we have quite a few bodies competing for jerseys in the back line now.

I think he's gonna have to really step it up to get in the side next year. With Walker, Platt, Sykes, Ah Van, Raynor, Ainscough & Halley all competing for three quarter places, I think he's gonna really have to go for it to force his way into the side.

Crookes is one of those who has shown glimpses of quality, but not in quite the same amount that other of our youngsters have, which may be why he's not rated as much. If he could turn those glimpses into it more though, he could do it. (Things like the offload in that Wakefield game that set up the break)

I'm still on the fence with Crookes. OK he will add some competition to a degree. We've also signed players who have had injury problems or who haven't played much for other "ahem" reasons. 2 years seemed a bit OTT, but he could have jumped ship if we'd only offered one.

Crossley being a prop will need a little time to develop. I think a lot of us have it in the back of our minds that these lads can do a "Fielden or Burgess" and boss a game at the age of 18, and in some ways unintentionally always compare our young forwards impact to those two freaks.

Addy showed some really good glimpses of what he can do. I imagine he could be pushing for the loose forward spot next season with Langers to the back row where I've always felt he plays much better.

We also may see a few of our youngsters on Dual registration and actually playing for Championship clubs. Personally I feel the Burgess boys for example may get more experience playing for a "Halifax" for a season, rather than against other 18-20 year olds. Koppy came on leaps and bounds with the exposure he received there.

I agree, I hope 2011 sees us using the duel contract agreement we've got with, i think dewsbury?, is utilised more as we've more competition for places so i feel loaning out a couple of the young lads on the fringe will improve both them and their chances for breaking into the 1st team

More good news. I think everyone wanted to see Addy rewarded with a longer deal and I reckon he'll improve once again next year under Potter.

Crookes and Crossley are a bit off being ready for 1st team SL but it was important to retain them to keep a strong squad and fulfil the homegrown players quota. I would also like to see Crossley given some time in the NL to improve his confidence and improve his game as has been suggested on here already.

Especially gald to see Addy sign a contract extension, he's a cracking prospect. I just hope we get to see him in his natural position rather than trying to operate as a halfback.

Crookes and Crossley are going to have a bit to do to get much first team action with the names in front of them, especially Crookes. However with the home-grown rule what it is re-signing them is a no-brainer.

Astonished Crookes has been given a new one tbh. But whatever, best of luck to the lad.

Addy is a talented kid. Think he's a far better prospect than Donaldson for me. Im not sure where Donaldson fits in tbqh.

think we can do dual registration deals with any NL club. Last year the only one we did was addy with dewsbury. I think you may be thinking of the partner club thing we setup last year with rochdale? I think. Although we then did nothing with it which was strange.

Is it just me that thought crookes had another year left on his contract anyway? don't think he'd have got a new deal if Wardle had agreed to stay. Think crookes really has to have a good couple of injury free years now if he's to stand any chance of progressing. Likewise for crossley as I wouldnt have been surprised if we'd released him.

Anyone heard anything about tate brothers? rumours on wakey board in particular that we've released them both.

All three are worth keeping. Great news.

Not from this end, but I too have heard Wakey have signed them both. Wether its true or not, I dont know. Think they were signed at the same time as Donno and the Burgess twins. Andy should probs have been sniffing around the 1st team by now. Who else was signed at the same time?

Adrian Raw, Liam Kay, James Donaldson, Michael Tate, Andy Tate, Tom Burgess,George Burgess, Matt Bailey and Ben Hellewell were junior signings year we signed Tates.

With Lillycrop and Wardle promoted from scholarship at same time.

Only Donaldson and Wardle broken through so far, though from academy/u20s highlights dont think george burgess or ben hellewell will be too far away with Raw and Kay maybe a year or so behind.

Most of the players mentioned above are still only 18, fans need to back off and let them develop.

Questioning where Donaldson sits for example is a joke, he may be world class one day, but it may not be until he is 25 so who knows.

Why is it a joke? He may not be world class aswell, in fact I dont think he will, where as others do.

At the level he's at now, hes not going to force none of Whitehead, Langley or Elima out of the backrow, and I personally think Addy has a lot more potential aswell, and the talent to edge his nose in front of Donaldson in the pecking order.

Donno was Macca's babe. Ive never seen the big deal and Ive said all along that he was never the best backrow prospect at the club.

It's not just McNamara who rates him though.

Off the top of my head, figures in the game who have tipped him to go far : Paul Medley, Barrie McDermott, Brian Carney, John Kear and i'm sure there are more.

Donaldson has bags of potential, lets just hope he can fulfil it.

They all rate him because of the hype Steve Mac has made about him.

McD, Carney and Kear will have barley seen him play. And Steve Mac, well we know what his judgement of players got him at the Bulls in the end.

Dont get me wrong, hes a solid little player. But bags of potential and potentially world class are total overstatements.

He'll be your typical Rob Purdham type. Solid, but never outstanding IMO.

I don't think bags of potential is an overstatement. Potentially world class could be.

He's shown up fairly well when he's played so far. Yes Whitehead has played alot better, but he's older than Donno and a fair bit bigger too. I think once Donno matures a bit more and has a bit more size to him we'll see more of the performances he is capable of. He's played some blinders in the u20s but his size has limited him in SL (as it does with alot of young forwards).

It wouldn't surprise me if he went on to do great things, because (Imo of course) he does have lots of potential. Obviously his injury will set him back, but i'm still looking forward to watching him develop at the Bulls.