So this season we have fallen agonisingly short at the very last hurdle of many put in front of us to regain a spot in SL.

So assuming for now that none of our star players move on and we're remaining FT despite Lowes unhelpful post match comments where do we need to strengthen?

I'd say we need two strong sizeable Props and a scrum half as an absolute must. Thoughts?

We need a new coach before we go any further. Lowes' decisions over the season combined with his negative, petulant attitude proves that he's not up to the job.

Oh you should have said...on every thread. We might well need a new direction but I think that's another thread.

All of the above

Regardless of what may or may not happen with Lowes or FT/PT or who is under contract next year, next year we definitely need a defence coach, far too much shirt grabbing recently and leaking points, a complete defensive structure overhaul is needed.

I'd say a 28 man squad including 2 or 3 U-19s should be fine.

1. Lee Smith* / James Mendeika
2. James Clare / Omari Caro
3. Dane Nielsen / Matty Blythe
4. Adrian Purtell / Kris Welham*
5. Danny Williams / U-19s (Ethan Ryan?)
6. Lee Gaskell / Oscar Thomas
7. Jake Mullaney / Danny Addy
8. Paul Clough / Dan Fleming
9. Adam O'Brien / Vila Halafihi
10. Adam Sidlow / Steve Crossley
11. Tom Olbison / Matt Ryan
12. Dale Ferguson / Lucas Walshaw
13. Jay Pitts / Alex Mellor
14. Samir Tahraoui / U-19s (Jack Georgiou?)

*Smith and Welham = heavily rumoured.

That's not a bad side, but I have to agree that we need a better coach to get the best out of it.

Two big aggressive props and a scrum half. Hopefully we won't see an exodus. A lot of key players have actually signed deals for next year recently (Mullaney, Sidlow etc)

The ones I think we are vulnerable of losing are (Gaskell, Ferguson and O'brien) priority is try to keep these 3. Rest I expect to stay. Trim the squad down and bring in 3 quality players where we fell short and we go again next year.

2 brutish props and a scrum half please.

Mendeika not good enough IMO, sign a scrum half and play Mullaney at 1 with Thomas as cover along with Clare. Thomas /Mullany/Addy cover at halfback.
2 Props are required as well.

An experienced hooker and a scrum half.

I'd like to see Brian Noble or John Kear get a grip of the props that we've already got before showing them the door.

I think Sidlow and Clough are good enough but we need some more quality there. Lauaki did alright in his spell yesterday but it was one 15/20 stint and that isn't enough. Crossley tried hard enough but he isn't good enough against SL opposition.

Can all the people calling for wrecking ball / brutish / monster props and experienced scrum halves care to suggest some names?

Because I don't see those people around who are either

a) available
b) willing to play in the Championship
c) affordable

Not got individual names but I would say they are out there. 2 of this years Man of Steel contenders signed from Championship clubs only 2/4 years ago.

Liam Finn isn't getting a great deal of game time at Cas. At a guess he'd want a 2 year deal and the same or perhaps even better money than he's getting.

However, you can't fill the squad with utility backs and forwards we never play and then say we can't afford a scrum half. Well you can, it's just that you see the result yesterday.

On the prop front the only ones we'll get are SL cast offs which is what Crossley, Tahrouie and Fleming are. In other words a coach has to work to improve what we have. And we need a lot more from 7 and 9.

Just as an aside, Does anyone have the faintest idea why we signed,
Crossley
Mendieka
Caro
Clare
Ryan
Neilsen

And yet didn't sign Jarrod Sammutt when he was available and we had no halfbacks?

A player who once scored 25 tries in a SL season for us.

A good scrum half,
Experienced hooked to take o brian under their wing
And two very mean big forwards...
We can get good quality of we thin the massive squad out.
A must is a change in direction coaching wise..Our team yesterday was good, with the exception of a couple?

Especially when you consider 4 of the recent signings then weren't deemed to be good enough for a fully fit 17

Marc Green has confirmed that Bulls will remain full time next year.

Yep you have to say it was bizarre that we bolstered our squad for the final push with two new winger signings and then played a second row/centre on the wing. Blythe didn't let anyone down, but it was a strange decision nevertheless. Seems like we have a big squad of players who mostly aren't quite good enough.

A half back is a must, seijka couldn't organise a -up in a brewery !

Looking at our current squad and their individual contracts, I'm not sure there's that much room for changing things up. There aren't that many players out of contract at the end of this season, and I can't see us paying off people's contracts.

Maislebugs mentioned Liam Finn and his was a name that popped in my head as well.
If it's true that we've signed Mitch Clark then he could give us some go forward. Someone else we should have been after was Keegan Hirst from Batley but I'm fairly sure he signed a new deal recently so that ship has probably sailed.

Keegan Hirst was originally in our junior setup as well.

Bulls Twitter feed:


Not sure if it'll be good news or bad news?!

Is Mullaney signed up for next year?

Yes he is