The season very much on the line over the next four crucial games. Anything less than six points from eight will see us needing to visit and come away with points from Leigh & Featherstone.

We're still without five key assests - Clough, Gaskell, Kavanagh, Lovegrove and Purtell for this game.

But have the option of using Charnock and Thomas in the halves, with Moss boosting the back line. I'm still not convinced that Clare should orndeserves to be moved from fullback.

Since Rohan Smith came and moved Clare to full back we've been conceding nearly eight less points a match.

Workington Town will be tough, fully expecting a similar test to what we experienced last year - tight first 50 before our fitness and full-time status takes us over the line.

One thing we can ill afford from these next four games is us putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure, due to our lack of finishing and poor game management, we've had plenty of chances to take games this year and win (Batley, Halifax, London, Dewsbury) only to then throw most of them on the floor, via very impatient and indiscipline.

Sunday's defeat has to be the lowest point of the season for the sheer unexpectedly and manner in which we lost - 18 errors, 53% completion rate.

Wow. 53% completion rate. I walked away from the match estimating we were under 50% completion. Not quite as bad as I thought then....

I walked away so disappointed in how we'd played that I never thought at all about how many sets were completed or passes put to ground or thrown away. I was so pigged off with what I'd seen I found it impossible to be analytical. With the exception of the defensive side of things, it was just a plain rubbish performance, and it will certainly have to be better if we are to beat Workington on their own midden, and it doesn't make any difference where they are in the league.

Hopefully, having a new recruit around the camp will spur us on - oh, and hopefully we'll learn that it isn't compulsory to score on every set...

Score on every set? Well, I recommend that immediately before kick-off we cease fitting blindfolds, breaking all the players' fingers, and coating their hands in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil.

I see 53% completion but I don't believe it, I would say it was nearer 25%. In the first half I doubt we ever got past tackle 2.

But it wasn't just that. Of the 53% allegedly completed - I was watching a short piece on the SL program about walking rugby - our first half (and much of the second half too) was very similar. A bunch of people randomly stood about and lobbing the ball aimlessly to and fro. Nobody wanting it, nor having any clue what to do with it.

Maybe we should pack the Championship in and join a Walking Rugby competition.

Rohan Smith reiterated that last point at Tong yesterday.

Patience and discipline have certainly been the main focus of training this week.

On a side note it was great to talk to Trevor Clark (Mitch's dad) who is over for the summer from Australia.

Pity. My Week 1 Coaching Agenda would have been

1. How To Catch A Fscking Ball And Not Fscking Drop It Every Time.
2. Passing for Beginners - Successfully pass ball into a maxi skip from 1 metre
3. Holding The Ball And Running At The Same Time

Though maybe he's leaving advanced topics till the players are ready for them.

Next 3 games are crucial. I believe we'll get a scrappy win over Workington. We'll do our usual trick of starting well, looking comfortable and letting them back in it. Oldham i'm nervous about. Oldham have been competitive in all their games and caused plenty of shocks. It's a typical game Bradford lose. Hopefully we'll just edge it with Oldham being tired with it being a mid-week game.

Then a 4 pointer against Batley. Lose that and we are in deep deep trouble. Our next 2 opponents will be Halifax (who we haven't beaten in 3 games and always seem to out enthuse us) and Leigh.

Over to you Bradford.

Has the Squad been announced yet?

Sometime today, no doubt.

Glad to hear that Mick.

I've no doubt the team has the ability to throw the ball about and play some great rugby, after all, we've seen it on many occasions, and it's great to watch too. It' s just the idea of having to off-load every tackle, or of firing out a fanciful pass, sometimes on the first or second tackle and in the shadow of our posts - it does my head in. There is a time and a place for opening it out and, generally speaking, it isn't early in the count when you haven't even cleared your own thirty metre line...

Well after last week I'm not going up to Workington. It's too much to ask. Players need to start engaging their brains or get shipped out.

Then again it's gonna be nice weather, a luverly drive, the Watermill at Ing ... and if you don't go you know how guilty you'll start to feel as kickoff approaches

Standard Gledhill namecheck.

Sounds great up until the kick off

Will be tomorrow. Announced 48 hours before the game.

Aha, getting my days mixed up. Not that I'll be going anyway as I'm away to Scotland for a week. I knew I'd miss the Worky game but annoyed that it's now 2 games with the Oldham fixture as well.... Grr

Not often I spend time north of Mystic Eddie but, around Inverness and the Black Isle, I think I might just manage some next week...

In fairness, before I posted it, I double and triple checked I had the right day! One of those weeks that I'm not entirely sure what day it is until it hits Saturday, or "not working day" as I like to call it.

Enjoy your trip!

The 19-man squad:

Mitch Clark, Joe Lumb, Kurt Haggerty, Dale Ferguson, Kris Welham, Danny Addy, Kieren Moss, Lewis Charnock, Jay Pitts, Ethan Ryan, Epalahame Lauaki, Tom Olbison, Lucas Walshaw, Ross Oakes, Adam O’Brien, James Clare, Paul Clough, Alex Mellor, Adam Sidlow.

5 changes made by Smith. In come, Moss, Charnock, Clough, Lumb and Oakes. Williams, Mathers, Caro, Thomas and Crossley miss out.

Squad.

Mitch Clark, Joe Lumb, Kurt Haggerty, Dale Ferguson, Kris Welham, Danny Addy, Kieren Moss, Lewis Charnock, Jay Pitts, Ethan Ryan, Epalahame Lauaki, Tom Olbison, Lucas Walshaw, Ross Oakes, Adam O’Brien, James Clare, Paul Clough, Alex Mellor, Adam Sidlow.

I'd go.

1. Moss
2. Clare
3. Oakes
4. Wleham
5. Ryan
6. Addy
7. Charnock
8. Clough
9. O'brien
10. Sidlow
11. Ferguson
12. Walshaw
13. Mellor

14. Lumb
15. Clark
16. Lauaki
17. Pitts

Think there were a few lucky to make the 19 after last weeks performance.

So much for the Mathers/Thomas Halfback experiment.

Good squad rotation, perhaps a little harsh on Thomas but I hope for more on Wednesday, maybe in the forwards.

Yes but I was expecting to see the Thomas/Charnock experiment this week...

suspect Walshaw might given nod at ahead of Oakes given that was case last week and Walshaw didnt get chance to do much wrong before his injury. Olbison to come into 2nd row and I also think he'll go with Haggerty ahead of Mellor. Otherwise looks about right. We definitely need to use OB and Lumb in the hooking roles. Addy can do a job there but we noticeably improved last week when OB came on, only mystery is why we waited til 2nd half to make the change.

I'd go:

Moss
Clare
Walshaw
Welham
Ryan
Charnock
Addy
Sidlow
AoB
Clough
Olbison
Ferguson
Pitts

Lumb
Clark
Lauaki
Haggerty/Mellor

Oakes and one of Haggerty/Mellor to miss out. I'd be tempted to give Mellor a go on Sunday and rest Haggerty for Wednesday.