I think the Bulls fans could have a new hero in Patrick Ah Van, 2 more tries and 4 out of 5 goals, he's racked a few points up this pre season. He likes to get involved, and looks a all round quality player.
Brett Kearney looked outstanding at fullback today and scored a peach of a try straight from the scrum, and his kick returns were outstanding aswell. I would have give him the MOM today.
Ian Sibbit had a really good game, i thought he was a poor signing but he made some good tackles and made a few line breaks aswell.
Olivier Elima has give us some real steel in the pack, his defence is bone shuddering at times.
I would have liked to have seen Kyle Briggs with a bit more of the ball today, although he made some very good breaks, set a few tries up and has a very good kicking game.
I think we was a bit sloppy at times with the ball, but we still need time to gel and Silverwood didnt help stopping and starting the game every 5 minutes, but overall we look 10 times better than last year, Potter seems to have tightend our defence up, whilst we look pretty handy attacking.
Also great games from Koppy, Diskin, L'Estrange, Platt and Scruton.

Van Arghs problem is he can't jump, admittedly the Wakey try came from a superb kick with their player timing the run and jump to perfection, but V A has no spring in his legs, but that isnt the problem, my beef is where was his cover?? so if the oppostion do get the ball first there is someone else there to make a tackle and or prevent a try! This will have been noted on the Coachs grapevine so MP will have that door closed.
Was it me or was Silverwood being very picky today as opposed to the Bulls giving away all those silly penalties, something else to concern MP as we know to our cost in the past giving refs too easy a job to blow the whistle!
All in all a steady performance as a cobweb blower! Wakey certainly didn't play at full pace so it was difficult to judge the overall performance in actual quality but not the effort!
Easter will be a key time in where we are and what the run in might prove to be, so roll on Super League XVI

I think Ah Van's best suited to centre where he won't be targeted as much by the high ball. On the wing we have two really quick players who can both beat a man. We shouldn't be putting Ah Van there or at fullback. Centre's got to be the place for him.

Agree 100%.

I agree also, 1. Kearney 2. Ainscough 3. Walker 4. Ah Van 5. Raynor for the Leeds game

Not sure you can write off Ah Van as a weak link under the high ball after just a couple of errors. Ainscough and Raynor are also likely to be targeted due to their lack of height.

That's why for me we won't see Ah Van on the wing. George isn't the biggest player but made it look simple to collect the kick

Lesley Vainikolo wasn't the best either...

I'm not against Ah Van at centre, I just think it's a tad early to attach the label of being weak under the high ball after a few friendlies. I think Raynor and Ainscough would also have struggled with a quality crossfield kick and good leap by George. The odds are always stacked in the attackers favour if the kick is good.

Very true! I also think he has more to offer handling wise and maybe wasted a little on the wing. But we have such a strength in depth its good to have this!

Mr Potter certainly has some dilemma's before the Leeds game.

Seen him play 2 games at fullback or wing. Both times he struggled. At fullback he had trouble with grubbers and bombs. On the wing, he was beaten easily by Luke George (it looked almost effortless). I'd say it's fair evidence of a massive weak point in his game, but I'm sure Potter knows that too and will do his best to sort it out one way or another. Yeah the kick for George's try was good, but I thought Pat should have done a lot better.

Everybody goes on about Ainscough being great in attack but not in defence, but nobody says the same about Ah Van, presumably because he's a quota player. But from the evidence I've seen so far, Ah Van is shaky. I think Centre is definitely the place for him as it takes that weak point out of his game. If I were a rival coach watching footage of our friendlies, I know exactly what I'd be telling my kickers to do if he plays on the wing or fullback.

He does actually remind me a lot of Lesley's first season with us. If he comes as good as Les did though, none of us will argue!

On the more positive side, he looks excellent in attack. Runs the ball in hard, always looking to get involved, looks dangerous.

I don't think his defence was too bad today.

I do think that we need to try and get the ball out to him more, to show us what he can do. He came looking for work (which is always good for wingers to do), but its not the biggest and I think it's fair to say he'll be better trying to beat a man on the outside than coming down the middle trying to make metres off big men. Obviously as they get tired he amy make a break, so i'm not saying don't have a drive, but he needs the ball a bit more.

On the highlights watch where Ah Van is beaten from about 4:25.

Okay he doesn't get the ball, but he jumps well and is only just beaten by George. Considering the attacker usually has the advantage as he's running to jump for the kick then i'm not too worried. Its not like he just didn't contest it at all and let George walk through.

Where can the highlights be viewed ?

And when he looked shaky in defence versus Halifax he was playing right centre.

I don't think he could of done a great deal more today for the George kick and I doubt Raynor/Ainscough would have fared much better in all honesty.

Do quota players receive less criticism? I'm not sure about that one, I'd say a lot of people have higher expectations of a quota player.

With some new signings we have some previous knowledge of their weaknesses/strengths. Ah Van arrived as an unknown to pretty much all of us, to label his catch ability as a 'massive weakness' after a few friendlies seems a little harsh to me. Les wasn't the best, but he improved his technique so it's too early to say where his best position for us will be IMO.

His support play is also second to none.

I think we could be looking at another TV/Lesley in the making here.

Having thought about it I think he has what it takes. I think it's his posture that makes him look lazy! He has a very laid back attitude and that's good!

He will only get better with the more training / playing he does! Got to think, he hasn't played alot of rugby at first grade over at the Warriors. I think the wing is the place for him and let Ainy/Raynor fight it out for the other wing spot!

He takes the ball in well and supports well! Could be a quality buy this year!!

For me, I wouldnt want to leave Platt or Ah Van out of the side. For that Reason and the fact I think PLatt is a better centre than Ah Van, and Ah Van is a better winger and has shown more this pre season than Ainscough I would start PLatt at centre and Ah Van on his wing.

Ah Van
Platt
Walker
Raynor

As I said after thinking about it I'd go this way now as well 

Ainscough is still within a shout, but I don't think anyone can deny the fact that Mr Ah Van has been the standout signing of the 11 new faces at Odsal.

I think Ainscough will start over Raynor

So far. I like him from what I've seen and also get the feeling he's going to be something of a folk hero for Bulls fans, but I hope to be denying that he's the stand out signing later in the season when Herbert and Briggs have struck a chord with each other.

I got that feeling at Dewsbury and again yesterday when once again he was kicking goals from the touchline for fun.

I guess time will tell if he's a Lesley Vainikolo/Tevita Vaikona in the making but I agree that the Herbert/Briggs partnership could be massive when they click.

Yeah, that's true. He does have an easy relaxed style about him. As has been said he's a bargain in the fantasy leagues.

He's in one of mine now 