Tough one coming up this week. Batley fully justified to be in the position they are at the top of the league. We certainly have the ability to get the result but must not be drawn into a forward battle up the middle. Batley have some big skilful lads in their pack with the likes of Hirst, Rowe and Brown (who I remember coaching against when he was at Queens). Brown has really improved over the last couple of years, tough solid player with a great offload. As we are a little light in the pack with injuries to Sidlow and Kavanagh we have to shift the ball to where we have the advantage. With a great motivator like Kear in charge we must be careful and learn from the lessons at Batley last year and Leigh last week.

Certainly can't under estimate Batley. They're a good side and well coached and will be more than aware that they only need one more win to have beaten all of last year's top 4 sides.
Add to that they nearly got the win at their place last year then the club needs to be firing on all cylinders to get the win on Sunday

Think this will be our toughest game of the year after Leigh. Mount pleasant never easy to go to and Batley have recruited well with some experienced championship players. They aren't at the top by accident after already beating Leigh and Fax. Anything other than a good performance and we lose.

Can't see us winning this one if I'm honest. If Clough is back it will be a boost but even then he won't be match fit, combine that with Kavanagh and Sidlow both missing and we're awfully light upfront.
Fully expect Jimmy to ignore this and still coach us into playing it up the middle. It probably won't be quite as disastrous as the Leigh game, but we'll lose most of the collisions again and the slow ruck speed will play into Batley's hands perfectly.

It's certainly good more teams are competing - the more games we have at a higher intensity, the better!

Make no mistake Batley will be bang up for this and their early season form means they'll go into this thinking they have every chance of getting a win. If we don't turn up with exactly the right attitude they will cause us real problems. This is a good chance to lay a marker down given the other sides Batley have put to the sword so far and it is particularly important against a team that it seems will be there, or there abouts, this year that we take this opportunity.

Injuries notwithstanding we have enough to beat Batley handsomely, it will come down to attitude and execution for me. Get that right and we'll win.

We struggled there last year. It was a heck of a game and decided in the last minute.

That was with Sidlow and Clough and Mullaney in the side.

I can see us struggling again, especially with our best props all injured or feeling their way back from injury.

Not worth its own thread but here's a bit of neediness about the current state of things.



It takes no account of number of games played. But bearing in mind they've played one more than us they have conceded fewer, and against last year's top 4 (bar us, obvs).

True but we also had Lauaki and a new team.

I think we should be better prepared than last year so think we'll win but not by much.

> here's a bit of neediness

Whilst that is certainly true it should have said nerdiness.

Very good

You hope that Jimmy has learned from last year's trip. Last season, Keegan Hirst and Alex Rowe were immense and absolutely dominated our pack. We got lucky in the end really.
It's disappointing that Sidlow is definitely missing, but I think for this game we need the "rough" props rather than the classy ones.

I'd be interested to see who's in which category!

https://tombatley.wordpress.com/2016/03 ... rd-week-6/ this weekends preview

https://tombatley.wordpress.com/2016/03 ... rd-week-6/ this weekends preview

It was Danny Williams that got the winner for us at Batley wasn't it?

It was Williams, yeah. Grubbered to the corner, collected it himself if I remember correctly.

Think Williams scored the try that took us in front and Ulugia scored on last second to confirm win.

Game of the round for me this one.
Having seen the bulls first hand last week then i fancy Batley to win by a couple of scores

More nervous about this one than I was the Leigh game... As suggested I think this will come down to who turns up with the right attitude. Kear has a habit of getting his players up for big games, something a lot of us have questioned about Jimmy!

I'd certainly have Jonny Walker in it, and probably Mitch Clark too. Clark doesn't seem the dirty type, but he is in the "get stuck in, work as hard as you can" mould. If we could get 3 Mitch Clarks out there this weekend, I'd be happy.

Fleming and Lauaki don't fall into any category for me.

I'd go with Clark & Walker starting, with Lovegrove and Crossley off the bench. Unless Clough is fit, at which point he takes Walker's start with Jonny replacing Crossley on the bench.





While it seems the writer of that piece's heart is in the right place, he could do with someone proof reading it. Some of the English in there is terrible!

Also just for info, Dom Brambani & Tom Lillycrop I believe also played at Bradford, albeit only in the academy and never for the first team.

So according to today's t&a, Ulugia is still a bulls player and is only on a season long loan at Batley? That's news to me, I thought he had left on a permanent deal.
Not only that, but it's a loan which we cannot recall him from and he is also eligible to play against his parent club! Which numpty signed off on that deal?!

Watch him have a stormer against us

I would assume we get more of his wage paid by Batley if there are fewer clauses in the loan agreement. Although nothing surprises me with contracts anymore in RL

To be honest that is usually pretty standard for season-long loans. Batley would have contributed some of his wage if it meant he couldn't be recalled. Can't have things all our own way. If he could have been recalled at any time then i don't think Batley would have agreed to loan him.

Agree that it being a season long loan is news to me as well, but playing regularly every week should hopefully help his development rather than twiddling his thumbs with us. Would prefer him to Blythe at centre though.

Ulugia is only technically still a bulls player. We agreed his release and batley were all set to sign him on a permanent deal, but they couldn't get him a visa. By staying on his bulls contract but on a season long loan the visa he obtained for us stays active for this season. Batley pay all his wage and he counts on their overseas quota