Bradford in meltdown turning comments off on Facebook and Twitter. Wouldn’t surprise me if dunning is gone .

Can only hope.

I pretty much expected this result. When the pressure is on, and the game is being televised you can guarantee the Bulls will thoroughly bottle it and play like a load of blokes who just met 10 minutes beforehand in a pub.

Just awful.

This coach is way out of his depth. Being a nice bloke and having a copy of the 'Steve NcNamara big book of excuses' isn't enough. And he was the best option. Wow.

Im not trying to rub it in when I say this but I really didn't think much of Bradford when we played a couple of weeks back, I'm not saying they are bad, I just thought they were pretty average but we were really, really bad and still ended up in with a shout at the end of the game. I still think that when we get ideal conditions pretty much like last night there is still a bit of a gulf between the two teams and there isn't many Bradford players that I would take at Fax.

I fully agree with the thrust of your post, but I have to pick you up on this bit.

Leigh has been loaning players left right and centre for years, and doesn't have an Academy (because they aren't allowed one, but still). In fact, they've had loan players THIS season in SL - Joe Shorrocks, who is now in the Wigan first team, was on loan at Leigh earlier in the season.

Most clubs utilise the loan system at one time or another - including Halifax and York, whose fans were bagging the Bulls for it.

That said, I think we are leaning FAR too much on loans and DR this season.

As above, I don't think you were anywhere near as bad as we were two weeks ago and if you had completed at less than 30% in either half last week like we did then the score would have been a lot worse. It does show though when we can be that bad and still end up in the game near the end but Bradford play pretty bad and we blow them off the park.

The Bulls need to move on from Dunning now, if we're to rescue the season. This squad is badly underperforming and if he's as vanilla and cliched in the dressing room as he is in his interviews, the lack of motivation seems pretty obvious. If we're serious about going up this is the season to do it, before the IMG franchise model kicks in and the door is closed for a very, very long time.

Probably fair, the scoreline definitely flattered Halifax two weeks ago. Bradford kept Halifax in with a shout because of inability to stick to a game plan and grind a game out. Widnes walloped Halifax not so long since, but they have been pretty average and inconsistent as well - I guess it is an issue at Championship level.

I’m not sure I agree about a ‘gulf’ in quality we are 9 games in on equal points and 1-1 in games against and you’re signing journeyman like Dan Fleming, so you’ve definitely got a few players I wouldn’t take either!!

I do think this squad is underperforming though and could be a lot better side with a higher calibre coach.

from a fax fan i thought both those lads had a good go for you and should get more of a run in your team going forward.

There is massive underinvestment to the extent that I don't think we can afford to pay Dunning off (if that is the answer). We are now just a mediocre team in a run down town.

We've been this for the last 5 years plus!

Surely we can stretch to a packet of crisps and a sausage roll? His contract can’t be worth much.

That is a massive understatement...
Bradford a run down town! It makes Mixenden look like London!

Awful game. I expected a Halifax win but so disappointing we roll over and don’t put up a fight until the second half. We do seem to struggle on game plans.

The inconsistency is baffling. I can understand losing to a better team on the day, but to beat some of the teams we have this year to then put in performances like yesterday, Keighley away and York away makes no sense.

Not just Halifax alone but you do have to laugh at the same comments every week suggesting when X wins its because Y team was bad and not because X team played well… coping mechanisms on show maybe. Crazy to think that just maybe Bradford and Halifax are not far apart in class and both up and down in performances.

Anyway 1-1 and another good mix and atmosphere. Entering an interesting set of fixtures before we meet again at Odsal mid June. Anyones guess what both teams will look like by then.

Our glorious leader was, apparently, telling everyone who'd listen we were too light in the forwards for the game and the club expected to lose. Sounds like we went in as a club with that mindset.

Aye. I think there is a gulf in application and attitude between us and Fax, not in talent. They don't want to be grubbing around in the meh category with us, but I'm afraid they probably are.

I quite like the yin and Yang of the gledhill dunning interviews one trying excitedly to convince Bradford fans they’ve multiple super league players on the horizon and are more or less superleague ready and dunning who’s voice could send someone high on amphetimines and coffee to sleep .

Mick's reluctance to ask awkward questions because he works for the club doesn't help us get to the nitty gritty does it? I remember back in the day when the T&A reporter (I'm remembering Brian Smith) would have no qualms about calling out players and coaches if needed. It was part of the deal and the club accepted it. Are people too precious nowadays?

To be fair to Mick, he does ask better questions than the T&A. Mick wasn't doing the interviews on saturday. Even just a simple "this is the third time the games been over by HT, is that a worry"

The whole RL media in this country is such a small church clubs can dictate to them and if they don't toe the club line they get frozen out.

Where’s this come from?

To be fair thats 100% correct.

Johnson, Foster and Rob Butler are very poor and bring no go forward what so ever.
Appo should be at 13 not second row. Hes lack of mobility is costing us out wide defensively.
Reverse for Chester, second row all day long not playing in the middle of the park. Hes a great line runner and needs to be on an edge.
Scurr shouldnt be starting games. He has a stinker on Saturday. We need him to bring impact off the bench.

We are lacking a bit of a wrecking ball. Someone who can scatter defenders. I think thats what Matongo was going to bring. Speaking of which we havent had any update on his injury.

Add all of the above to the fact we have the slowest half back combo known to man.

We had a decent ish start to the year, now its drying up and the pitches are getting firmer we look so slugish due to the lack of speed in the halves
Hopefully Holmes isnt 2 bad and we get to see him partnered with Lawford at Barrow.

Agree with all that. Was baffled to see Appo in the backrow on the edge when Butler is far more effective IMO. Been disappointed with Josh Johnson and Rob Butler so far too. Foster was running the ball in strongly at the beginning of the season, not sure what's happened since. Scurr is an impact player for sure.

Think Matongo has a history of shoulder problems, I suspect he's awaiting a scan and an appointment with a consultant. It doesn't look good and I'd surprised if he's back any time soon. Would be good for the club to let us know what's happening though.

The halfbacks drive me nuts. Patton we know can take his bat and ball home at any moment and tends to do so unless he's given plenty of time and space. Lilley just isn't a halfback for me He's too slow to exploit any gaps. They both are. When did either ever make a clean break? Holmes and Lawford offer far more of a threat. If Holmes is out we seem to lack any spark at all.

Lilley needs to play at hooker, particularly now that Flanagan snr is reaching the end of the line. Jowitt can come on to provide a bit of cover.

One positive from Saturdays debacle was Walker. To say it was his first game I thought he was excellent. Fax really picked him out and roughed him up by getting stuck in. But he was getting his nose through and if his team mates hadn't shirked thier duties, think he'd have caused them more problems as the game went on.

As much as I want to see Lawford, can only see Dunning sticking with Holmes/Patton with Lilley at Hooker for the next few games. Think that does have potential as Holmes is quick and then Walker at FB gives us more pace.

That said if Holmes isn't fit (knowing our luck it will be an ACL) Lawford has to start for me.

Much as I can't see Dunning picking Lawford either if Holmes is out he has to come in. We can't go on with Patton and Lilley at halfback.