One thing that springs to my mind is that they obviously train as a defending team and an attacking team, one vs the other. Based on what we've seen in our attack, we probably look good defensively in training!

sorry i know its only a typo but i think you hit the nail on the head.it is certainly a couching issue as most of them are sat on their backsides.

take them team building to build rafts or something. that will help.

Make your mind up Mike - it was Paintballing the other day...!

The way our players are getting injured I don't think paintballing would be the best idea!

That would seem to be close to the truth but it's time for LSH to walk or be shown the door as the pally pally attitude with the players isn't helping to stop the rot.

I think we've been vulnerable, especially if the opposition spread the play or in broken play, for a number of years now. Whilst I wouldn't expect the changes to be instant, Potter must have been aware of the problem when he came and I would have expected the defence to be stronger than it has been... surely it would have been the main focus pre-season?

If LSH is our defensive coach questions have to be asked. The feeling I get is that the club tried to keep some consistancy from last season to this and that they try to keep the same defensive set up from one season to the next as well as from the senior squad to the juniors... Why you would stick with something that obviously hasn't work though I can't say...

This rather says it all.

push the line up and drift(no crazy mofo running out of the line!!!), the whole line has to move, with players pushing from the inside, this forces their attack to step back in and BANG the players pushing from the middle hit them....simple as!

Spot on about the defensive attitude. Mick Potter has brought in a new defensive system and totally revamped the marker system as well which is implemented right through out all the age groups at bulls. I know this through other coaches involved with bulls

Which has resulted in ... us getting hammered for not being square.

Pretty much mate yeah, so there is 2 options be patient and wait for it to click and players to adjust or cut our losses and try change it again half way through the season when we have a she load more areas to also work on

Christ, I'm sorry, but if it really is the case that the players have not learnt a "new" defensive technique in what 6 months, then there really is no hope.

Well I suppose Andrew Bennet could try and get a sponsorship from a Swiss Cheese Manufacturer!

I did suggest that MP re enforces the Defensive line with judicious use of Cattle Prods during Training!

The Defensive Line was as bad as was when we played at Stains last year and no Worrincy to blame this time!

The Senior Players are not taking enough responsibility on the field of play and the youngsters are getting caught out, same as last year!

Its a defensive STRUCTURE not a technique there trying to play split and chase marker system. And in line there tryin t bring up the edges but the guys in the middle arnt pulling across fast enough leaving holes for attackers to push through

Sounds like they're not talking to each other in defence. No teamwork, probably unconciously expecting to get beaten so it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

All of which suggests to me that its time to stop and try something else!

I would agree. They need something less complicated so it seems. Basic structure. Just seems were too soft, look at warrington their confrontational and agressive were weak never meet them flat at gain line or nothing. Too soft and rubbish attitude.

Having watched the highlights of the hull kr match, almost every try they scored out wide was a result of our players not reading the attack correctly and one individual coming out of the defensive line. Ah Van, Platt and Briggs were all guilty of this (and possibly more), this has got to be addressed by Potter this week and should have been sorted ages ago.
All they need to do is communicate, move up AS A LINE and not get drawn out, but we see it happen time and time again.

I think this stems simply from a lack of confidence. Players are panicking when teams attack their goal line because they are expecting teams to come away with points it's happened so many times now. It's purely a mental thing that needs working on, rather than our guys not being good enough.

I don't think I was ever coached in tackling technique. We did bits of getting abck in line 10m back, but that was always the same scrum formation positionally. I remember Brian Smith going over during warm up, pulling out Neil Summers (?) & showing him how to position his feat & body just on bags practice. It was as much a shock as if Lord Lucan had ridden Shergar out of the tunnel. I feel our defensive systems are way behind the NRL (even with the obvious Aussie coaches).

There is nothing wrong with technique they were taught that, or should have been, at junior level for frig's sake. Confidence plays a big part in a defensive line as well as aggression. Talking though seems to be a major point as tries are being shipped in out wide due to a lack of speech to inform players to drift out wide. Could do with a Ben Harris right now to command a line and lead the way!

Coaching of players in this country is very poor at a junior level if my experience is anything to go by. Totally committed people but lacking in qualifications, experience & people skills. If we are relying on what we learned as juniors then I would suggest therein lies part of the problem. Unless someone screaming gerrintoem in a Brian Glover type tracksuit counts as coaching.

Haha so it's not just Bradford it's rugby league in general that needs reform!!! No the point was that tackling technique is not taught and they are professionals who know how to tackle, the main problem is how to run a defensive line successfully. I have played Rugby Union and League with representative honours and i cannot think of one training session apart from when i was 10 where i was taught the technique how to tackle. It's something you get told once and have it inbuilt into your head, or should do. Anytimne when one of my teams has a defensive lapse in a game, our training sessions consist of an attacking side playing the ball out wide with an overlap and the defensive team drifting out to cover and being vocal! That's what Bradford need!

Totally agree. They're actually not moving period. When we talk about guys shooting out of the line, a number of times it has been the case that they are where the line should be. The Halifax try before half time is a case in point. Herbert got off his line to give himself a chance while Lynch, Sibbitt and young Burgess were rooted to the spot while The hooker ran across the line in front of them.

If the defense can get up 5m -10m they are laughing, the one goes low one goes high and they are on their backs - thats what we get taught at scholarship