I thought we totally lacked direction today and the kicking game was none existent. To do as well as we did was great but we are capable of so much more. Even Siejka today would have improved us.

I don't think the Barlow tackle was anything to bang on about. It was a dangerous tackle and should have gone on report but nothing more.

I can't remember the last time I saw anybody change a game like Higham did today. He had a great spell and the Bulls had all on to control him. Just glad he ran out of steam. I expect they'll be better prepared for him next time.

I should add that I really enjoyed this afternoon. It was nice to have a good crowd at Odsal again and see a good contest. I for one, get no enjoyment out of hammering teams every week. Each try today meant like it meant something (even though it didn't really). As much as I have enjoyed this season, we need to get back into Super League.

Spot on Paul- with the ball we're excellent but concede too many tries IMHO (Leigh fan)

Pitts is a better loose forward than Addy no fitting him in anywhere.

Highly entertaining game, played at a frantic pace. I guess a draw was probably the correct result. I thought, as a Leyther, that Bradford showed tremendous spirit and not a little skill. I also echo the sentiments about the ref - it's a refreshing change to have a competent one, applying common sense, in a Championship game!

Would your regular half backs have made a difference? I guess they would have, although I would add that our two, Ridyard and Brierley (especially) were unusually quiet. Of course, that could just be down to your guys.

Anyway, onwards to the '8's' and another enthralling meeting in prospect.

Congratulations on the record Championship gate - very impressive!

Thoroughly enjoyable game which we should have won. Higham murdered us second half to create the tries, then we give them a 90 yard interception try. Two matches against Leigh and we should have won both. All the positives for the Bulls today. Couldn't see many for Leigh other than Higham. We will be much the better for our returnees.

Never though I would say it of James Childs, but after some of the refs in the Championship, he was head and shoulders the best one at Odsal this year.

Good post mate. Hope when we meet next'which will be at the LSV 'Bradford fans join us in the pubs near Leigh bus station before the game. Only a 10 minute walk to the LSV from there.



Very exciting game today.

First of all, what an entertaining game that was! Don't think either side was ever more than 8 points in front and the lead changed hands several times.

We were much improved today. Our ball retention was better, and our forwards muscled up and made more ground than they have done in previous weeks. We looked far more confident when we had the ball and we weren't afraid to offload or throw the ball wide. Clough and Sidlow were outstanding today, as was Shaw, who had his best game for us IMO.

Leigh were average in the first half and improved in the second half when Higham came on. For a short spell we couldn't handle his speed out of dummy half and it looked like he was going to really turn the game in Leigh's favour. But conceding 36 points against a team with no recognised half-back is something they'll have to work on.

I'm much more optimistic after today's performance and we'll be a much bigger threat when Gaskell and Mullaney return.

I'd say getting a draw despite getting battered in terms of possession, territory and penalty count is a positive. Although getting battered in terms of possession, territory and penalty count was definitely a negative!

If you'd have had a 'proper' half back you might have won comfortably as you spent so much time at our end, 2nd half especially as we piggy backed you time after time with soft errors and penalties. Conversely we had far fewer chances near your line but still scored 6 tries.

We need to improve but I will gladly take a draw from that performance.

INOUT
It's always good to see you Frank,I always feel better after seeing you,as you make me look healthy

,seriously I will see you on Wednesday before the Dews game.

Firstly best wishes to the fan, hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.

As for the game, think on the whole it was a fair result and we both could take positives and negatives from it.

A positive for you and a negative for us was you scored 36 points without your half backs, but not having your creative players also means you invariably have the better defenders, so is it a negative that we also scored 36?

A positive for us was we once again managed to come back from behind against a good team. but again what's a positive for one team is a negative for the other as that's both games you've been in front and not killed us off.

Looking forward to the next encounter and may the best team win.

A positive for all concerned was the crowd great support shown by both sets of fans

Today's attendance was higher than 12 out of our 13 home games last season when we were in Super League.
Meanwhile the Wakey Cas derby drew a measly 4k gate.

Both Bradford and Leigh should be in the top division, and it's criminal that today's game wasn't televised in some way.

Salford and Wakey out, Leigh and us in. Job done.

I must say I was thinking we were going to throw it all away at the end when we knocked on twice at the PTB in our own half. We'd been pretty much error free until that point.

Thankfully Leigh couldn't capitalise on our balls ups.

I was impressed with Caro's pace. I thought our forwards all played well. Henry had a much needed improved game in the centres and although Shaw had a shaky start he came good by the end.

Best wishes to the gentleman, for a speedy and complete recovery. The incident happened just in front of us. It probably seemed an eternity to him and his family/friends, to get the paramedics to him, but I thought that their response was pretty good, considering the size of the crowd.

Something like that kind of puts even an exciting game into context, doesn't it?

The lack of TV coverage for the Championship is nothing short of a disgrace. Whichever clown at the RFL brokered the current deal should be ashamed of themselves.

Would agree with that wholeheartedly.

Fantastic result for us considering key players we had out. Feeling much more confident for middle eights now. Need to keep up improvement next week at fax.

Me too

And I suspect most of the SL clubs would as well. I bet they'd gladly welcome us and our large and passionate away support over Salford and Wakey who bring very few and offer nothing to SL overall.

Completely agree with your final statement @Bull Mania

In fact a crowd of 9181 today, does this set a new Championship record in the modern RL era, I think it does & so a big rap to both sets of fans, showing some SL clubs the hunger for RL from both Clubs supporters.

As an aside, I would put this to anyone, if we were still operating under the licence system, I believe *maybe naively* that the plug would be pulled on Wakefield & they would be replaced with either Leigh or Bradford.

My reasoning, well empty or largely empty stadia such as seen at Wakefield & Salford does not make good TV, good atmospheres or a good advertisement for RL, especially for the top tier of SL.

Also worth considering, Leigh as a club have had so much Media coverage & as probably the most talked about club currently in British RL it would be very difficult to overlook the Club as a replacement for an ailing SL side.
Salford, with the Koukash factor & their proximity to Manchester would be safe from any cull IMHO.

Getting back to the point, yes both Bradford & Leigh would improve the outlook of SL, two teams that could genuinely add something positive.

Will it be extremely difficult for either side to achieve promotion, I think yes, however it is entirely possible for both to gain promotion & I sincerely hope so.

I have been telling fans on our own board for a long time that I saw enough from Bradford in Round 1 to believe they have real quality & are going to be very dangerous. Gaskell in particular I rate very highly & would love him to be at Leigh.
If both clubs play to their very best during the M8's, I think we.could do each other favours taking maybe a SL scalp each & upsetting the applecart.
Let's also not forget that Fax & the Eagles are no mugs & could on their day give one or more SL clubs a tough game & knock their confidence a touch.

Best of luck to you in the 8's & may the best Club or Clubs rise to the top.

Ste, what needs to happen as a bare minimum is that Bradford and leigh take the same SL scalp

Hadn't clocked this post earlier but yes, it's bang on that



Exactly what I was trying to convey in my last post.

Now wouldn't that be a beautiful thing Maurice.

Maybe Paul & Jimmy could could get together & make some plans.



By the way Moz, would you agree that both clubs will see 10k + home attendances during the 8's ?
I suspect Leigh having the smaller capacity Stadium could see a total sell out.

Should either club get to the promised land then a year of struggling in the bottom 4 would no doubt have an impact on the quantity of support. There's a reason why home attendances were lower than 9000 last year.

The 10k prospects would be the derbies and if the HKR fans travel in their 1000's or not, the 4v5 will be a sell out

Great game for me. Best of the season by far and a draw was the only fair result.

From our point of view, the improvement over the last few weeks was unreal in what was a genuine 80 minute performance from both sides. Plenty of errors, of course, as you'll always get when the action is so fast and furious, generally well refereed too, with the best ref we've had all year by far, quick PYBs, wow, who knew the game could be played like that?

Wonder how Jimmy is going to treat the final pre-eights game at the Shay - will we get the halves back [if fit to get some game time or will it be the same again?

I think it's fair that as Lowes has attracted a fair amount of criticism for how things have gone recently he should be fully lauded for his massive influence on the team recently ..... maybe it was a match that mattered more than some others recently, and maybe the middle eights will attract a similar approach. Seems fair he gets the credit.