I guess it shows how desperate the game is at this level that a reprieve for us is even being discussed.

My concerns aren't too dissimilar. If any reprieve is forthcoming it'll be too late for us to build a competitive team. Even if we knew the situation now I doubt that Chalmers has the money to put together a squad better than what we currently have in the championship.

The rumour of John B taking over as head coach isn't going away and I've not heard any other rumours. That kind of thing doesn't inspire confidence in the owner at all.

Nobody does and it's a bloody daft thing to do, I wish players would stop doing it. It shows a lack of respect. Think refs should penalise it.

It's been going on all year from all teams and players. The referees have been utterly weak in this area of taunting. Remember the Swinton farce? Players diving and throwing balls in faces etc? I too hate it and anyone doing it should spend 10 mins in the sin-bin. However we're always the ones who have it done to us. We're too nice a team and if the referees are going to be so incompetent not to penalise it (or just have a word, for all the good that does) then you can't blame the players for giving some back considering the absolute crap they've had to endure this season. If the referees are going to allow it, then our young guns are learning to stand up for themselves and give it back. I'm done trying to be the morally better team with the crap i've seen from teams like Dewsbury, Rochdale & Swinton.

We need a few more enforcers in the side. We'd get less of this kind of rubbish if that was the case. I noticed Brandan Wilkinson rub someone's head last week after we scored and it all kicked off. No need for it. Sledging has always been part of the game but this is relatively new and needs nipping in the bud.

It's up to the referees to nip it in the bud though. There's only so much we can do legally to stop it. Wilkinson should have been sin-binned last week for rubbing Roger's lad. But Wilkinsons had it done to him a few times this year and if the referees just let it go, he's going to start dishing it out.

Next time I see you I'm going to rub your head, and pat your tummy at the same time..

If we had a few nutters in the side I doubt our kids would get this treatment. Similarly we don't do it when Rowe or Moore are around do we? If a player gets smacked for rubbing an opponent's head it's fully deserved IMO. I agree refs should be down on this as it just adds to the lack of respect on the field that they themselves are having problems with.

I still don't believe any change to the numbers up to 14 is for the Bulls sake.
The clubs are dying because of lack of funds.
The championship could be a good league to watch with Toronto and a new SL team but chairmen are wanting a few more games. Two more home games could bring in £40k upwards (2k gate) - possibly double with parking, drinks etc.
Something has to be done to make two very good divisions plus a development division.
I even see some clubs folding or merging in the future unfortunately. This is why it is not being done just to save the bulls - but the game in general.

What? Have you seen the attendance figures in the Championship?

Sheffield got 239 yesterday apparently, Oldham, Rochdale and Swinton routinely get 400-500. None of those teams own their ground so they presumably don't get parking, food concessions etc. Plus one assumes they pay rent, however modest, on their grounds.

I would have thought the Sheffield [ilost[/i money on their game yesterday

Next time I see you I'll chin you

We both know there is more chance of Jewish Christmas..

Did anybody listen to Nigel Wood being interviewed on Radio Yorkshire?

Yup, never answered a question properly.

Yes I did.Would make a good politician would Nige.Having said that he was asked outright if Bradford Bulls will definitley be relegated.His reply was "why wouldnt they be they have finished at the bottom of the table"He also said he thought the current squad should have been strong enough to win enough games to overcome the 12pt deficit and stay up.He also said Catalans would not be saved if they were relegated.

Never heard so much spin in 30 mins.

So who do you think the new coach will be?
and who do you think will stay? and who would you like to see come in?

I fear that the coach will be John B and the squad will be made up of academy lads and a bunch of lesser lights from this year's squad with maybe a couple of exceptions like Moore and Hallas.

I hope we'll have a proper coach e.g. Toovey for another year with Lee Greenwood as an assistant to take over in 2019 - a bit like a Smith and Elliott handover. I'd hope to keep the following - but I doubt we will.

Pickersgill
Smith
Ryan
Rickett
Oakes
Gibson
Chisholm
Keyes
Aston
Butterworth
Moore
Hallas
Kirk
Magrin
Peltier
Sironen
Wilkinson
Hodgson
Lumb

The simple truth is that clubs need to look to themselves to get crowds in. Sitting back and expecting the away teams to bring in sufficient supporters to fund their clubs is ridiculous, in fact it's beyond ridiculous; as a business plan it's risible.

To be fair, one of JB strengths is that he's fully aware of how to treat the academy lads, so I doubt he's one who would, 'flog them', by putting them into open age, either in greater numbers than is good for them or before they are ready. My main doubt about him as a head coach is that he did it once before (at Fev, I believe?) and he wasn't exactly a rip roaring success. Of course, Daryl Powell wasn't a rip roaring success in his first head coaching job either, so maybe we shouldn't just diss someone on that basis?

To be honest, how we do next season depends on so many things so it's impossible to say how we'll do, but one thing is certain and that is the owners are going to have to get the cheque book out if we're to have any chance - whoever the coach is.

Most are hand to mouth and many are probably operating while insolvent. I suspect they haven't the time or money to do any more marketing than they currently are doing. That said our own efforts are hampered by the spelling and grammar of media releases. That's easily solvable if the owner is bothered.

Perhaps this is where the RFL could help? Perhaps paying for some consultancy to get out to all clubs to improve existing marketing and PR practices?

Mick says that there is def a restructure announcing next week.. who thinks this is the case?
If the championship has voted to keep us I hope we know and are recruiting accordingly.

There's this permanent feeling that you can't quite put your finger on, that the RFL has something planned, and that our owners are aware of it to some degree. Of course I could be utterly wrong but I've had a feeling that the restructuring has been known by our owners for some time, but that it was made clear that our staying in the championship must not be referenced by us for fear of an outcry.

To be fair to John, he replaced Daryl Powell, he was never going to replicate what Daryl did. Look at what he is doing at Cas. The players aren't world beaters or champions. The squad is probably 4th-6th team looking at the players on paper. But Daryl has got them playing unplayable rugby. Give any other coach the Cas team and i don't think they come top IMO Didn't Fev lose to Leigh twice on the bounce which also contributed to his downfall? Leigh only lost once that year i believe. Replacing a super coach and the rise of Leigh probably didn't help. They were third when he was sacked. They've had a few coaches since then and i don't think they have finished any higher.

If John is appointed, i've no idea whether he will be a success or not. We'll get the usual experts who only ever post on here when having a dig at us with stories of "Johns training was players practicing how to try their shoe laces etc" As others have said, Daryl Powell's first coaching job wasn't a success. Chris Chester under performed at Hull KR, but has taken Wakefiled to unprecedented heights. Or he may not be a very good coach and his skills are developing junior players.

That would make sense Pumpy, especially as one of the earlier 'owners' (the gang of three, iirc) made public some decision they claimed had been made in our favour regarding points, funding to be docked or some such. After that they denied it was ever a deal and then, presumably to teach them a lesson, rescinded their, errrm what ever it was(n't) and did us for the full amount. The 'owners' resigned shortly afterwards I think.

I’ve no doubt that John knows more about when players are ready for first team than anyone. I’d have no problem with his judgement on that front. If we have a squad with enough depth then I’m sure nobody would be thrown in at the deep end.

However if John did get the job and didn’t have a squad with enough depth he’d have little choice. It all comes down to whether Chalmers is prepared to ensure we have a squad equipped to cope without getting the kids smashed.



John B wasn’t a success as a head coach at Fev. I don’t know what went on there and he may well have learnt from it. I don’t think Powell is a good comparison since he was at a top club with money to spare and worked with some of the best young players for decades. He even took Leeds to the cup final and they were very close to us at the time and that was when we had the best Bulls side in living memory. He did very well IMO. A better comparison might be Francis Cummins.



I agree, at the end of the day it comes down to how much the owners want to spend. As we’ve seen you can have a good NRL coach but without the players it’s not much use. Same applies if we have a good C1 or Championship coach.