The pack is nowhere near amongst top 3 or 4, Aaron.

Wigan, Saints, Giants, Wolves, Leeds, even Hull maybe all have better packs of forwards than ours IMO.

The fact that we dont have a blockbusting prop that punches holes through defences speaks volumes to me.

When have our pack dominated another team? If the pack was do dominant, Herbert would have had lots more room to work, and let's be honest, he hasn't.

Our players in many ways are a bit too similar in the pack, even Scruton isn't a major go-forward player. His big impact seems to come in defence with big hits. Rarely do you see one of the guys hit the ball at full pelt and scatter defences or cause havoc in the defensive line.

OK, maybe top three or four could be an overestimation. But certainly better than the position where we are now.

If our backline was as good as our pack, we'd be in damn sight better position.

With the ball they are utterly average and in defence this is the worst Bradford pack I can ever remember. 5 of the forwards you mention are 21 or under and the rest are frankly ordinary.

[url=http://bradfordbulls.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/bullpens-midway-bulls-assessment/My mid-season assessment[/url

Doesn't include who I'd retain and release FWIW, there's still plenty of time to go for opinions to change and be formed yet.

Fully fit I'd say the starting pack is up there. I'm not sure the subs and beyond are as good as others in the top 4 or 5 though.

the bench lacks impact although I would argue that Burgess brings a bit of that with him now.

Fully fit I'd say the pack would, more or less, hold its own, but would still lack the sort of, dare I say Sam Burgess type, who scatters the opposition. Young Tom looks promising, but is still inexperienced, even more so than some of the other young players who keep coming in as 'back up' for the injured players.

They're not helped by having to come into a misfiring squad like we have at the moment, but given increased gametime alongside the more experienced pros (if we can keep them fit

) to help their development there's no reason to think they won't come into the first team in their own right over the next year or so and personally I'd like to see them be given the chance.

In general I'd go along with those who suggest the backs are where we struggle most and that is where I'd spend most on recruitment next season. It's also the backs where we don't seem to be bringing the academy players through at the moment, so recruiting there has less of an impact.

I'd agree with all that. The halfbacks and backs are a priority along with one tough forward who can break the line.

Shame we lost our most promising home produced backs to Warrington and Hudders, here's hoping we keep any more that come through.

I'm having trials with Harlequins soon, if i get in I'm demanding a move to Bradford for some game time. Me and Platty in centres!

Absolutely. One game that sticks out in my mind is the one versus Huddersfield. Our pack got well and truly beaten up by the Giants. We need another fearsome Prop as an absolute must for next year. I'd also like to see us sign some genuine quality at 13.

We need a bit of grunt, someone who the opposition know won't think twice about dishing out a bit of biff! When was the last time we had an opposition fan on here complaining about one of our players.

We dont need another massive overhaul next season we just need to add some quality. I'd be quite happy with Leon Pryce and Ben Jeffries at 6 & 7, with Kyle Briggs and Cain Southernwood as back up. A quality forward, Trent Waterhouse would do nicely in a back row with Whitehead and Langley, with Elima on the bench. We have got to sign a proven centre, someone like Matt Cooper, and i would take a punt on Karl Pryce, bring him home with Leon.

I would release Walker, Raynor, Sykes, Herbert, Crookes, Crossley, Sibbit and Halley.

1. Brett Kearney
2. Karl Pryce
3. Micheal Platt
4. Matt Cooper
5. Patrick Ah Van
6. Leon Pryce
7. Ben Jeffries
8. Bryn Hargreaves
9. Heath L'Estrange
10. Andy Lynch
11. Trent Waterhouse
12. Elliott Whitehead
13. Jamie Langley

14. Matt Diskin
15. Nick Scruton
16. Craig Kopzcak
17. Olivier Elima

Bateman, Briggs, Addy, Ainscough, Southernwood, Donaldson, Olbison, O'Brien, Burgess, Finigan

Point well made.

Some people may disagree on the precise identity of who to drop, who to bring in, but the addition of 2 or 3 genuine quality players in that team above is the difference between ok (with a fully fit squad, mind) and possibly top 4 contenders.

Ultimately this season we came in with depth and have looked just off the pace with a full team, but unfortunately we have currently got probably 7 of our ten highest earners out injured.

Highly plausible situation and with the likelihood being that the majority of those players will be released, i am confident we will have a side with definite quality in it, they have to after seeing how an abundance of 'squad' players has worked out.

So not a single centre outside the 13 and only 5 props in the entire squad? I don't see the wisdom in getting rid of Crookes and Crossley and then ending up signing up Walkers and Sibbits. 2 years ago lots of people said get rid of Koppy, he's rubbish.. This year he's our best prop. If Matt Cook had still been at the club he'd have played every game this year. We have to show more patience and let players develop. The 'Crookes not good enough' is becoming a little bit of a band wagon despite the fact that he played well against Wakey last year, has impressed in Sheffield and finally looks physically big enough. Hopefully he'll get a chance tomorrow and do well but it might take him time. We must stick with these lads because the alternative is where we are now.

2 crap wingers. Only 1.5 props. 6th in table at best. And that's with a couple of world class players you have no chance of recruiting.

I would take 6th at the moment!

Still waiting..........

First priority - attempt to extend the contracts of Kearney and L'Estrange. I say this not because they are exceptional players (both, I believe, are generally rather over-rated on here), but because they are good players who will be easier to retain than to replace, and negotiations with them will mean that - one way or the other - we will know where we stand with the overseas quota and a significant chunk of salary cap. If we can't retain them, replacing them will clearly beome the new first priority

Second priority - sign a half-back, presumably a stand-off, given that Jeffries is contracted for next season.

Third priority - [uat least[/u two threequarters, who are [uat least[/u competent and professional - though ideally including the mythical strike centre we have so lacked. Given the lack of quality threequarters in the current side and the lack of any juniors who seem likely to be ready soon, I'd be happy if we recruited even more.

Fourth priority - a forward to give us some impact off the bench. Ideally someone who can genuinely cover both prop and second row, to give us some flexibility.

Final priority - re-sign such other out of contract players as we have cap space for. There are none I see as particular priorities, though I'd like to see Ainscough get a further chance and Royston looks handy as back-up. If (though only if) we don't otherwise fill up the quota, I wouldn't mind Ah Van getting another season.

It shows the standard of our team when you say two years ago people said Koppy wasn't good enough and now he is our best forward. Unfortunately that probably says more about our fotwards than Koppy's improvement (although I admit he has come on).
Another positive for next season: What price will the season ticket have to be to get anyone to buy one.

Ah well, the truth is out there, but not from you it appears Adey. making things up and wrongly accusing people of things they have not done.

Shame on you.

www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/artic ... ague-move/ Why are we not linked him? Exactley what we're looking for.

www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/artic ... ague-move/ Why are we not linked him? Exactley what we're looking for.

probably because wire and hudds will turn it into a bidding war we cant compete in. plus 2nd row isnt really top of our priority list in terms of signings for next year. half and and arguably prop are where we should be directing any available cap space IMO.

"Should he accept the lucrative deal he would join former NRL stars Brett Hodgson, Adrian Morley, Joel Monaghan, Michael Monaghan and Matt King in the UK."

Maybe the question you should be asking is how come Wire can seemingly afford all that lot PLUS their UK stars? And add Waterhouse?

Remember a few years ago, we were supposedly set to sign Matt King then Wire gazumped us?

One can only presume these kind of players' agents must be pretty damn good at stacking up image rights or other deals with "unconnected" third parties - either that or they are prepared to come and play over here for far less than their market value just to get some overseas experience in?

'Quality' is where we should be directing our cap space and Waterhouse is precisely that. If we accept we can't compete with Wire and Hudds then nothing is surer than we won't be competing with them. Apparently we haven't spent close to the salary cap this year and unless we see dramatic improvement or 'signings to whet the appetite' then season tickets will be harder to sell etc. Waterhouse and Lafranchi are probably the 2 biggest bames coming to SL this season and we should aim to sign one of them.

I don't disagree with the need for reinforcement in the areas you suggest but who from either hemisphere are available. Pryce? Joel Reddy? Bryce Gibbs?