It's weird, this 'learning lessons' business.

I'm sure that even I knew, and I'm talking about when JK was still a nipper, that 'Cumbrians teams always play well at home', as well, of course, as being notoriously slack away from home - with the 'long journey' invariably being to blame..... These are all long known traits/truisms/sayings or whatever you want to call them, but for some strange reason the 'lesson' has to be relearnt every season.
Why?

Kids learning it for the first time.

Well yeah fair enough, but I thought that was why we always have the odd 'senior player or two' (aka, a little past their sell-by-date) in the side? If one or two, (no names, no pack drill) aren't there to pass on their collected wisdom to the young guns, then what is the point of them being there?, we may as well bring in the youngsters and let them learn on the hop whilst making use of their undoubted speed and enthusiasm, and, then at least, we would have an actual, real excuse for not knowing about the Cumbrians strange ways and that the Bulls are likely to be a target, etc, ad infinitum.

Quote ="paulwalker71"I think you're misunderstanding the point of having a reserve team. Surely it is to prepare players for first team action, not simply for its own sake? I couldn't care less if the Reserve team have to play a weakened team, maybe by bringing in some props from Dudley Hill or West Bowling. Who cares if the Reserves lose a match or two? So long as the First Team is supplied with fit, ready players from our squad. Also the Reserves don't play every week, far from it. We don't have a reserves game now until July 5th, and the next one after that is July 28th. See www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article/ ... announced-'" Props are scarce in the amateur game too

Quote ="paulwalker71"I think you're misunderstanding the point of having a reserve team. Surely it is to prepare players for first team action, not simply for its own sake? I couldn't care less if the Reserve team have to play a weakened team, maybe by bringing in some props from Dudley Hill or West Bowling. Who cares if the Reserves lose a match or two? So long as the First Team is supplied with fit, ready players from our squad. Also the Reserves don't play every week, far from it. We don't have a reserves game now until July 5th, and the next one after that is July 28th. See www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article/ ... announced-'" Props are scarce in the amateur game too

Seems like Reiss has accepted a 1 match ban for foul and abusive language to a match official.

[urlhttp://www.rugby-league.com/article/52580/disciplinary-tonights-cases[/url

My interview Reiss Butterworth from last week: https://soundcloud.com/user-129831624/r ... n-his-loan

My interview Reiss Butterworth from last week: https://soundcloud.com/user-129831624/r ... n-his-loan

Reiss is rumoured to be leaving the club and joining Castleford, with James Green coming the other way.
Can’t say I’d blame the lad. Hasn’t had a fair crack of the whip in my opinion.

That would be a real gut wrencher. Can't understand why he's not had more game time this year.

He signed a 3 year contract, if we just end up with James Green as part of the deal, then it's a steal by Cas.

Wasn't getting a sniff with us, yet went out on loan and played for Batley and now signs for Cas....

Whatever Powell and Diskin see in him obviously wasn't being appreciated by Kear!

To be fair weren't Batley crippled by injury and Cas will see him as potential. Arguably we haven't got time to wait for potential, we need players to guarantee promotion this year and then what? Go for Top 4 of championship next year?

Maybe Kear thinks we need to strengthen the side at prop and this was a way to do it by letting Reece go. Just watched Greens highlights on YouTube and I think he might be a good recruit.

Well he's gone and it is a bit disappointing but it's not a tragedy like some drama queens on social media are making out.

We certainly do need another prop, especially if we go up.

Its naive for folk to think we will keep all our perceived better Academy Players whether or not we are in L1 Ch or SL.

Reiss has been on the cusp but also we did not miss him when the position arose and he couldn't fill it and as Sam has said we needed a prop and it just a bit of common sense business by JK!

It's also the reality of the Bull starting from scratch financially!

Well I hope JK knows what he is doing, because I think our side is crying out for a decent hooker even now. If we do go up it will be crucial than we sign someone to play 9.
I was hoping Butterworth would end up being that player so to see him leave is very disappointing.

Hallas cannot be a hooking option next year, he isn't good enough. Flanagan is decent but he's getting on a bit. Vila has improved a lot since JK came in but realistically is a bottom half championship player. He's not top half or potential SL quality.

What's coming through behind Reiss?

With a season from Flanagan on 2019 what's on the radar for 2020 and is it better than Butterworth? I can't see us doing anything other than consolidating a Ch place next year if we are promoted?

Maybe Kear is looking longer term than we are?

Green will do well at this level but will just be steady at Championship level. I believe Fax couldnt meet his wage demands.

Cherry picking of our best young players will continue until such time as we are back at SL level.I watched Trueman tear Leeds apart at the weekend and it hit home how much the past shambolic management have cost this great club and fans.We should have had many years of watching these players in BULLS colours against top sides.That's the real crime here.

100% spot on.

So did I!! Went to Cas expecting a good game and got one.

Like you, exact same thoughts as Trueman took Leeds apart more than once.

As you say, we continue to pay for the mistakes in the past.

Extremely frustrating and the presence of a certain agent up there is doing us no favours whatsoever, and of course he takes a nice slice of the cake.

I fear we will lose some more of our promising youth this coming close season.

Green has looked promising for us when he's been given the rare opportunity but we have at least 6 props ahead of him. Should go very well for you.

To be honest, we are where we are. There is nothing we can do but fight our way out of it and try to get back at the top table and if Kear needs to cut and deal to achieve that, then it's fine by me.

If young players leave, then they leave, they have a short career in RL and I don't blame them one iota for maximising the earnings potential that they've got, so if we gain another player (or two) to compensate for our loss then I'll call that a win. In our situation we need to play a longish game and not expect everything to fall into place tomorrow.

That just about covers it for me too. Reiss obviously knows the pecking order currently (as we have all probably surmised too), and if he has the chance to go f/t with a SL club I don't think there is anything we can do to hinder him.

We [ucan[/u produce these great players, and we even have players in the England U19 team tonight to prove that. When we start heading upwards I'm sure we will be a lot more attractive for them to stay with us.

At least we're getting something our coach wants in return here too. Not like in the past......

Kear must think we are covered in that position for next year and possibly the one after that. It is a shame to lose the lad but we need promotion and then hopefully a top half or even try for a top 4 next year. I think we will see a few released this year as they are struggling to get a game in Div 1 never mind the championship next season. We can't keep and sign everyone so things have to give. Foxy built his team round a strong pack and Kear looks similar. As others have said, when we are back pushing at the top of the championship the extra money and bigger games will help with retention and recruitment - hopefully!

Now stating it's a loan for rest of season

If Reiss is not getting game time with us then he should go on loan cant see the big deal, however if we let him go next year it will be our loss.

Green coming on loan to Bradford for the season, with a view to a permanent move for next season.

Can't see why Butterworth would be a loan to Cas though. They're not short of options in the halves and hooker, and I can't see him getting a first team game for them just yet. A permanent signing would make sense as he's a long term option, especially if Adam Milner ends up going to the NRL as has been rumoured.