I haven't ended a season feeling so proud for many years. The most painful times have been watching us when we can't be bothered. And we've ended the season with none of that.

And the fact that the infinitely better squad of chippy shoulder number 1 failed to even make the playoffs, and Chippy shoulders number 2 getting relegated are further little treats.

Having watched the Highlights, jeeeezzzzuusss our defence was poor.
Listening on the radio it didn't sound so bad because we got Micks rose tinted version but christ on a bike it was bad.
Overall its a better year than you would have expected, fluked 3rd, Keighley got relegated, Fev fell at the last hurdle and Fax missed the Playoff's but we need 5 or 6 SL quality players next year, as achieving top 3 again will be a bigger task with a full time Wakefield in the MIX.
IMHO we don't stand a chance until we can fund a competitive full time squad.
If we had won Saturday, then next week... We wouldn't have had a team to play next year as they are all part time for a reason.
The only way to do it is like Leigh did, build a SL quality outfit then go to SL.
Not get promoted then think $hit what do we do now?

Not anymore it isnt. That ship is sailing this season and results on the field will have little baring.

Reverse the Shay result where half the Bradford team weren't Bradford players and the bulls would have just sneaked into the play offs with Fax above them. All ifs and buts i know but it just shows what a disgrace dr and short term loans are and how they make a mockery of the lower leagues.

Only four loan/DR in the Bulls line up when we won at the Shay so not "half the team".

I do take and agree with your broader point about DR/loans and how they make a mockery of things. Interestingly we seemed to start to perform better once the revolving door of dual reg was slowed/stopped when Greenwood and Noble took over from Dunning.

DR is a a farce and doesn't benefit anyone IMO while we probably were hopes that night in Halifax, in the main DR has been a shambles for us and I hope we bin it.

But does make me laugh when we get hammered for it yet other clubs use it or have two week loans and that is perfectly fine.

Should be one month minimum and if clubs don't want to send a player out that long, play them in the reserves (which would then benefit that comp)

If the club post the full game it would be worth a watch. Whilst we were second best for most of the night, the side I watched from the live stream at Odsal left me feeling enormously proud of each and every one of them. The effort was absolutely there... it was just one game too many.

The tank was well and truly empty after a long and grueling season...

Did they let some shockers in? Yes
Did they deserve a win? No
Did they let anyone down? Absolutely not

You are wrong here bud, we were actually very bad with the Leeds DR players.
That's half the reason we got embarrassed at Keighley.
Sounds nice in theory but the reality is it doesn't work.
Th

Donno was good for us, but only played one game. Arguably Tindall as well. With hindsight, the rest disrupted us and cost us points.

The Shay, Bitter hillbilly tears 99%ABV mmmmm

Sam Walters was outstanding in that game at The Shay. He was MotM by far and he had a major bearing on the result.