Nah, couldn't hear any offensive/unneeded chants this time. Looks like the majority of s stayed away

Haha misruable git !

A game for the rugby league connessieur rather than the fan. This was one arm wrestle and credit to Salford for their tenacity and determination, however our attacking shortcomings were exposed and we must up our game considerably for next week. Orford's kicking gane, Langley and Kearneys industry and the defence overall were the bright spots!

The tackling was a huge improvement on this time last year. Last season there were too many players happy to flap at opponents as they flashed past them and leave the hard work of stopping the attacker to someone else. So many of the tries scored against us last year were directly on the back of some really really poor tackling.

Tonight there was nobody shirking their duty in defence. Every time a Salford attacker tried to carry the ball there were Bulls players on all sides of him. Off-loads were few and far between. Often there were very very few yards made.

On a dry day we would have been more solid going forward. The potential was clearly there.

I remember last year we won a tough encounter at Salford 12-18 and no one really belittled the score or performance, yet there will be people laughing at this score, but I'd take 7-0 away from home every time in Super League.

Not worrying at all. Injuries is injuries, and loads of players will be in and out with 'em, such is life. That's the opportunity for fringe players to come in somewhere and stake a claim. Did Hull miss Long?

The SL report is rubbish. It wasn't the greatest game but TBF we had 2 teams desperate not to lose, and from a Bradford fan POV I thought we had so much possession, especially in the first half, that it was a mystery how they kept us out.

Anyway people have been whinging (with justification) at some of our defensive antics. I thought we clearly went out with the aim of keeping our line intact and as we ended up nilling the opposition at a crucial away game then you'd have to say defensive job done.

Another criticism last year or two is throwing away leads, not being able to hold on to a winning position. Well, we passed that test with flying colours too. Tenacious defence, the right choices and a decisive DG all played their part but the main thing that shone out for me was a steely determination, it wasn't especially pretty, but to me, it was a work of art. Rather that than most of the first 80% of last year, by a country mile.

Plus, we're now joint 5th. So an away win, a fine defence, nilling the opposition away in a must-win pressure match, doesn't leave much to complain about in my book.

A Wins A Win.
Fair play to you lot last night your game plan worked.

Like your coach has already said there will be no rush for anybody to buy the DVD.

Good Luck for the rest of the season but like Salford City Reds you are also in a long season by the looks of your team last night who in my opinion are a shadow of the teams in years gone by.

Both teams defended very well but there was very little on show from an attacking perspective. At times it was rather like watching a tennis rally, 5 drives and a kick one way followed by 5 drives and a kick the other. However we consistently made more ground on our 5 drives than they did. The only times that they put us under pressure was when we gifted them field position from penalties.

Must admit when we were still only 4-0 up fairly late in the game I did fear that it would end up with them pinching the game as they seem to have done on our last couple of trips to the Willows. On the balance of play we should have won more comfortably.

A 6 out 10 performance.

So a loss to Huddersfield, a humiliation at home to Saints, a decent win against a poor Cas side and a scraped win against a very poor Salford side? Excuse me for not getting carried away.
Course I am glad we won and as many on here have said, last year we would have lost this one, but the next two weeks will show where abouts we really are. And I have a horrible feeling we are going to be shown up.

I don't think anyone is getting carried away, I agree the next 3 games will be a stern test of our new squad. If we get 2 wins out of Wigan (h) Wire (a) and Hull FC (a) I think we will have done very well indeed. Obviously the home game is one we really could do with winning or at least put in a very good show to get some of the floaters back on board.

We came up against a hard working Salford side last night who were looking for their first victory. We probably should have converted a few opportunities but a win is a win and given our recent results there I'll take it.

I thought the pre match singers were suitably well balanced. Imagine followed by Oh Happy Day.

Haha well the singing got me all syked up

There were a few knock ons and players falling over. Conditions were poor to be fair to both teams, the surface looked superficially good but was very wet and didn't hold the studs at all. The referee seemed to have decided to do way with things like being square at the ptb (for both sides) which helped defences considerably, there were some terrific hits though and goal line defence of the highest order, again for both teams.

I do feel the game would have been more open if Mr Child had policed the ptb a bit more strictly. It was never going to be a classic in those conditions though, and was settled by the best move of the game with Kearney and Menzies. It was always tense with the scores so close so that did add something to the match.

sounds like a decent hit out for the lads. poor conditions meaning lots of handling erors for both sides. Good to hearthere was an improvement in our defense from last week.

This is exactly the type of game we'd have lost last year so its good to see an improvement in our composure.

hopefully sheriffe ok for wigan game. if not then sykes to fb, halley to wing and crookes/platt(if fit) to .

If Sheriffe's not fit, I would play Crookes on the wing, so we don't disrupt the squad too much.

This "very poor" business makes me cringe. The opposition is only as good as you let it be, and both Cas and Salford have shown this year that they have capacity to trouble even the best teams.

The next 2 weeks will not "show whereabouts we really are". We already know where we are. We have a brand new engine room in Orford, Kearney and L'Estrange and whilst we don't have that luxury, realistically a season playing together would be when you might start to expect the best from them. As it is, they and we will be better as the season winds on.

I can't [irule out[/i us being shown up again, like v. Saints, as it has happened on more than one occasion in recent times, but given how the pack is playing (notably Langley) and what we have seen from esp. Orford and Kearney means that we should be able to give anyone a decent game, and shouldn't be shown up.

The truth is that we are at the "reasonable grounds for optimism" stage, and are looking to have a reasonable season. If you come every week expecting to see the unbeatable all-conquering champions of the universe then you've a long wait coming.

If on the other hand you would be happy with a couple of workmanlike industrious wins, with some nice touches, then I reckon the prospects for the next 2 weeks are good.

Well said!!

Bang right FA, but imo these next three weeks will be critical to our season. We have arguably 3 of the toughest fixtures in 3 consecutive weeks, I think it would be a lot to ask to win them all, but I'm hoping that we can be competitive in all and win 2. I don't think we'll let Wigan run away with it on friday, from what I've heard Cats were very poor, so I'm hoping we come out all guns blazing and show that we can mix it with the best.

That's aimed at me so I'll respond. I'm optimistic. I'm always optimistic. I was optimistic all last season and all the way up to the first game of this season, especially with our excting new signings. But the Huddersfield game, which I really thought we would win, put some of my optimism on hold and the Saints mauling blew a lot of the rest of it away. But yes, 4 games in and 2 wins, better than last year, so lets celebrate.
I would be happy with 2 wins from the next 3 games, they could be one point wins for all I care, then yes I will be really optimistic for the season, but as yet I have not seen anything to show that it is not going to be another season of scraped wins, followed by dodgy defeats. I am dearly hoping to be proved wrong on Friday, especially at home.

I don't come every week expecting to see unbeatable champions, but I come expecting to see 100% effort every game, you can't ask for more than that. I saw that against Cas. I saw nothing like that against St Helens. If we play 100% week in week out then I expect us to win more than we lose.

But wins over Salford and Castleford, commendable though they are, are not enough yet to get me excited about our prospects for the season.

im not taking anything from your win over us last night, but i dont think you can put our nilling down to great defense, we did absolutely nothing but knock on when we were ner your tryline.

was impressed with orford though, his kicking was imaginative.

im just grateful we had a step up in defence too.

all in all a pretty good match

Debaser...despite saying you are optimistic surely you cans see that you HAVE come across as (for you) unusually negative and down this last week? IMO anyway. And if it was M.E. making those posts, I'd be having my inevitable frustration attack. You really sound like someone who has had any confidence and fight knocked out of you, and I'm pretty puzzled cos that's not you at all!

Adey - yes ok, I accept that I have been negative this week. That's not a crime. I am just not as carried away as some on here over our two victories. If we win some of the next three then I'll be buzzing again. But at the moment, I'm sorry, its looks like more of the same. I am behind the club 100% as always but I had such high hopes for the season that its hard to get that back after the first two games.

And when I watched certain players against Saints not even being d to try and tackle, it p****d me off no end. I can accept losing, we have no divine right to win every match, but why should I watch players who look as if they don't want to play. Having said that, as we all have season tickets, we will be there every week and away too if we can. So I guess I'm not that negative.

Obviously pleased with the win but agree with Macca that it was far from being a great one to watch. A lot of our players were slipping around early on so although the pitch looked pretty lush it was still a greasy one.

Through the first half I thought our defence was very good, with Beaver and Sykes making a few great hits. Salford didn't really offer much in attack though but we did manage to stay in their half for the majority of it. One small grumble would be a very late (if at all) 5th tackle call from Child which resulted in us surrendering posession deep in our half. Also don't know what was up with Nero as he had a mare.

Second half we had to absorb some pressure partly due to Glenn Hall either knocking on, mouthing off or putting in high shots. Sure he will get better but he needs to cut out those penalties as a better side would have made something of them.

I thought Orfords kicking was great if you ignore the conversion attempt, he even managed to pick me out of the crowd with his penalty that put us 6-0 up, although I do think it was a great catch but I would say that!!!!!

Next week is a big game as Wigan are on a roll and whoever plays on the right wing best start catching practice now as big Pat looks to be on form.

Don't recall anyone being 'carried away'. Though Cas was good, and even better on video.


You see that's your problem right there. You're sternly lecturing us all against getting carried away, while all the time it was you who'd got yourself overly carried away before the season even began!


... in which case you may get, and will richly deserve, another moment or two of the 'Saints away 2009' variety. Which moments were pretty much reserved for us travellers last season. I agree you're not that negative. You're just giving a great impression!

Exept when Saints play Bradford and its all about how poor the Bulls were.