No doubt about it. Harris was twice the player Sykes is.

Lets be fair though, Ben left for his own reasons and with the new rules coming into place wasn't Sykes the best option?

Evans was a better option, but thanks to them not changing the rules until he'd already signed elsewhere, we couldn't keep him.

It was not so long ago that many on these very boards were slagging Ben Harris to high heaven. Now look.

Yup. I was one of the few arguing for Ben, always rated him as a good player, couldn't really see why everyone else didn't.

Although saying that, I was also the one usually sticking up for Scott Naylor, and they're a similar type of player.

Same here. I always liked both of those players.
We used to have a Scott Naylor pass-stake before every game. Think he did 2 in one game once.

Ben Harris solid but no pace give me Nero anyday

I liked Ben Harris because you need the grafters in the side and defensively he was rock solid. No pace at all and I nearly died of shock when he went over for a try from more than about a foot out but you'd never accuse him of no putting in the work.

Was that against the Giants? He went half the length of the pitch I think. It was a shock!

I think it was in his last year with us and was at Odsal but i can't recall who against. Just so unexpected.

Quote ="childofthenorthern"I think it was in his last year with us and was at Odsal but i can't recall who against. Just so unexpected.'" unless it was this where he's described as streaking clear? www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/content/ ... %20Dragons

Quote ="childofthenorthern"I think it was in his last year with us and was at Odsal but i can't recall who against. Just so unexpected.'" unless it was this where he's described as streaking clear? www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/content/ ... %20Dragons

You're right. While Naylor and Harris never offered great pace in attack they were solid in defence.

For all Sykes's pace his defence is a weakness compared with those two.

Nah, Harris is a miles better player, in attack and defence.

I think Scottie was always underated by a lot on here. For me, I always remember the way he "owned" Renouf in the Wigan GF.

He also frequently "owned" Newlove & Senior too.

Naylor was an awesome centre and player for us. Unbelievable near the line and busted his nuts all day long. A quality player that I admired for his determination.

All the players named here, to a greater or lesser extent, had the misfortune to be players who a faction of the fans "never liked", and so it didn't matter what they did - they were doomed to be forever second rate.

Players like Naylor and Harris were brought in for their particular strengths, and to do a particular job, and they did it exceedingly well - one look at their trophy cabinets shows this - yet were as reviled in certain quarters when they left as they had been when they arrived.

It's also normal - some years after the event - for the unreasonable critics to suddenly do an about face and claim they liked Player A all along and isn't he much better than player B that we now have, what a pity we let A leave.

Ben Harris had no pace, but wasn't bought for his pace. He was great at what he did and the proof includes leaving us to nail down a starting spot in the NRL. Naylor - what Terrytot said.

Evans was different. Evans was always a classy player who you could stake your life would always have a good, solid game, wherever he was asked to play, and also score his share of tries. It was only the shambolic, pathetic RFL that caused us to let him go. We certainly wanted to keep him, and would have.

Some people have strange ideas and don't understand the concept of horses for courses, or how a player is bought or made to fit into a plan. They don't all have to be Darren Lockyer. Indeed most people never consider the fact that a team of 17 Darren Lockyers would get beat by a few dozen every week!

I like that, my next alias.

Oh dear. If Evans was as good as you make out he would have been a higher priority for retention by the club over such 'stars' like Tadulala, Jeffries, Nero, Solomona etc. Blame your own club not the RFL.

I agree the RFL should never have caved over Stanley Gene, but IMO the original ruling is a necessary step to encourage less reliance on overseas players.

the only one of those who was out of contract last year was Tadulala. So Evans wasn't being compared against any of the others.
The RFL ruling wasn't wrong but the changes were made far too late to expect Evans to hang around once he'd got a contract/job/income at Cas.

You already have one ??

I'm Terry Monster & harigeorgeson.

Nonsense. Unless you advocate unfair dismissals?




The RFL once having made a ruling needed to stick with it for a season. It is both grossly unfair and indeed ridiculous for some clubs to lose players on the basis of a ruling, then shortly afterwards the position changes for other clubs.

What happened re: Evans? I know we couldn't keep him because of quotas etc. What did the RFL do? Or not do?

Another poster has suggested Tadulala was out of contract last year and IIRC Morrison signed an extension too. Not to mention the signing of 35 year old Steve Menzies for one year. It appears the club had plenty of choices regarding overseas players - Evans just wasn't high on the list. Also, if Evans was so good, he should have been made more of a priority for re-signing or been originally given a longer deal.



I agree here.