If it's all the players meeting then them socialising outside the club isn't a bad thing, after all who wants to let their mates down. If it's creating cliques then it can't help but there still isn't really an argument for interfering with what is essentially their private lives.

I'm not sure how much is not trying as opposed to falling back into a losing mentality once things don't go right. We haven't seen a mentally tough side for a long time and even though we have a large group of new players they are coming into a losing culture. Experienced and mentally strong players might be able to impose themselves on the group but getting that toughness isn't simple.
In the absence of a sudden run of victories I'd concentrate on defending which, if got right, is something the whole team can take confidence from. Shipping 30+ points a game is poor and surely focussing almost exclusively on that would bring some measurable gain. Say set a target of conceding no more than 20 points a game for the next month and work from there.

this might sound a bit daft and ridiculous but if it were me id get the whole squad together and show them footage of some of the best teams to play for the bulls and some of the great games that have been played , and also some of the celebrations when grand finals have been won , as has been said you cant stop them having a social life but stirring up a bit of passion in them and wanting to be part of a good history of the club might make them realise that been able to hold your head up high in public would be a much better feeling for them , and the social side of things for them would be much better if they were winning week in week out ...... possibly wouldnt work and might be a bit daft but .... its all i can think of ha

I'm not forgetting that at all. I'm saying that there's no real proof that the players care that they're on a 5 match losing streak.

If I was going out with my work colleagues and enjoying myself during the week while I was performing badly in the office, I'm sure my boss would be reminding me of my priorities.

Firstly, I'm not really sure about this 'not putting the effort in' criticism that seems to be around. It seems to me that it is a combination of poor tactics, lack of awareness and vision, together with very low levels of confidence that means heads go down at the first thing that goes wrong.

For example, did anyone notice the body language after the first Warrington try on Sunday? It was terrible, with heads down, ambling back to the in-goal area etc. I mean, it was a poor try to give away, but that sort of thing happens. On another day the kick ahead might have gone dead! Yet it seemed like it knocked all the stuffing out of us! That shouldn't be happening....

So, I think that something needs to be done to build up confidence, instill mental toughness, and create what is sometimes (for example, at Wakefield) called 'siege mentality'. To be fair, the rest of this month offers an opportunity to do this. We've got what should be a routine cup match against lower league opposition, plus winnable SL games against HKR, Salford and then Quins on the first week of June. We should be looking to build up the mental toughness over those games.

For this reason, I would be against making wholesale changes. The injuries to four players on Sunday means that we need, at minimum, four new players into the squad for Sunday, but I think the rest of them should stay in the squad and be given the time to put things right. So, for me, I'd be looking at Donaldson, Halley, Briggs and O'Brien to replace the four (Elima, Ainscough, Sykes and Diskin respectively).

A sensible appraisal of the Halifax game would be a good start. Ignore all of the 'Halifax are terrible this year' stuff from the Fax fans on here. Target a good solid performance in defence. If the team were set the target of conceding less than 10 points, that would we a realistic start. I'd sooner win 20-6 than 48-34. It might not make the most exciting TV, but it would be a step forward for the Hull KR game the following week.

If the guys stick to the game plan, restrict Halifax to very few points, cut out needless errors, don't concede stupid penalties - in other words, stick to the game plan - then the reward would be an unchanged team for the Hull KR game, regardless of whether others were fit again.

Step by step progress....

On the other side though, is it better for them to sit at home depressed all week about getting hammered?

Imagine trying to encourage someone to sign for the club and telling them "Oh and when you lose, we'd like you to not go out and have any fun in your social life. Sound good? Would you like to sign?".

I do get what you're trying to say, but I don't think them having some fun during their social time is in any way a bad thing. When I'm having a crap time at work (and it's quite bloody often), going out with mates for a couple of beers will do more to bring me round than sitting at home and working more.

Sorry pal read what i wrote and was a bit y.

But points same, just think that some fans are forgetting that there human and do have lives away from the sport. I do honestly believe that yes the players are performing badly, but the kind of attacking structure we play is pathetic and we can never ever develop attacking pressure.

I think if the players played to a better structure you would see the improvement in them. If there constantly defending it kills you as a player, you like to play with ball in hand, but if all your doing is killing the ball in to touch it knocks you off. Its not just down to the players themselves but there low motivation is because of the way we move forward with ball in hand.

I think the accusation of not trying is harsh on the players to be honest and suggests a group of working class lads who have thought of doing nothing except playing rugby are being dishonest in taking their wages. I just don't believe that. I bet if you spent time with them they will be totally despondent and embarrassed. To be booed off by your own fans is awful.

I think of my times at work when I've floundered it's been because I didn't really know what I was meant to be doing or there was chaos/p&&s takers at a level above me.

Lynch is a decent player but no leader in my view. We have to accept that the Orford situ left Potter with few options. Enough has been said about Herbert but on seeing both Briggs and Southernwood in the u20s neither looks physically strong enough (yet). Briggs had no pre-season. In other words the Bradford Bulls have now spent nearly 2 full seasons with between zero and very poor half back options. I don't think this Potter's fault but we see no leadership from the halves and in my view, no leadership from the skipper and front row. With Langley and Scruton out nobody leads the defensive line with any purpose. We used to attack the opposition in defence, now we wait - again a matter of leadership for me. This makes the backs look actually worse than they are (hard I know) as they are getting neither a pass worth the name plus they are getting stood up by backs who have all the time in the world to find a pass. Confidence drains away and as player or any person at work, you become hesitant and as a team you are utterly rudderless in attack and defence. I actually feel a bit sorry for the players in this situation.

So, what are the solutions. At the end of the season I would sign Leon Pryce and make him club captain. He is a quality player, a good talker and motivator and I think key in this discussion, a Bulls fan. I would also look to sign a Perry, O'Meley, Lima, Hoffman, O'Donnell, Fitzgibbon type forward to add some aggression to the line. We simply have to try again to sign another scrum half for all the reasons mentioned elsewhere. These type of players don't come cheap but 3 quality additions in key positions is essential. What we must not do is sign more Sibbitts, Hargreaves, Walkers.

As far as this season is concerned though heaven only knows.

agreed. the lack of noise on twitter from most of the players seems to show that they aren't too proud of last weekend. I'm not saying they should stop going out but it winds me up a bit when the players get flogged on the field and then the players are out socialising.

good idea but a bit misplaced. I would not show them the team full of internationals of yesteryear. I would show them their games where they have put the effort in eg against Leeds and Wakefield, before the next three SL games against Hull Salford and Quins, as they need to be motivated to replicate their good performances against our end of the table teams, not get demotivated by history. History is gone, there are still games to win.

Warrington actually made more tackles than Bradford last weekend, we're not getting too much right on the field at the moment. Getting back to basics would be an improvement on what was last dished up. We're playing far too flatly and I'm sure they players are not doing that in training. Hopefully Potter has the answer.

Short term targets may be the way forward. We can't try to make big leaps forwards as we aren't ready to do so.

As others have suggested - maybe throw in an extra day off as incentive for the boys if they win and concede less than 14 points?

Offer them the option of getting into training at 8:30am rather than 8am (if they've won).

If not, they get into training for 7:30am. Every week they win a game on the bounce the 30 mins goes the right way. Eg, 3 wins would result in them getting into training for 10am - 3 losses on the bounce would mean getting into training at 6:30am! Once they win / lose out of sequence they go back to 8am.

Make them all grow a beard while we are losing - they can't shave it off until we've won a game - even silly stuff might improve morale? My wife hates it when I grow a beard, I'm sure other women are the same and the last thing the players will want is the wife nagging them about facial hair just becasue they're losing!

Would of never imagined they made more tackles than us.. probably cos they scored 4 trys with out being touched and scoring early in there sets. But in all honesty everything seems to be wrong on the pitch, im sure the players have the ability im confident in that, but the way and attitude there going about it is terrible.

On that, and regarding most if not all of the players, I fully agree.

Suspect confidence is pretty low right now. Probably desperate for a motivational leader who can make them start feeling good about themselves again.

If we are wrong, then we have a problem that I cannot see the solution to.

If Tuesday is their nandos night why not make it into an official bulls night out with all the lads going, if you win Hood gets the beers in

, if you lose in the fashion we have done, Tuesday night is hills night (running up and down them, not that MTV sh*te). Just little things to get a team mentality. They need to be playing rugby with their mates for good group cohesion, otherwise it’s just going to work with your colleges.

I feel this is the best response so far and the assessment of where we are is pretty spot on, imo.

I'm not sure about Leon though, particularly as skipper. As a stand off he's fine but whilst he can always pull off some pretty exciting plays, he's a not really a creative player in the sense of bringing out the best in others, though he might be a good player to work alongside Herbert which would leave Kearney free to take on his best position at the back. Leon does, and always has, had a habit of 'disappearing' during games too, not the best way for a captain to lead a team.

I've no problem with the type of player we could do with, though our biggest problem would be convincing a player of that standard that his future would be best served by him joining our club. I know we fans often think players (especially imports) are just after the money, but to be honest I don't think that's entirely true and that might be our biggest recruitment problem. There's certainly nothing to be lost in trying though.

I beg to differ.

All the anecdotal evidence is the Leon Pryce wants to play for the Bulls. He still lives up the road, attends Bulls matches when Saints aren't playing, and has apparently said that he wants to play for us.

I think it could be an inspired move to make him captain and, in effect, make the point that we are building our team around him. After all our lack of willingness to do that was a contributing factor in him leaving, I believe. By making him our 'main man' we might just give him the spur to really take on the leadership role that we so desperately need.

I think this has been covered below but they should have probably used some common sense and not mentioned Nando's tuesday this week. As mentioned they can't be banned from going out but tweeting about 'smashing a feed' or words to that effect are not clever

The accusation was made, more than once, though last season by players in the T&A, not by me, and followed performances similar to those seen this season. I know it can sometimes [ilook[/i as if players are not putting it all in, and appearances can be deceptive, and I'd always like to think they are busting a gut however wrong it's going - but it was worrying and sobering to read fellow players admitting as much.

There has been no such comment that I've seen this season, but there have been the Salford and Wire "efforts".

Wouldn't disagree with much of the rest of your post at all.

I would start by asking everyone to be more aggressive when defending.

Instead of allowing the opposition to run sideways across the pitch, they should all be moving up and meeting the attacking team.

Last couple of home games has shown the team to be sitting back and waiting for the attackers to meet them.

Every play should see the team meet the opposition at least 5 yards from where they started.

Moving up should stop teams catching us out wide, after 2 passes, we should be ready for contact.

Aggression is the key to confidence, and a good time to get in the opposition's faces will be against Halifax, then take the confidence into the next game (that's if they can match fax's forwards).

I think the lads will build confidence together in their defending (as they rightly did against castleford and catalan). It's a great feeling, knowing the team is dominating the collision.

In a convoluted way I'm going to say "dunno".

I feel really despondent at the moment. The reason for this isn't because we are losing or underperforming but because I can't think of any reason why it might be happening. I'm so completely bemused that I struggle to see where things may get better.

As Toya lisped, it's a mystery.

Do they get performance related pay? Maybe if they felt it in their pocket everytime they lost, they would be a bit more d.

Jeez what a sad life u must lead to read donaldson's twitter!
His nando's outings are his private business which are completely separate to bulls. U can't stop an office worker going to the chippy with a few pals after work can u?! Same as him he is doing this outside of the club's time

From my very limited experience of playing rugby I know how demoralising it can be when you're playing in a poor side without playmakers. As a runner you can try things but you need a playmaker to direct you. If it's someone doing that job who isn't up to it then attacking moves don't work and all the hard work done to get in a good position goes down the pan. When that happens enough times it really gets you down and when it happens needlessly from a daft mistake it can make you angry at your teammates or just feel like wondering why you bother. The same applies in defence. When you're struggling the talk tends to stop and without communication defence doesn't work.

I think the Bulls are in this situation. It's obvious than whenever any pressure is applied the heads go down and the players seem to collectively accept defeat as it's happened so many times. That losing run last year seemed to do untold damage IMO. As a result we're seeing a team that's resigned to losing before it's even made an effort to win like on Sunday.

So yes, I do think there's a lack of effort but it's down to an utter lack of confidence that players have in themselves and their teammates. Potter recognises the need to build a winning culture but I think he now knows it won't be done overnight.

What's wrong with a bulls fan reading a bulls players twitter?

Players are in the public eye and they must respect what they write on social networks or forums. Unfortunately it has been proven that a fair few don't.

I'm not saying the nandos trip is wrong, but does it need to be aired, especially in the current situation.

Yes a bit of common sense is needed, not a blanket ban. Some of the players - Platt, Walker have been on and apologised in the past, which is a nice touch although I also don't want to see too many apologies - for obvious reasons