Find it annoying how we play Leeds so close together. The Leeds games are the biggest of the season, yet we play them twice in space of 5 weeks.

For crying out loud. Odsal can be a spectacular venue in warm sunshine. Why has the RFL computer spat out 3x home fixtures in February?

It's a joke, and a disgraceful joke at that....

On the plus side, the Catalans fixture is at the beginning of the Easter hols.

No it's not. Easter hols in Bradford start the week after, Good Friday is the first day.

Getting home from that one by train is going to be a challenge.

a bit miffed the magic fixtures have been altered. The saturday suited fine with us second up then hang around for the hull derby and saints/wire before heading into manchester for the evening before heading back sunday morning. even had the hotel booked ! not as good now, will probably still just do the one day, spend the night in manc before going along on the sunday. Not sure on the later kick off times for the sunday either, my babysitting bill will certainly go up

It can be very erratic (not sure if that's [iexactly[/i the right word). It's usually a bit warmer than Bradford but it [ican[/i be blady cold and very windy. Looking back on the old piccies taken on previous early spring visits I look pretty well wrapped up on a few of them..

Already well up for the start of the season


Should be an excellent first fixture, we're fairly evenly matched with Wakefield and they'll bring lots of fans, as they always do. Playing three home games in the first four matches may help us get off to a good start, with the home advantage.
Although there's only one home game in March, we do play Salford at home on April 1. There's also two good away games in March at Huddersfield and Leeds.
Must admit I'm not a fan of playing Leeds in March and in May, would have preferred those two games to be more spread out.
Overall, I'm fairly happy with the fixtures.

What surprises me is the lack of TV coverage. Sky coverage is included in the schedule printed in the RL Express and excluding Manchester we're only on twice-- both at home so will affect the gate. London are the only team with only 2 . The others are (all excluding Etihad)
3-- Reds
4-- Cats, Giants, KR,
5-- Cas Hull Vikings
6-- Wakefield Wire Wigan
8-- Saints
9-- Rhinos
Have we asked for this limitation or is it purely down to Sky's choice?

Sky games:
Castleford at home
Leeds away
Leeds at home
Hudds at MW

Slight miss print in League Express as they have missed off our away sky fixture at Leeds.

We are on far less than last season.

I guess with the last few fixtures the Sky games are still undecided.

FIRST 7 GAMES
Wakefield - should be close but I fancy us to edge it
Hull FC - realistically can't see us winning at Hull
Castleford - should beat them
St Helens - we are home although they are obviously the better team
Huddersfield - could go either way
Widnes - should beat them
Hull KR - think we're better them considering they've lost Green, Taylor, Galea and McDonnell

Not too bad.

If we're not allowed the Sky money, perhaps we've asked for limited number of sky games?

Home games on Sky i'm not too bothered about as i've got my season ticket so will be going anyway. Its the Friday away games in Lancashire I like as quite often I finish too late at work to be able to make the trip over the pennines.

Maybe it's because we were on so much last year that we are on less this year?. TBH it probably helps us in getting people who haven't got a season ticket this year to turn up and pay on gate if they don't have option of watching on sky.

Does anybody know the dates for the 2013 SL playoffs, apart from the Final? Can't find them anywhere.

It's dependent on the legal case Wigan have brought after their catastrophic capitulation at the end of last season. If they are not given automatic passage into the final they are all going to hold their breath until they go blue & not talk to anyone for a month.

I know of late watching them could sometimes be a chore, but that's going a bit far

Also, does anyone have the current list of confirmed pre-season games? I know we play Leeds on 20 Jan for Danny McGuire's testimonial but there is nothing I can find on the Bulls website about pre-season fixtures

Dewsbury on the 13th Jan away. That and the Leeds game are the only ones currently that have been announced. Cummins said that these would be the only two however Paul March (coach of Keighley) has said that he is trying to get a friendly with the Bulls.

[urlhttp://www.examiner.co.uk/huddersfield-giants/huddersfield-giants-news/2012/11/20/huddersfield-giants-star-craig-kopczak-can-t-wait-to-face-bradford-bulls-86081-32265540/[/url

Kopouts thoughts

I'm glad we're playing Huddersfield quite early in the season, as the Kopout saga has added to the 'rivalry' we have with them.

Should a head coach still be referred to as Baloo? That's my thoughts.

You said you liked Friday night away fixtures because you can't attend them?

No, I like when they are on Sky as I can watch them.

I'd much prefer them on a Sunday afternoon so I can see them live... Friday on Sky is next best thing

Hope we do get mason and hope he smashes kopout and gets at him for the whole game.