At first I wondered what Brian McDermott was doing in the stand. Then I looked at the team-sheet.

Ironic to hear the Hunslet fans chanting "We Hate Rhinos" really.

I thought the ref had a decent game today

I agree. He let the game flow.

Another good day at the office for the Bulls. AOB had another monster game and took his try well. Clough put in another good shift in the front row and it was good to finally see Flemming get a run out. Ferguson also looked very good.

What's really great is our points against tally. 14 points conceded in the last 3 games. Odsal is becoming a bit of a fortress again!

Apart from Leigh- when I think any ref would have struggled_ I have been impressed with the teamwork between refs and linos. Refs have been calm and not strutting round as if they were superstars.

Reckon Shaw has made Jimmys team selection a whole lot tougher now Siejka is back in contention. As we have seen he has a reliable boot but I thought he another good game in general today.

I've been impressed with Olbison so far this year too. Putting in some really strong runs along with Jay Pitts. Forwards are really laying the platform so far this year.

I'm not sure taking dual reg players is good for the championship sides tbh. I can't see a hunslet player being happy after using holidays from work to commit to pre season and training with the club three nights a week plus gym in the morning before work to be told "sorry Brett Delaney needs som game time you'll have to turn out for Hunslet Parkside and not get appearance money this week". It's going to start to pee people off after a while. Especially when Delaney's only contribution is giving away a first half penalty.

Another impressive performance. Our defence has been fantastic the last 3 games. I don't think Hunslet even got in our half the first half. Seems Jimmy has instilled some pride in players defence.

Ferguson looked very good. Wonder if the fans who accused him of "stealing a wage" at the beginning of the season think the same.

Gaskell is all class. O'brien had another stormer (and seems to have some pace)
Mullaney looks very dangerous at 7. Shaws solves our goal kicking problem. Not sure I can cope with all these positives.

I know it's easy to get carried away, but we're just showing signs of real quality in the side. Hunslet are a part time championship side but they're no mugs. They beat Dewsbury last week and had a few full time Leeds players.

I think we improved again from last week so the signs are good.

Also have to remember we lost two players for the game early on, and Flemming only played around 20 minutes after coming back from injury. So our fitness levels have improved from last year too.

On to a tough game at Batley next. Hopefully another improved performance

I thought Shaw's attempted tackle for the Briscoe try perhaps showed why the selection will be putting Mullaney back at fullback next week. I know we're used to the fullback getting stepped, as Brett Kearney got stepped very easily every week, but the ease with which Briscoe went past Shaw was poor really.
He was superb in attack, but I think the better idea may be to put Shaw somewhere on the wings or in the centres, so we still have his boot (and to reward him for taking his chance), but bring Mullaney back in at fullback where he's more solid. I'm sure Mullaney will still join the attacks effectively as a third halfback anyway.
If Siejka doesn't perform, it can always go back the way it has been the last two games.

Given Purts has done his hamstring, we've got an opening at centre so move Shaw there, Mullaney back to FB and Siejka back at 7

Or even for Adam Henry on the wing if Uaisele ends up missing next week.

I'm not so sure it was apathy. Personally I read it as the fact we were down to just 2 interchanges thanks to Purts & Mellor being off injured, so they were being less risky and a little more reserved in order to minimise the impact that had.

Had it been a close game, it would have been daft. When you're 30+ points up, it seemed sensible to me.

Decent performance but still more to come which is pleasing.

Not sure about Mullaney at SH though. Everything came through Gaskell due to his class but we need vary our attack and kicking game. The only kick I can recall from Mullaney was the one to the line which resulted in the break down field and their score.

Seika was signed as our first choice SH and we need him and Gaskell to be the must play partnership by the end of July. He looked underdone against Whitehaven but its a bit early to write him off.

Given the players not included I'm sure that the pack will be able to perform whoever we play.

The silence is deafening!

I completely agree. It's ok having one superb player that everything runs through, but all it takes is an opposition team to target him and take him out of the game, and you're stuffed.

If I were an opposition coach, I know who I'd be telling my most thuggish player to aim at right now.

I'm not sure [ieverything[/i went through Gaskell tbh. Adam O Brien had a hand in some of them, as did Mullaney. Gaskell's try actually came about from some decent centre/wing play and Lee just got on the final pass.

Every team relies on their pivots to some degree, naturally so because of how many times they have their hands on the ball. Look at how much Wigan are struggling now because they didn't replace Blake Green. Ditto Saints while Walsh is injured. Every team is the same, barring possibly Leeds who have world class backs like Watkins who can create tries from nothing.

Thought it was a solid performance from the Bulls, but to be honest the win was far too easy to get the crowd excited and it was pretty obvious who was going to win after the first 15 minutes. Fair do to Hunslet, they never gave in even when clearly outgunned.

It's too difficult to rate players without serious opposition so I guess everyone played pretty well, with just the lack of intensity after half time as the only major negative.

I thought it was a good all round performance spoilt a by few periods of poor handling close to the opposition tryline looks like the team is shaping up well.


I also thought the new big TV screen showing the try scorers and score was top class even though the back light spoilt the picture a few times COYB

Well there's certainly some sort of issue with the team in the second half this season. Far too quick to put the cue on the rack and that attitude will bite us in the bum, just like at Leigh

Eh?
Half time in the Whitehaven game it was 10-4. Final score 34-4. So 24-0 in the second half.
Featherstone game it was 18-0 at half time, final score 40-4. So 22-4 in the second half.
Yesterday's second half scoring was 22-4 again.

So yes, we had a bad second half at Leigh, but perhaps that was more down to Leigh's performance than ours?
Going by the other results as listed above I would hardly say we have an attitude problem. We don't want our players going hell for leather for the full 80 against teams like Whitehaven and Hunslet, then be burnt out at the season end if we make the super 8's.

In reality how often does an 80 minute performance happen. I do think we were a little slow at the beginning of the second half, but once Hunslet scored we kicked back in to gear again.

I think our defence has been excellent throughout the entire 3 games. OK we haven't faced the strongest opposition (although Fev are a handy side, and Hunslet beat Dewsbury) but our attitude has been spot on. Moving off the line, good, strong first contact. Our defensive shape has been impressive too. Also when teams inevitably make a break, we have the entire team busting a gut to get back. When Hunslet made that break in the first half, i think about 5 players made cover tackles as Hunslet kept offloading. Years gone by Hunslet would have been under the sticks as we didn't have the attitude as a team to get back. We looked determined not to even let Hunslet out of our half yesterday.

Perhaps could of made a stronger attempt but I thought it was a good step by Briscoe and the attacker will always have the advantage in that position. A few others at fault who missed tackles that led to the one on one so close to our line.

If Jimmy drops Shaw after missing Briscoe, then all I can say is that its a good job Brett Kearney isn't still with the club - he'd never get a game...

I suspect Shaw will find himself on the wing this weekend.