It's not ALL about how poor Bradford were at all. Saints were very very good and we responded badly.
This week and last week we were up against teams who are not as good as St Helens so it's easy to dismiss the wins as easy points against weak teams.

We started very well against Cas and they never got the chance to re-gather themselves. That match showed how creative our team can be and how well they are beginning to communicate on the field.
Friday was a different kind of game. Salford threw all they had at us and we showed how well we can defend. The number of tackles in the game was phenomenal and the heavy pitch won't have helped our energy levels. We played for the full 80 though and they didn't get one really decent break all night. Anyone who didn't see the game could be forgiven for looking at the scoreline agains the second bottom team and thinking we weren't that good. The team were 100% better than this time last year though. Last Feb we would have lost that game.

Forgive me if this comes across in the wrong way but maybe it's a sign of the changing times though that some of you fans are happy to have scored just 7 points against Salford? Only a few years ago you'd have expected to beat them by more like 37?

As a Bulls fan do you find going to games more interesting now knowing that a win can't be taken for granted like you did a few years back when you were one of the top dogs?

I don't think a win can be taken for granted with any club now to be fair. Leeds have by far the best squad on paper IMO and have already lost as many games as we have.

TBH, it is not really the 7 points scored that is the most important factor. It is the 0 points conceded. Simple to say that if you do not concede any points at all you are never gonna lose a game which is the most important factor in the end.

I seem to recall Saints only managing a 4-0 win at Celtic last season and it did not do them any harm.

Maybe to his surprise given our recent history, I have to say I agree completely with what ME just said. How many times in the earlier years of SL did we hear the coach say "defence wins matches"? If you are struggling to get across the line at their end, you'll still do OK if you can stop anyone getting across the line at YOUR end.

Now Debaser seems to be taking over ME's mantle, maybe a glad new day has dawned?

Well, we've had good and not quite so good in equal measure over the years mate, so 0-7 against Salford is fine to me. There are no easy games in SL anymore as I'm sure you're aware. You will also be aware that crowds at the Grattan Stadium have dropped since the 'good old days' so obviously quite a few can't come to terms with the new realities of life in this more competitive rugby league.

I guess if you started supporting the team when we had the likes of the Pauls, Tevita Vaikona, Les Vainikolo, Joe Vagana, Jamie Peacock, Stu Fielden et al it's difficult to come to terms with perhaps not really replacing all those stars, but in all honesty, for me anyway, the matches [iare[/i more interesting today, and whilst personally I truly did try [inot[/i to take things for granted a few years ago, it was really difficult to get excited about a trip to the Willows or even worse a home game against such as the Reds.

I don't mourn the 'big four' though, rather I welcome the big fourteen, and in any case it's good to see teams like Huddersfield and Warrington doing well (though I think Leeds have had long enough

). However don't think we've given up on this season, I think we have a side that can only improve with time and some really top class youngsters coming through too, so look out [ithe Bulls are on the charge[/i!!

It was always going to be a tight game in those conditions. 7-0 at least shows we can tough it out if necessary and not fold like we did at times last season. We my have wasted a few chances but we nilled the opposition so what the heck.

The next stage in development is the Wigan game, we'll see how well we do against one of the top teams after two weeks of confidence being built and combinations improving.

Blimey, praise indeed. I am not worthy....



I am not that negative am I? Surely not.

You don't think so?

from debaser's family album . . .

That does look a little like some of my photos to be honest.

The main issue for us at the moment is whether the new signings are "working". After the Saints match one could be forgiven for thinking that the investment in Orford & Co might be a huge waste of money and that we were effectively back to the drawing board.

The last two games have provided some grounds for optimism. It looks like we might have something to build on. The new players in themselves will not transform the playing fortunes but if 2 or 3 of the youngsters can really step forward we might have the basis of a much stronger squad.

One of the reasons I'd be cautious though comes from looking at the league table. We are currently 8th but I wouldnt say that any of the teams above us are going to be easy to overhaul. 6th or 7th place could be the limit of our progress, even if we have a good season.

Just wanted to say well done for your win on Friday. To say it wasn't a classic would be understatement of the century but there were probably positives for both sides to take. From a Bradford POV to nil any team (even one as clueless as us in attack

) takes some doing and I thought your defence was excellent. Your long kicking game killed us as well as every time you kicked deep we rarely made it out of our 20 on the first tackle. Added to that the obvious size advantage you had in the pack and we just had no "go forward" from which to get our backline into the game. From a Salford POV the fact we only conceded 7 points was a minor miracle considering the amount of territorial advantage your guys had. In attack though we were pretty hopeless and our kicking game still isn't up to scratch.

Finally, a couple of minor points. Not quite sure why so many people were commenting on the "heavy" pitch on Friday. As far as I'm aware our pitch is the best in SL and using that as an excuse for some of the dire fare on offer is pretty lame IMO. The rain and the greasy ball were more to blame. Besides if players actually wore studs on their boots instead of those e blades they wouldn't fall on their ar$es so much! Also, what constitutes a professional foul these days and a spell in the bin? When Sykes(?) held Ratchford down after that late try saving tackle surely that is a professional foul as it stopped a try scoring opportunity?(although we probably wouldn't have scored if you had 10 men on the pitch

)

Anyway, the best team won on the night and I think you'll probably go alright this season. Can't see you challenging for the top 4 but you'll probably finish somewhere in the top 8.

I don't think anyone was complaining about the pitch mate, considering it had probably had a months worth of rain on it over the previous 24 hours it was in super condition, but considering both sides were slipping about and dropping the ball I think the general wetness certainly affected both sides ability to play more attractively.

Syke's tackle on Ratchford was what I think is called a dominant tackle, refs always allow extra time to clear the ruck for dominant and surrender tackles.

What's a dominant tackle?
A surrender tackle is like a voluntary one isn't it?

When the ball carriers momentum is propelled backwards towards his own goal then the tackle is DOMINANT.

A SURRENDER tackle will be called if:
The ball-carrier surrenders his run at the line.
Spears in at the hips of the defending player.
Spears into the space between two defenders.
Note: If a SURRENDER tackle is called the defender/s may:
Work the player on the ground. They are not permitted to do this by using the ball carriers head or neck as a lever. This will be deemed a GRAPPLE TACKLE.
Lay on and spin to the front of the tackle.
Move to a position known as the "Bear Hug"

The VT is now unofficially but totally ignored.

Nah, not having that for a second. IIRC, he was lying on and slowing down the PTB literally a yard from his own line. If that isn't classed as a professional foul and punished with 10 minutes in the bin then fook knows what is!

Just ask Keef Senior!





















Oh and Silverwood!

Brent Webb's professional foul in the WCC was ignored and that was a big game!

Ah, but it [iwas[/i Brent Webb and he plays for Leeds. There is a wee clue.

Ah, how I remember, back in the day, Bradford used to get all those 50/50 calls. =#FFFFFFApart from GFs.

According to our friends from Salford we still do!!

Who said we were friends?



. It deserved 10 minutes and you know it. Although like I said we're not smart enough to use a 4 man overlap at the moment never mind a 1 man overlap!!!

Oh yeah, and the pass to Menzies for his try was a mile forward as well



.

If you say so, old pal............

Well for one thing, it wasn't Sykes that held him down. So you were obviously watching closely