From the video, "We had to ring the RFL to ask what happens if we can't field 17"? Is he serious?

Can't see the fans buying in to a philosophy of preparing for later and that's going to have an impact on crowds. Major blunder. What would the players think now.....it's ok to lose.

I understand that it's 6 point deduction and a letter from Bullbuilder.

...because actually the coach has no faith in us. What's his team talk this week?

Yet, we all know he's factually correct. It's developing into a real game of chess because as one or two of our modest friends Leigh have pointed out, right now they're the best side in the Championship . Right now I don't think we'd beat Leigh or a SL side, yet Lowes appears relatively unconcerned. The T and A article today has probably come from the club and makes it clear that Siejka is staying at SH.

Just taking the 3 teams mentioned and no disrespect to others who will make the 8 consider,

Wakey have a dozen rounds to get fit and find form whilst not losing more players/fans - looks very difficult
Leigh have to maintain form and then enter a comp the like of which their club and most of their players haven't ever faced - again very difficult but certainly possible
Bulls have to get to rd 23 with something akin to Lowes first team squad ready to step up two gears on what we've seen so far - ??????? How likely is this on the evidence so far and the squad at his disposal?

Just drafting it now!

Is Jake and Wakefield looking for sympathy? They enjoyed our demise and gloated on a lot of issues we had last season. all I can think of is the words of a song "Down Down ... Deeper and Down"

That is 100% correct and I totally agree

Nah. Bulls need to at a minimum keep on keeping on finding ways to win each game, on the day. No more than that is needed. And even Leigh's fans privately know that our scratch squad on its debut still really should have beaten them, and Leigh even then were a better team than Wakey are now.

In the ordinary way you would expect that as the season progresses, we will gradually improve as Lowes finds his best combinations and as people get fit and slowly get used to each other. But we don't need to crack any pots, either now or in the future. We just need to find ways do whatever is required on the day, however down and dirty and unattractive, to win certain key knockout-style games. That's all we need and all I want from this season. I'm not after total football.

I can't make my mind up whether I agree or disagree with this. Clearly, winning games is the most important thing that you can do. Given the fixtures, I thought that winning against Fax on Friday, then backing up to win away at Dewsbury on Monday is impressive regardless of winning margins.

However... At what stage would you expect/want to have found best combinations, team has gelled etc...? You might not want total football, but you have a better chance of beating SL opposition if you're playing well than you would if you're just getting by on having greater fitness than opposition. I don't really buy these theories about timing your form to peak during the play offs. Yes, you want players fit and fresh during the play offs, but can't really switch form on and off at will.

Maybe you can’t turn it on “at will” but I think subconsciously players will dig deeper in games that seem to “matter”. Obviously the longer this group of players have to gel the better they will be too.
I’m happy for us to pick up the wins and show glimpses of what we’re capable of when we play to our potential at the moment. I’d expect us to show a bit more as we go on with us putting in some more consistent performances.

But it's the dirty and unattractive stuff we don't look very good at. The respective packs of Fax, Batley, Dewsbury and Leigh dominated our front six for a significant period in those games.

And Leigh won't be playing Wakey 'now'. They could be playing them with Paea and Anderson fully fit which would radically alter their chances against Leigh and us for that matter.

We've seen very little from Fleming and less from Davies. Addy and Ferguson have been no where near their best form so there's massive improvement in us but I can't agree we don't need to step up in the future if we want to go up. I'm reasonably confident this is the plan as I don't think a side can play 30 games at their best either.

I think that history has shown that timing things to perfection can pay big dividends and I don't doubt that Jimmy has been influenced by this approach. It's just possible that the players that haven't played yet due to injury will improve us further. I haven't seen enough yet to pick my starting 13 for a match in the super eights .....It changes almost weekly but I haven't totally discounted anyone yet.
I think Hull K R arrive at exactly the right time and will add massively to our store of knowledge ....... testing ourselves against what looks like a top 6 team is a big deal ....winning would be the icing on the cake but not crucial. The Yorkshire derbies are perfect for a bit of intensity and each one provides a test. We don't really achieve much more by blowing teams away but there looks to be plenty of potential for improvement and greater fluidity. I think London and Sheffield will both be interesting tests and I don't see there being any blow outs there........ just keep grinding out results and not taking risks with injuries or rehab and we arrive at the start line in fine fettle.

Yeah, and whereas some were saying that the higher intensity of SL would be a massive advantage for the SL sides going into the middle 8's, Webster is already seeing it as a disadvantage with a small squad. To a certain extent he is in a cleft stick. Playing with depleted resources increases the minutes your best fit players spend on the pitch, increasing the stress and chances they'll be injured as well. Poor performances see crowds drop (3k against Cats) thereby hindering any chance of signing loan players. For us the next dozen rounds are a good thing it's simply more chance to see his best players get smashed.

I agree with 8ull on the arrival of HKR as well. Great tie for us.

I think you can actually can, those of us that have played rugby know, that when teams that are good, we all know it can be turned on. Yes it could well be subconscious.

Lets see, London and HKR coming up. I am expecting London to be a tough test.

London we have to beat, KR we don't. So it will be very interesting to see Jimmy's approach to that game. I reckon it is way too early to use it as some kind of playoffs 'tester' or dry run, so I'm thinking it depends on whether Jimmy thinks there is any realistic chance of us winning it. Surely privately there is no way he thinks that, and so I would expect to see more a try-out squad, with some players who would have incentive to play for a starting spot, and I would not expect to see a first choice team - if he even has one at this point.

What I would enjoy is a match comparable to that one a few years back when we sent the juniors and schoolboys to play at the mighty Wigan - and nearly caused an upset. But don't forget that, unlike us, KR can entertain realistic ambitions to get to Wembley, so they will definitely be well up for it, it's a much more important game for them and I expect them to field a strong team.

I know it's a risk but I think he can learn a lot about his players against Rovers and there's not many more big opportunities before the eights. With due respect to other Championship clubs they are not going to provide that level of test, other than Leigh at Odsal........We could do with playing Leigh every week. After we get beaten by Sheffield and London I may regret that statement.

The way HKR are playing at the moment there’s not many SL teams that would want to play them. Their attacking play is miles above anything we see in the championship. If we keep the score respectable we’re doing alright.

Agreed. Think we need to go with our strongest squad. If KR batter us, then the players know what to expect come the super 8's.

We can rest a a few against Doncaster who haven't womma game yet.

Agree we need to at least treat the KR game with some significance and try and get a result however likely, I thought they would struggle this year but have clicked right away and credit to them.

Maybe rest a couple against Doncaster then field our strongest side, we will then at least know the task ahead of us, most of us don't know our starting side yet so would be nice to see them together.

Are you posting from your mobile? I'm intrigued as to how it would auto-correct to that

If HKR keep up their current form it isn't likely they will be in the middle 8's. - though their neighbours across Hull might be.

Even at this stage of the season it looks more likely a crunch game will be against our old friends currently struggling to find 17 players? - fancy writing a letter about it?

I agree that HKR, the way they are going ,wont be in the middle 8's, but it will be a good test to see where we are. But do we even know if HKR will play their best 17 against us?

When we get to the middle 8's Im confident we'll give a good account of ourselves and at least make the playoff game. Of my current Bulls starting 13 only 2 (I think) players have not played at super league level, so its hardly going to be a real culture shock. Yes we're playing teams with bigger budgets and who have been playing to a faster set of rules this season, but the vast majority of our starting 13/17 and the coaching staff have been there and done that and so I believe has the capacity to adapt to that quickly.

We should be good enough to account for the 3rd and 4th place championship teams if we're to have any hope, and I dont think there will be much more than a try either way between us and a very good leigh side home or away, and as they are at the moment I'd fancy both us and leigh to beat wakey home or away. It then depends on who the other 3 SL sides are and what shape they are in come the middle 8's - and we're not going to know that untill the last couple of weeks of the season. But we have players and staff used to playing the likes of Widnes/Hull/Cas home or away and I think 3rd 4th or 5th in the middle 8's is acheivable with our squad, and then the worst case is a one off 80min match - at which point all logic and budgets will go out of the window and that match will be who wants it the most on the day and could go either way no matter which teams are involved.

One thing, why is the final playoff million billion pound super doopeer playoff game played at the home of the 4th placed team? Why not a neutral venue for such a big match?

Because the RFL want to maximise Odsal's use

Well quite, it would be a waste of such an iconic venue if it was played at some poor relation like the mcalpine

I think we need 4 players at full fitness who are clearly not there right now. Blythe, Ferguson, Lauaki and Davis will make a massive difference to our team when fully fit. I too am slightly disappointed in Harry as I expected him to take the line on more but I do think we need to stay with him. If we drop him now it would make it difficult to pick him again as where will he get game time practice with Gaskel?

Also, people are talking about the Leigh home game being massive. I have wondered about this. With only one game left after that before the play off's what if Leigh are so far ahead in points difference that we can only finish second and get that "debatable" better set of fixtures would you put out a full team and risk injury or give your best 17 a week off and rest up.
The last game against Halifax will also be tough but the team selection in those two last games may depend if we have already secured 2nd and no chance of getting 1st. Promotion is all that matters this year - not playing pretty rugby!