agreed ( and its not often i agree with you red

)

It would have had zero impact on the result. I suspect he would have been targeted in the line by the Wigan forwards.

Potter obviously doesn't think he is big enough to cope with SL yet.

Would have been better than playing 2 people out of position.

Team i'd like to see next week,
Kearney, ainscough, Platt, Walker, Raynor, Ah Van, Herbert, Lynch, L'estrange, Hargreaves, Whitehead, Elima, Addy.
Reps. Royston, Kopczak, Diskin, Olbison.
Just like to see Players playing in their recognised positions.

No Scruton.

Sorry, Scruton in for Olbison.
How did i miss him !

Not if we're exposing a player to a level he isn't ready for. I hope Southernwood gets some games this year but I don't think it would of been right to throw him in today to be targeted. Potter isn't afraid to give a young guy a chance if he has shown he is ready.

Enjoyed the visit to Odsal today, obviously the result helped.

From reading the posts on this thread, it's obvious you're all bemoaning the lack of half backs. Are Briggs and Herbert your first choice when fit? Don't know anything about Herbert (is he a top rated Aussie?) and wasn't Briggs a last minute signing as a squad player?

Yeh, Herbert is our new halfback and Briggs looks likely to be our 1st choice 6. I suspect we were hoping to bring in Pryce but failed so we moved for Briggs. He hasn't looked out of his depth so far but I still think we could do with some extra creativity.

Glad you enjoyed your visit, I enjoyed watching your side today. I can cope with being on the losing side when we have been clearly outplayed. You have have a squad that will be at the top for quite a few years if you can keep your key players at the club.

Tomkins is a little but I think every side in SL would love him in their side.

Today's game was a lot about the bulls having no halfbacks compared to how good Wigan are. Pretty much any defence could have lasted long periods against our predictable attack and a lot did last year.

I was disappointed that just when optimism is buzzing around odsal we see a scoreline like that. Still think the first no try being give. Would have led to a lot closer defeat.

It's pretty bad that our 3rd gAmE is seen as a must win. Nothing is won now.

Oh yeah, please no more Sykes. And I didnt think much of Royston.

Herbert is a promising young Aussie half and as BB said is our first choice #7 - if we can get him on the bloody field.

Briggs seems very likely to be our first choice #6, especially after how he played against Leeds last week, unless we can unearth a quality Aussie #6 (we have a quota spot and cap space free) at short order. I think we all want to see Kearney back at #1 where he is most potent, even though he was our biggest threat today.

With a pair of proper halfbacks out there, maybe we'd have used the full width of the park - rather than spend most of the game on the sisyphean assault against your superb defence down the middle?

Sykes tries hard, but he's not what we need in the halves - its not his fault where he is told to play though. I think Southernwood (and his confidence) would have been smashed all over the place by your big guys today, which I presume is one reason why Potter did not risk him.

Can't believe the crap luck we've had, with both halfbacks crock. Not helped that we've had two of the hardest games of the season (and a very unfair draw at MM IMO), on paper, as opening games before the team has had time to fully gel. But we are where we are, and have to play the hand we are dealt.

Me either, i cant see what he brings to be honest. Not impressed.

Pretty generous report by Andy Wilson. bit.ly/fqOHR5

Pretty generous report by Andy Wilson. bit.ly/fqOHR5

I left at half time.

I'd had enough.

^

Dedicated fan

More dedicated fan of the game than you... hence, why I turned up in the first place. I'm not a Bulls fan and I'm certainly not a one-club supporter. I pick and choose which games I attend. Made a poor choice today though... in cold, damp, miserable weather, Odsal is the last place anyone ought to be inhabiting. Cheeseburger was purchased, which, after one bite was deemed so utterly disgusting it was summarily dispatched into the nearest dustbin... which is where the Bulls first half performance deserved to be dispatched. 26-0 at HT... game over as a contest... not that it ever was a contest. Hence my HT departure. As I made my way upstairs on the 508 bus back to Leeds at approximately 15:58 GMT, a casual glance through the window in the direction of the flashing visible scoreboard alerted me to the fact that a TRY had been scored. Would I have time to see the scoreboard alert me as to which team had scored as the bus set off down Rooley Avenue? Seconds later, the scoreline flashed up BULLS 4 WIGAN 26 just before the scoreboard disappeared from view. That was the highlight of my Odsal visit.

I thought as a Leeds supporter you would have stayed to see if Wigan could get 50

aye but Wigan's defence was very good. instead of trying to force through we should have been trying to pin that defence back with keeping them guessing. we had nothing to lose in the second half but never really threw the kitchen sink at them.

I think it harsh to criticise Royston. He is a very good support player and the problem we have had in the first 2 games is the lack of breaks which he can get on the end of.

What is it? 7 tries scored, 3 from grubbers into in goal, 1 from d/h, 2 from bombs & 1 interception. I think Royston will be at his best with 2 creative halves putting players though gaps and him getting on the end. He is always in support looking for half break or slipped pass

I pick & choose my games but have never left at half time. Listening on the radio I am sure there was something to appreciate from Wigan's performance.

Wigan were better all around the park yesterday - did any one of the Bulls win their personal battle against their opposite number? Personally I can't think of one that did.

Having no recognised half backs killed us. I know Potter doesn't like the Wigan defensive tactics but he needs to adopt them as they are very effective. The Wigan defence seemed to have an age to get organised, constanstly getting three men in the tackle and turning the man with the ball in the process of completing the tackle.

Did we get screwed on a couple of decisions - possibly, we had two tries disallowed for offside, one of which at least debateable. Harrison Hansen's try in the first half, to me anyway should not have stood. Watching the try on SSN last night I thought Gleeson takes Walker out getting nowhere near the ball. The look on Hansens face suggests he thought it was dodgy!

Although these decisions wouldn't have effected the result, they may have allowed us to stay in the game a little longer.

Our right hand side defence needs to be worked upon as Wigan went through it with ease at times with the majority of the tries coming in down that side. Our ball retention at times was woeful, and similar to last week, when things went against us heads started to drop. We appear to be a confidence team and need to get in front.

Wigans passing and dummy runners were superb, Sam Tomkins receiving the ball at second or third receiver killed us. The lad is some player. The number of times they managed to make the over lap was very worrying from our defensive pattern point of view. At times they did nothing spectacular in terms of offloads and clever moves other than move the ball quickly from right to left (and not close to the gain line). I wouldn't trust half of the players out there yesterday to pass it greater than 10 yards without it going wrong!

After the game against Leeds I think it's fair to say everyone felt things had improved. Next weeks game may tell us which Bradford Bulls performance was the norm! Are we the disorganised mess we saw yesterday (and last season), or are we the side capable of giving a great effort against the best sides?

One last thing on the Wigan game. Although Kearney was probably our best player yesterday he's being asked to do too much for me. If he's playing stand-off, play him there in the defensive line. Royston is not benefitting from not knowing where the hell he's supposed to be. In the pre-season friendlies he was one of our better players playing specifically at full-back, not this hybrid SO/FB depending on who's got the ball.

Providing we've no new injuries this week (and Herbert is fit), I would change it a little. I think Chev would be better utilised coming off the bench in the second row with Scruton replacing one of the props at the same time. We don't have any real impact players and these two are probably the nearest we have. Add Diskin/L'Estrange into that combo change and we might see a lift in performance around the 20 min mark.

By doing this I'd move Ah Van to centre and bring Ainscough onto the wing. The lad is chomping at the bit based on his Twitter feeds. Plus, he's another that adds energy and enthusiasm to the side. Kearney and Herbert at half.

Forwards wise, Hargreaves shouldn't play loose - we need his workrate at prop. Bring Addy into loose forward and add some more creativity to the side.

The bench would look like Scruton, Walker, Diskin and AN other (as I'm personally not convinced by Koppy)

Undoubtedly first choice HBs would have given more scoring chances but you have conceded the second most points in SL which is a worry, given you have faced 2 of the best teams.

Yeah, cos you would never wish injury on anyone would you?

Do you understand what context means?

I'd never wish injury on a player because he isn't good enough to play a certain position. Especially when he's given his all.

So it is ok to wish injury on someone for any other reason then?

Glad you cleared that up.