Thank you for the feedback and kind comments. We had over 4,000 people listening online and when you add the FM figures, we'll be looking at the 10,000 mark. Phenomenonal figures.

Just shows the power of the Bradford Bulls brand and more importantly the lapsed support still interested in the club.

Can I just say if people expect me and Mark to turn up and call these games from the best media facilities in the land then you're mistaken.

Today we were sat in the main stand amongst the most vociferous Workington Town supporters, balancing commentary equipment and notepads on knees.

The Charnock and players story is just repeating what Rohan Smith told me in the interview at Tong on Wednesday.

If you're joining me on Wednesday night at Oldham, you'll get Rohan Smith, Ethan Ryan and Mitch Clark.

P.S. Great to get Robbie Paul and Trevor Clark on today.

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There's no insider scoops. I repeated what Rohan Smith told me at Tong.

Glad you enjoyed it mate, thank you for listening.

A scrappy if unspectacular performance from the Bulls. The goal line defence was as strong as ever, slight concern on the edges but that's been a going concern for the past 18 months.

Today was all about getting the two points and that's what we've done, job done.

Just driving back down the M6 in the rain.

How do you measure the FM figures?

Because, assuming we win on Wednesday night, we'll jump up to 4th spot and hopefully we'll back that up with a win over Batley on Sunday so that we close ground on them in 3rd spot.

You know, it's still do-able. It's not like Leeds or Huddersfield talking about making the top 8 pie in the sky stuff

Well, I listened via BCB like most of us on here (thanks to the guys for the commentary again) and - with the usual caveats about 'it sounded like' - it [idid[/i actually sound like a particularly unconvincing performance once again.

In fact Hobbo was pretty much of the opinion the we were heading for defeat at one point, so credit to the lads for pulling it out of the bag with a couple of late scores

I'd expect to make a few changes to freshen the side up for Wednesday and for us to get past Oldham without too many scares but I do fear for us against Batley on current form.

I can hardly believe I just wrote those last few words - we are the Bradford Bulls for heavens sake!!!

Fm (and DAB) is measured by people called "Rajar" who ask a select bunch of people to fill in a diary saying what they listen to and when - hence why radio stations can be obsessed with telling you what station they are every two seconds. IMO it's extremely flawed, but that's probably a subject for another day. More people will listen via FM and DAB by default, so Mick is certainly right far more will listen to the broadcast by that method.

My first listen to a full commentary on BCB this year today (heard bits and bats on Bulls TV) and I echo certainly a job well done Mick. Hobbo remains a bit of a misery at times but it's all in the traditional RL spirit, and sometimes when we go behind my thoughts would definitely be unsuitable for broadcast!

I've kind of changed my views on Hobbo a little lately.

I used to be quite critical of him being too negative, until I had a chat with someone who knows him a little. Said not only is he one of the nicest blokes you could meet, he's also very passionate about not only Rugby League, but Bradford Bulls. After that conversation, I found myself listening to him in the same way I would if I was in that position, as someone who is also a passionate RL and Bulls person (albeit less of a nice guy). When I listened to him like that, I found he very much speaks and reacts a lot like I do while I'm at a game, before I come away and calm down a bit and look at it with perspective.

I know people will question if that's what you want from a commentator. Should they be more impartial and suchlike. But it's local radio, and they're following one team, not a sport. They're bound to be biased, they're bound to favour that team. If you think they're biased, try listening to Radio Humberside.

Spot on Hamster- and I can confirm Hobbo is a top bloke.

I'm definitely not his passion for the sport or the club (if anything that is blindingly obvious), or that he's a nice guy - it's just that sometimes the negativity can be a little much, when - as a listener and a fan - you are already in the frustrating situation you can't see the match yourself.

That said, it's a tough job and as I alluded to, one I certainly couldn't do. I didn't say anything about being bias either - I've heard Radio Humberside and don't they actually praise their teams?



(Joking, praise was forthcoming when it was due)

Thanks for listening today Amber, the feedback from everyone is greatly appreciated.

Mark is as passionate as any one of us on here about the greatest game and is on BCB as a summariser (ex Northern player) and certainly has a passionate heart that's full of opinions which makes us both click as a commentary team.

I really do get that. And I think that's where my previous frustration with him was. But when I looked at it from the other point of view, it's almost like having the Fanzone thing they used to do on Sky for the football. On another note, I was also told he does it totally for free (although how much truth there is in that, I don't know), purely for the love of the game, the club and his job.

I may be letting a little emotion and empathy boss my opinion of him, but from what I hear of him, I think maybe some of the criticism he gets is a little harsh. I wouldn't want to think I put my all into something I love, for free, as a service to supporters who can't get to the game, only to get a load of abuse over it.

Great post.

And that's totally fine, I don't think we're a million miles away here. I think the term "abuse" is a bit harsh though - although just because BCB is what it is doesn't mean it's immune from criticism. If you're in the business of dishing out opinion publicly on the airwaves, you can't expect everyone to agree the whole time. Radio is an incredibly personal medium, and to get an opinion out of the public either way shows you are doing something right! Hobbo jokingly mentioned the "keyboard warriors" on the broadcast today, so he'd probably take no notice anyway



Anyway, not to dwell on the negative - if it wasn't clear before, my views of the broadcast were overwhelmingly positive and has come on leaps and bounds since I last heard it. Mick, agree you click well with Hobbo, I think you prompt the right questions from him at the right points.

Mark is certainly aware about the criticism he gets online from the "keyboard warriors" via forums and social media, but doesn't take it to heart and rightly so.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion as long as it doesn't get abusive or personal.

My folks have found Hobbo very entertaining for years. Even when he was alongside Bobby Hamm. He definitely comes across as a bloke you could have a pint with and he is good on Twitter too - he often responds to my tweets and even joked on air once about a tweet I sent him saying that I couldn't get to the game because my folks were ill - he said if there's one thing that's more important than family then it's the Bradford Bulls! Had me in stitches.

Listening to Rohans post match on Bulls TV, he comes across as honest and forthright when answering questions also his demeanour means interviewers like Hobbo and Gledders feel they can ask the more awkward questions in a direct manner as opposed to the more careful rephrasing used when talking to Jimmy!
Since Rohan has arrived the match 17 is still evolving and the Squad still getting to understand his philosophy and game systems, so there will be some disjointed performances to come but the overall standard should improve with each game till the 8's, at the moment it's all about getting the 2 points each match till we get there. He obviously takes part of Dads philosophy which is now part of the Bulls own, about building up for the business end of the season and hitting it in good form with a full Squad of healthy fit players!

I don't disagree with you at all. Absolutely they're not immune to criticism. I used the term abuse as an extreme, as I've certainly seen some give him what I would consider abuse, but that's just the way the internet is, people think they can take it too far behind an anonymous Twitter account (or equivalent thereof).

Most of what he gets probably is a lot less than abuse. Some will be unfair criticism, some will be fair or constructive. The fact he's still doing it proves he has thick enough skin that he hopefully doesn't take it to heart.


I won't be listening on Wednesday because all being well I'll be going to Bower Fold. But I certainly appreciate having a radio station that does full match commentary on games I can't get to. Radio Leeds is good, but they jump around too much. That's good if your team isn't playing, but when they are, you're much more interested in your own team than how Wakefield are getting on.

I bet the media people that deal with Rohan often, such as Mick, Hobbo & Ross feel like it's a breath of fresh air having him in charge rather than Jimmy. Those post match interviews must have been the bit that interviewers dreaded at Odsal more than having to watch a p*ss poor performance. I certainly didn't envy them!

Odd. I posted last week that it was a somewhat arrogant view to suggest that we could play a weakened team against Workington.

Guess who was straight in to shoot me down.

You seem to change your opinions more often than your pants FA.

This exchange only happened in your head, though.

Meanwhile back on Planet Earth, broadybull87 suggested that a couple of players be given a runout against "the lower teams" to see what they can do.

You accused him of being "seriously arrogant" given our position, and I just corrected you by pointing out that the next couple of games (which he was obviously referring to) were against Workington and Oldham, the bottom two clubs. Which was and is 100% true and 100% fact.

If you want to add detail, he also said that these were games which we should win easily. They are, and they were.

If you genuinely believe that the comparatively mighty full-time Bradford Bulls, packed with supposedly SL-standard players and with ambitions of the big time, the team which only missed out on promotion by one goalkick last time round, should NOT firmly believe they should win easily against Workington then you are away with the fairies. We HAVE to beat Workington comfortably, every time, if we are to have any genuine ambition.

Also, I haven't and on't change my opinion, and it is silly to suggest otherwise. The squad we have should have murdered Workington, and it is a major embarrassment that they didn't. There were positives. They include that they found a way to not panic, and found a way to get in front, and then get in position for the crucial DG. And that the defensive structures under pressure were again a whole lot better. Also, that Rohan shipped in Charnock, who won the game for us.

The negative is that is that the team we fielded wasn't already 30 ahead. It should be, especially as a weaker Bulls team thrashed them 52-16 at Odsal not long ago. You know it and I know it. But we are where we are, and in what's left of the season, Smith needs to ensure (in order of priority) (a) that we win (b) we win (c) we win (d) we gradually keep improving, so that come the playoffs, we might at least have some shape and some self-belief back. It isn't his fault that the excellent squad we have was producing the dross that it was.

And, before you ask, yes, we should go to Oldham and thrash them too. We SHOULD be able to go there in a similar fashion to Leigh a few weeks ago, who went there and won 14-56. THAT is what a team with any aspirations for the main chance HAS to be doing against teams like that. It's not arrogance - they would have expected to be thrashed by Leigh, and they duly were.

Eh? I have put in bold your latest pile of manure. We beat Oldham easy did we? When? Tomorrow? I mean, we might well, but not only do you just completely make things up, you can now see the future? You are a talented guy.

However, add to this the Workington game that, you, above, said we won easily, yet yesterday posted this.



You have completely lost the plot FA. I really wish you would stop accusing anyone who does not meet with your opinion as "not being on planet earth" or being "on drugs" when you are actually now just disagreeing with yourself and changing your argument on a daily basis.

You are making absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I tried correcting your blather for you, it now makes about 10% more sense than it did, but sorry, I still have no real clue what the hell you're on about.

Yep I was right. You have lost it completely. Thanks for proving my point.

Well seems that since nobody knows what anybody's on about we'll leave it there.