1. Kieran Hyde
2. Rikki Sheriffe
3. Duane Straugheir
4. Semi Tadulala
5. Matt Cook
6. Ben Jeffries
7. Julien Rinaldi or Steve Menzies
8. Nick Scruton
9.Terry Newton
10. Sam Burgess
11. Steve Menzies or Jamie Langley
12.Michael Worrincy
13. Jamie Langley
Sub
14. Michael Platt
15.Andy Lynch
16. Tom Olbison
17. Craig Kopczak

I'm getting more and more convinced that this is a pi$$ take account. Firstly Kieran Hyde is injured until Late june at least, secondly, why do you think that Straugheir is ready to step up right now, in an off-form team? Sykes didn't play too badly and Nero should be ok. Why put Matt Cook on the wing and Tadulala at centre? The only thing I agree with is dropping deacon.

Stop it with the pi$$ stake account. The team should go:


Platt
Sheriffe
Menzies
Nero
Halley
Sykes
Jeffries
Scruton
Newton
Lynch
Burgess
Worrincy
Langley

Kopzcak
Olbison
Cook
Rinaldi

Why? Don't under performers ever get dropped?

Because were Bradford Bulls and we don't think outside the box

It'll be more or less the same as last week, Macca doesn't have a clue other that to keep on plugging away and hope we'll eventually click. Anyway if he keeps on going like this he may actually find a position that Platt can play. Salford must be relishing the prospect of playing us........

So pretty much the team that beat Leeds and St Helens then less the players forced out by injury?

I'm not a massive McNamara fan but I really can't put yesterday's performance down to his selection.

I am not surprised that some people are puzzled by what went wrong yesterday. After all, the coach has no clue either.

I think he (or she) just pulls squad numbers out of a bag and picks his team that way.


I mean the OP obviously. Not Macca.

Just pointing out that our tactics appear to be go with what you know and don't try anything new. Well not unless you call warming up on the opposite end of the pitch a new tactic!
The result may not be down to his Team selection, but the tactics and training were ihs and he did pick the squad. Well I assume he did pick the squad.

I for one would be very pleased to see this team, it would be an acknowledgement that Deacon is not playing well and is dropped even though he is fit. It would hopefully send out a signal. A complete change would be a disaster, small changes week to week are the way forward.

I'm struggling to see a lot wrong with that team or that logic.

Halley
Sheriffe
Menzies
Nero (if fit)
Tadulala (if fit)
Sykes
Jeffries
Scruton
Newton
Lynch
Cook
Langley
Burgess

Subs: Rinaldi, Worrincy, Donaldson, and Kopzack (only cos we are struggling for a prop on the bench). Deacon and Platt to miss out altogether for reasons that speak for themselves and Langley need a good game or the same for him.

Halley
Sheriffe
Menzies
Nero (platt if Nero doesnt make it but Semi does)
Platt (hopefully Tadulala)
Sykes
Jeffries
Scruton
Newton
Lynch
Cook
Worrincy
Burgess

Rinaldi
Olbison
Kopzcak
Langley/Crossley/Donaldson

Im assuming Tadulala wont make it and Nero will for this.

I think we have to drop Deacon and go back to the Jefferies/Sykes combo that at least started to give teams something different to think about - put the responsibility back on Jeffries rather than Deacs as I think he thrives on it. Langley needs dropping to the bench at least and Worrincy starting in the second row with Cook should give us plenty of energy from the start to try and set us off in the right frame of mind rather than wait for his impact in the second half.

Olibson to freshen things up from the bench and I'd like to say one of Donaldson or Crossley as well (or someone else who is tearing it up in the reserves - others might have a better clue as to current form), but I'm wary of making the bench too leightweight - but some freshening up and dropping is required IMHO and its the reserves that are going to have to provide this competition for places at some point or we'll see more complacent performances like Sun.

Im also not sure what to do about FB, Halley made some mistakes on Sun but then so did everyone else, he also did some good stuff - open field tackle on a Celtic break at half way, then from the resulting play the ball Celtic kicked into the corner and it was Halley back there to defuse it - excellent stuff. On balance I'd keep Halley there for now but Im not convinced he's the long term solution.

Worrincy has looked good when coming on but I'm wondering if he can make more of an impact against a tiring defence. He's running good lines with good pace and you might lose that putting him in from the start. He does need to come on earlier though so I'd give him a stint towards the end of the first half.

Langley does need to start showing better go forward but I've never seen him shirk the hard work.

Dropping Deacon is a no brainer imo as he's been targeted and increasing looking like he can't handle the physical side of the game.

I agree that Worrincy is excellent coming off the bench, Im just trying to find ways of shaking it up without handing out 6 or 7 debuts in (yet another) game we really must win. Langley gets trough hard work but he looks very flat in attack and again benching him might just give him and other players something different to think about.

as an aside, I've just noticed that for the first time ever in SL our odds to finish bottom (33/1) are shorter than our odds to win the grand final (40/1)

Hands up if you honestly think Deacon will be dropped?

Heart says yes, head probably says no!

Even if Tadulala wasn't fit, I'd still be inclined to pick a team that doesn't include Michael Platt. I know he's a bit of a scapegoat, but he is one for a reason, just doesn't look comfortable wherever he plays.

Matt Cook'd be worth a shot in Platt's centre position that he occupied on Sunday. Gives 100% every game.

The team I'd pick, if Semi was fit:

Halley
Sheriffe
Menzies
Nero
Tadulala
Sykes
Jeffries
Lynch
Newton
Scruton
Burgess
Cook
Langley

Worrincy
Rinaldi
Kopzcak
Donaldson/Olbison

My team:

1. Halley the comet
2. Shotgun Sherrifffe
3. Beaverrrr
4. The emperor
5. Tinky wonky
6. The Psyko
7. Jefferies
8. The Worrloard
9. The Surrender Monkey
10. The Lynchpin
11. Burgess
12. Cook
13. Scrotum

14. Sir Isaac
15. Kojak
16. Captain Calamity
17. Orbison

Deacs and Langley >>>>> The championship

minor point but he only played 10-15 mins at before tadulala went off and he was shifted to wing where he did look a bit lost. whilst at he didnt look too terrible. in hindsight it may have been a better option to switch platt and halley round once semi went off. bit harsh to criticise a player covering in a position hes had very experience off and he didnt really make any major errors iirc.( or at least no more than anyone else)

That said I like look of your team and assuming all available I'd go with that. can't help wondering if theres an element of unrest in squad due to deacs walking straight back into team and breaking up a halves partnership that was looking a lot more effective.

Cook is a centre, so to play him there would make sense.

But instead, yes lets play him on the wing...

He's probably played around 20 minutes at centre in the last three years.

On the Cook issue, it makes you wonder whyt the club pushed him down the SR route when centre was position we needed to strengthen and especially in light of the number of second rowers at the club.

Was it Matt's decision? or the clubs?

I hope Semi is fit for the game on Friday, he's a player that we desperatley need. I would go for this team.

Halley. Sheriffe. Menzies. Nero. Tadulala. Sykes. Jeffries. Scruton. Newton. Lynch. Burgess. Cook. Langley. Subs. Kopczak. Worrincy. Rinaldi. Whitehead.

It's because they said he was lazy at centre they moved him into the second row to try and get more work out of him.