Ok, we're 13 games in to a 27 game league season, and, safe to say, most of us expected to see some major changes to previous years.

So, here goes....

1. Injuries
We're having a tough run at the minute. I may be wrong, but I don't think we've had one game where everyone was available. This won't help any cohesion in set moves and will disrupt defensive patterns. We need to get players fit and available or, at the very least, try a few weeks with the same side, even if it costs us a few more games.

2. The players
We've had a massive turnover of players which, at the time, most posters would agree was the right thing to do and generally the right players were shipped out. It's hard to believe that many of these guys are playing for their careers given recent performances. If you're in a results driven business you have to put the effort in and some of our players don't look as though they've given everything for 80 mins. Personally, I feel the answer will be another big turnover of players, hopefully with ones who are a little more proven.

3. Overseas quota
Use the thing to its full allowance. I appreciate that we had issues with that person now playing garbage in Canberra, so this did tie our hands at the time. However, we don't have the greatest overseas players in the comp. Kearney and L'Estrange are good players but Herbert and Ah Van were risks that don't seem to be massively effective. Let's get some real quality, if possible nicking them from other SL sides so we know the player won't cry off back to Aus as we've had to experience recently with that bloke in Canberra.

4. The coach
Is he the man to turn us round? I'm starting to have doubts to be honest but I'm not one for sacking just for the sake of it. He had to re-build the squad from a far while at Saints and that has resulted in a few errors such as Menzies and Sykes. Hopefully, now he is there day to day he can properly evaluate who we need and where we need to strengthen and is supported by the board to get the right players in.

5. The Captain
I like Lynchy and think he's been a very good player for us and will continue to be so, but, I don't feel he's a captain that commands the respect of all the players. Who should take over is another golden question, but I would not make the change now. Let's do this at the end of the season. One point I would add is that the answer is not Langley. I feel we need a new broom in this area and not select a player just due to years of service.

6. Grunt / fight
Lets get some. We don't have anyone who provides some real steel or gets in the faces of the opposition and gets the team or fans fired up. Most other teams have these players, we don't. What would we give for a young Fielden or a Mr. Fairbank at the minute?

7. Defence
We need some coaching in a big way here as we look abysmal, possibly worse than last year. I find it interesting that we don't have a former forward on the coaching staff. I would try to juggle the staff and get someone in to concentrate on this area ASAP as this would hopefully improve our performances drastically and stop some of the pathetic defeats by massive margins.

8. The youngsters
Are they good enough? We've been told we're getting some great youngsters coming through but if you are harsh you can point to many of them and question the credentials and potential we are told they have. Are some of them one season wonders, are some simply not capable of playing SL? Whitehead hasn't hit the heights of last year, is he fatigued, suffering from second season syndrome or has he been found out by the other coaches and teams? If the young lads aren't playing well they need to be dropped back to the U20's and then brought in when required due to injuries or when they're braying the door down to get back in.


That will do for starters, will be interesting to see if others think I'm bonkers or not and what other areas people think we need to address and what realistic answers people have. We're not loaded with cash and we're not going to be able to attract the best players in the world. I think off the field activities wise we are in a better position than many give the board credit for. We're organised at board level, operating with financial responsibility and have recently achieved 10k season tickets thanks to a great pledge offer.

We also have fans who care greatly, such as those at Bullbuilder who give up their time for free to try to help the academy set up for long term gain, along with all those who contribute to that organisation financially. Keep going those folk!

Scott Naylor defensive coach?

1. Nowt we can do
2. Leon?
3. Mason?
4. Nowt we can do till his contract is up, realistically
5. Diskin?
6. Scruton when fit. Elima aussi.
7. Scott Naylor, as above.
8. Suspect we're doing all we can in a competitive market.

I like the questions, it's the answers I don't like.

1. Yes they are going to corrupt attack combinations and maybe a untrust in the defensive line, but that still doesnt mean we cant run to a structure and attacking plays that should come natural, but in attack we are very clueless and it doesn't effect us choosing the front runner instead of releasing it round the back, our attacking structure is woeful probably the worse I have ever seen at Super League
2. Unfortunately nobody available
3. Mason maybe if not then same as above
4. Needs help in the attacking part, maybe a director of rugby or just some new ideas and a bit more emphasis on go forward
5. Maybe not just one captain, maybe like other sides, 2 or 3 captains. Lynch, L'estrange, you cant really say because you dont know the roles and the players personality so hard to say or judge
6. Mason will definately give us some attitude
7. Better attitude and defensive coach like mentioned
8. Too many of the same, majority back rowers or props. Not producing recognised speedsters or backs, and if we do we ship them off, eg Atkins 1st teamer Wire, Hyde playing first team at half back for Wakey and holding his own

A coach who is going to rip into players like Brian Smith used to.

That synopsis will take some beating. Little in there I would disagree with.

I'd add in that ffs why do we seem to be a couple of seconds slower off the mark at the PTB than the opposition? Leeds and Wire were out of the traps so fast we hardly got to make any yards. Yet when they had the ball they had made ten metres before we even seemed to move, and 15 metres per tackle was not unusual. Where was our defence? Yes OK Leeds and Wire looked to be offside at most PTBs, and yes it was the same ref allowing it - but same for both sides, so why did we look doped in comparison?? As we have in so many other games this season and last?

I'd go along generally with af's replies too - and funnily enough I'd been thinking about Naylor myself as a defensive coach. God, what we would give for him playing for us now? Probably the best defensive centre, along with Ben Harris, we have had in SL?

And re point 8, we MUST find a way of stopping losing all our good academy backs to other clubs, especially those with big wallets. You can do a list of academy players that have left Bulls to go on and do good things. And they are pretty well all backs. Its no wonder we have a dearth of good in-house backs at first grade if our in-house pipeline is diverted off to Wire and Hudds and Wakey! Somehow the club has got to find some money to keep these guys, or we will just see more of the same...until we disappear into oblivion.

As much as I like Langley I think he is finished, far too injury prone and as prob our biggest earner we cant afford to keep him in payrol where for the majority of times over the last 3 years he has been sat out injured. His big wage would be used for some fresh talent

On point 8 if we hadn't signed some dross like Raynor and Walker and too a lesser extent Ah Van we could have offered Wardle and Hellewell a more realistic deal not the peanuts that we did.

Ever thought he might pick up the injuries because he puts everything into his game and his body on the line?

Like Morro did.

Of course, you could instead go for players who don't get so stuck in or don't try and make the hard yards. And are about as much use as a chocolate teapot?

And he is both home-grown and probably in receipt of the concession that allows us an extra £50k on the salary cap (if only we were spending it...)

Thats a point i made before not just about Langley i don't think out off all our supposedly big players were getting value for money.

Because our pack rarely wins the collision nowadays. The referee will allow longer at the PTB for a dominant tackle which allows the defenders to get back into position. Far too often the opposition push through our attempted tackles which means quite often the defence is still getting back onside when they PTB.

We looked doped because it's obvious that for the majority of the players their hearts aren't in it. We're lacking enthusiasm in comparison with just about every SL team. Some just go through the motions. The errors come because we don't play as a team. There's a deeper problem at the root of this. I suspect it's in the whole culture of the club as it seems to have carried on under different coaches and different players.




To defend well two important ingredients are enthusiasm and teamwork. I suspect it's that and not defensive technique that are the main problems. Coaches can only work with the tools they have to some degree, unless we can find a coach with the magic ability to improve average players and there's only one coach I can remember who did that and he's long retired!



Too right. What's the point of putting money into Bullbuilder/Big One etc if we're going to lose our best talent to other clubs (Hellewell, Wardle, Burgess etc). Are we really so strapped for cash? Also why allow SL ready players go (Hyde) and bring in ones we deem that aren't (Southernwood) if our resources are so stretched?

Again down to a lack of enthusiasm, desire and aggression. In defence we rarely do it due to the same reason along with a lack of confidence in each other and teamwork.

There are quite a few who signed one year contracts, a few are trying their best to earn another one if not all they do is coming off at the moment! There are a some who look as if they won't be here or dn't want to be here next season! Hargreaves and Sibbitt for starters. Sykes 3 yr contract is the only questionable decision MP has made and then it may be LSH had some influence that way! Beaver went due to the Orford saga dragging on but again may have gone or let go even if the Orford saga had been resolved by September!
We may have a bigger Squad but the injury list seems to be longer than last year so its not helping the Team develop any cohesion on the park! Its a situation where once again the Club and real fans have to tough it out and hope that we get change in fortune sooner rather than later!
Getting Mason would be a waste of money, you would get more effort and commitment getting an old ex SL warhorse finishing his playing days in the Champoinship.
Briggs needs to be given more playing time now to try and reach SL standards, Royston found it tough and is now looking a lot better after getting some runs out!

The point of supporting BullBuilder (whether by putting money into it or by supporting it in other ways) is precisely to help avoid the loss of our best talent to other clubs. When Wardle & Hellewell left, we had only been going a few months, but since then we have done several things - and plan to do plenty more - to make the club more attractive to juniors. However, this doesn't include salary issues, and the club must do their own bit there.

Bradford really need two or three really top quality players with the ability to change games (in a positive way). At the moment there is no-one in your squad (with the possible exception of Ainscough) that falls into this bracket. Obviously half-backs and backs are priority areas but none of the forwards really has the ability of a Puletua, for example. But a Sinfield, Roby, Chase or Tomkins is still most needed! Pryce would make an excellent signing but you really need a decent centre too. Platt may have stopped making howlers but he's still way behind the top centres and the new generation of younger players in this position. But it is odd that you don't appear to be developing any young backs. Maybe that's just the Bulls mentality - build 'em big to play in the forwards?

Whoever the top earners in the Bradford side are, they are not providing value for money. The likes of Lynch and Langley are steady eddies but need more explosive players around them. Elima approaches this category but isn't enough on his own. Signing Mason would be a bad move though and smacks of desperation - if there is a cultural problem at the club he's unlikely to be a shining light! It should be possible to pick up several very good players for next season (just look at Warrington's exemplary cap management!) without having to stake everything on some one like Orford or buy in a load of averageness which are the two extremes that Bradford seem to be flitting between...

As for injuries - I doubt any club will be able to field a full-strength side for more than a handful of rounds these days. Not much you can do about it, but most clubs seem to have problems in this area too.

We brought through Wardle and a young fullback recently signed by Warrington Ben Hellewell last year but we allowed them to leave due to us not paying them enough. A few years ago we allowed Atkins to leave in a very short sighted decision. We have young Finegan on loan at Sheffield who may come good.

Obviously the Bulls brought through the Pryces and Bridge too.

We can produce them, we just can't keep them!

1. I can't help but ask the question why do we seem to have 'bad luck' with injuries every year? It gets to a point where it can't simply be coincidence?

2. Surely another massive turnover in players can't help? We need to build a core team who see themselves as Bulls players and a real passion for the club, not have players who turn up for a year or two and then move on.

3. I see no reason why we should use it just because it's there if the coach does not think it best.

4. I'm not sure you can blame Potter after half a season. He has shown what he can do with a struggling club with Catalans. He must be given at least the two years of his contract.

5. I don't see who would be better than Lynch (or possibly Langley) as captain of the team. At least these players have shown their commitment to the club. There were those who said Orford should have captained the team last year, look how that would have worked out.

6. See 2.

7. I agree a defensive coach would be welcome IMO.

8. I would say Whitehead is having a better year than last year. There's also Donno returning from injury, and the emergence of Olbison and Burgess. Let's not forget that unfortunately quality young players of Super League quality are a very attractive proposition for wealthier clubs who can easily outbid the likes of Bradford (Wardle being an example).

In respect of 2 - would you rather we were left with the same mob we have this year, some of which don't appear up to the job? I understand your point in regards to a large turnover not helping matters, but I feel that is what we are going to see as Potter gets to shape his squad over the next 6-12 months.

3 - I think we would have used it had we had an opportunity to do so - why else are we looking at Mason? We did have our hands tied at the beginning of the year but we need to get some real quality for our money - or the very least some players who are consistently better than what we have already in our quota spots (Kearney and L'Estrange apart).

How do we build passion in the players? We heard comments last year that things "weren't right" and in many ways from a few sources I'm getting the same vibes this year....(you know what I mean!). Do these players want to put it on the line for the Bradford Bulls or are they simply collecting their cash???

The point about player turnover is well made. We've had a huge turnover of players since 2006. As a result we shouldn't be surprised if there's less pride in the jersey. A lot of those players were from clubs that were used to losing and we could only afford a very few top class players with the right attitude like Morrison and Menzies. As a result we've developed a "losing culture". Potter almost admits as much when he talks about trying to build a winning culture.

He's got a hell of a job to do.

I would rather keep the majority of the current squad, yes. You simply can't just keep putting together a new squad year in year out.

I don't think we're looking at Mason because he is overseas. If the club deem him to be a valuable addition to our squad then they will try to aquire him, but they would if he was English too. This isn't a argument that we should aim to fill our overseas quota.

I don't know how you instill a passion for the club, and I'm not saying that all or indeed any of our current squad don't have it, maybe they do, but it certainly isn't always obvious from the terraces. I think you have to start by having a core squad who have been with the club for a long time and expect to play for the club for the rest of their career, not players who expect to play for a year or two. I also think that the more players we can bring through the academy into the first team the better. I also hope BullBuilder can help with this and the fans can show loyalty and commitment to these players, then they might show some back down the line.

I think the Mason situation doesn't really help explain the original post I made. We're looking at Mason because he is possibly available. If he was English and in a position of not being picked, we wouldn't be the only team looking at him. It's because we have a quota spot available that we are interested in what he has to offer in many ways and can look at him with a little more ease because of that.

If the bloke now at Canberra had gone quietly, Potter would have had more options to get someone else in previously, maybe we would be in a better position than we currently are?

In terms of building passion we do have a problem. As Bullseye points out - Morrison and Menzies were outsiders who brought that to the club. Scruton is another who does go out of his way to "make an impact". Other than that, as Mission pointed out, it is difficult to see this passion from the terracing with many of the squad we have. Who or what is to blame for this at the club is hard to say, but, it's not good and I for one thought the turnover of players and coach would have eradicated the lack of passion from previous years.

We will have a turnover of players - I'm not saying that the whole lot should go, but there are players in the squad who are on shorter deals who won't be here next year. There is always some turnover, even in the best sides, I feel we will need that little extra to compliment those players who do give a flying teapot about the club.

Most other clubs have several leaders in their sides, and not just those who have been at the club for a long period. Our recruitment next year needs to ensure we get a few of this type of individual (ala Morrison).

don't doubt there will be some turnover this year. but dont think it will be anything like the scale we saw last year. Maybe some of players where we have a lot of duplication leaving and younger players stepping up to provide backup next year. I'd guess at 6-7 out and only or 3 or 4 coming in but hopefully better quality.

Hopefully that will be the case with the youngsters stepping up. In an ideal world that will happen. Just get the feeling we'll see a few more journeymen than we hope....

Don't forget that Potter didn't turn Catalans into a good team overnight. Their first season in SL was pretty woeful IIRC, even by recent Bulls standards. When they did start to improve their playing roster still featured many of the same faces. Bradford do appear to have a decent core of young players (forwards at least) who should form the nucleus of a solid side once you can get a bit of momentum going.

Sometimes it just takes time for things to get better. Leeds looked to be heading the same way as Bradford a few weeks ago, but they appear to have now dug themselves out of that particular hole (for now...). Keep the faith! At least your coach has a proven track record.