It should be an good game.

Both teams coming off hard games before the weekend, with Salford pulling off what could be considered an even bigger win over Huddersfield than our own.

It'll be interesting to see who's got more left in the tank, but I think that Bradford have the edge in both stamina and the available bodies for rotation. We've got Blythe, O'Brian and Donaldson available as well as young Murphy to throw into the mix and allow a bit of rotation for players from Thursday who aren't quite 100%. There's also the outside chance of Gale possibly being fit.

I know it felt like a win, but we drew.



I hope we don't underestimate Salford as we did last season and rotate too much.

I was referring to our win over Huddersfield.

Talked to Chev Walker this afternoon.
He said he had been concussed twice in the Leeds match but is fine now and looking forward to the next match.

There is a ruggedness and will to win in this team that has not been seen for 4/5 years.
Furthermore players talk now about sticking to the game plan- which suggests:-
a. Cummins has a defined game plan
b. The players understand what that plan is.
c. They know how to play to it and do so.

We have to be up for this one. Salford are our bogey team and seem to be playing well under Long & Hunte.

From looking at players on Thurs i'd make following changes

Murphy in for Olbison. Good try, but missed couple tackles and has played all games so far, give him a deserved rest.

Donaldson in for Walker, he played well Walker, ran in with some fire, but with two heavy knocks, let him sit this one out.

O'Brien in for Diskin.

Blythe in for Purts. Think it's a bit much to ask so soon after his long lay off.

Think they're the only replacements we have

Murphy or O brien wont get anywhere near the bench unless there are some serious knocks. Who are we going to drop to accommodate Blythe? For me it has to be ' as you were'

Why would you drop Olbison, he's been one of our most consistent players this year.

He's been the one player I've been most impressed with.

You can't change a team after Thursdays result - at a push maybe Gayle for Addy, but even that would be a little unfair.

Given Scruton was laid out and Walker was concussed twice I would expect one or the other to miss out on Monday. You can't mess with blows to the head.

We are saying we shouldnt take salford lightly but some are talking about changing most of the team around, only change i would make would be chev with those knocks he didnt know where he was a couple of times in that game, if walker sits it out which I think would be wise we have better depth at LF with donno. He may not be the best go forward but in defence is great and that's what we may need against a salford team full of confidence and who have nothing to lose.

Would keep the team the same apart from walker purrs did well and didnt seem to be slowing down at all through out the game. Any dramatic change would be due to injuries.

Say one thing though we need to get Lilia involved more often he had a good game against leeds but he seems annexed atm.

Can't believe the team went through a blood and thunder clash and didn't sustain any serious injuries, but they can play a nothing game and get 2 players injured.

I don't agree going with the same again. We have to manage our squad. Thursday would have taken a lot of our players, especially after Catalans. 4 changes is not changing half the squad, it's freshening it up and giving some battered bodies a rest. It's a long hard season.

My post was not to suggest changes for the sake of change.

I was simply pointing out that we have the option to rotate players and given the short turn around as well as the hard impact of Thursday's game, it would seem sensible for some changes to players being made. There's still a long season ahead of us and with the lack of depth to our squad, rotation is a luxury we'll seldom be afforded this year.

But that being said, Cummins is showing himself to be a smart coach who knows what he's got and how to best use it.

Squad announcement:
James Donaldson, Adam Sidlow, Jamie Langley, Manase Manuokafoa, John Bateman, Brett Kearney, Nick Scruton, Heath L’Estrange, Adrian Purtell, Keith Lulia, Elliott Whitehead, Elliot Kear, Jarrod Sammut, Danny Addy, Tom Olbison, Adam O’Brien, Jobe Murphy, Jamie Foster, Matt Diskin

Blythe still struggling with an ankle injury and Walker out after those bangs to the head.

I think we'll line up something like

Kearney
Foster
Lulia
Purtell
Kear
Addy
Sammut
Scruton
L'Estrange
Manuokafoa
Olbison
Whitehead
Langley

Diskin
Sidlow
Donaldson
Murphey

Agree fully with that. We don't know how many players are carrying knocks and the Easter fixtures are just the time for those guys to be 'found out', but as you say FC is a smart guy and he'll know who needs some time out and who doesn't.

No Bateman?

No, I just rate the kid.

I'd like to see:

Kearney
Kear
Purtell
Lulia
Foster
Addy
Sammut
Scruton
L'Estrange
Nas
Olbison
Whitehead
Donaldson

O Brien
Bateman
Sidlow
Langley

But I don't think he'll rest Diskin unless his hand is forced through injury.

1 Kearney
5 Kear
2 Purtell
3 Lulia
17 Foster
19 Addy
6 Sammut
8 Scruton
9 L'Estrange
10 Manuokafoa
16 Olbison
12 Whitehead
21 Donaldson

11 Bateman
13 Langley
20 O'Brien
27 Sidlow

Donaldson in for Walker, and O'Brien in for Diskin to give him a rest.

Personally I would drop Diskin, nevermind rest him. Thought he has been very poor recently and O'B deserving of a run.

My mate who reads but doesn't't post asked me to put that Diskin is crap and the sooner he retires the better.

Pitch inspection at 10am tomorrow. Game sounds in doubt. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... nspection/

Pitch inspection at 10am tomorrow. Game sounds in doubt. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... nspection/

To be fair, the rest of the pitch is fairly clear. It is mainly that corner and the goal line in front of the Coral stand.

Hope it's on.

Minus 2 tonight, 4c by ko. Could still be frosty at 10am

With freezing temperatures forecast tonight and a 10am inspection, you'd have to think there is a pretty big doubt that it will be on.

This is how the pitch is looking tonight. Great effort from everyone that's volunteered.

Is the pitch due to be covered overnight?