Playing staff or backroom boy ,i wonder ?

I used to like Blythe, he's strong and quite fast. But he's another Julien, a bit of a back row and a bit centre. But i suppose financially it's like for like with Laithwaite, and Blythe offers more and is on the park more.

He's not as good as he was when he left you lot but I think that's because he's had the drag factor of being in a poor side and played at a poorer level.

Now the cat is out I can say, Yes he has signed on a deal similar to Bailey was on this year.

First Cooper, and now Blythe, who's next, Chris Riley to solve the wing problem?

Lol at this.

Joking apart Lineham or Riley?

Blythe is a better attacking centre than Evans

Oh yes, I'm missing Rhys Williams on the other wing too

Blythe is a poor centre. His winger won't get a sniff, mark my words.

Put Jonathon Thurston in at Bradford and he'll be poor, mark my words!

oh, thank you.
I'd managed to free him from my mind, now, you've brought it all back.
I'm going to have to up my medication, now.

Seems a bit of a strange signing...didn't we "let him go" to give him more chance of first team rugby ? Now,if he wasn't up to first team standard then, unless he has improved significantly to command a first team place, what is the point of re-signing him? Do our long term plans involve a gradual decline in playing standards ?

Mateaki Mafi to return too.

We can't get Watkins and there seems to be a drought of British based centres.
Matty was better, and could be again, than what we have at present, you've only got to look at these boards to see that! So it isn't a step backwards.

Matty will put some P&B blood back into this club, along with his best pal, Coops.
He's been told there's no guarantee of first team football and he will have a spell at Rochdale.
He has a modest 12 month contract like Bailey has presently.

Unlike 1 or 2 players over the last couple of seasons many of us can think of....Matty wants to play here, he never wanted to leave, but being the guy he is, gave everything he could at Bradford, and sometimes without being paid.
He has heart and pride. I've a feeling he won't be out of out first team at right centre very long, if at all.

Shame on you lot taking the piste.

....I wouldn't even mind so much if the wit was even amusing.

No idea why Warrington have made this signing. He's got enthusiasm I'll give you that but that's pretty much all he has, most Bulls fans will see this as part of clearing out the dead wood for next season.

Oh goodness me. Yes, he's an enthusiastic Warringtonian who bleeds P&B, but so were Cullen, Riley, O'Brien etc. etc. and they were all moved on when their sell-by date was up, for whatever reason and regardless of their birthplace and the pros-and-cons.

Anyone who thinks Blythe is a match for Rhys Evans, or anyone else in our first choice back line (including Lineham, sharp intake of breath) is in dream world. Rhys is superior defensively, is faster, younger, and offers genuine versatility in the backs.

The return of Cooper isn't about bringing a Warrington boy home, I'm sure that wasn't part of the rationale; it was about bringing home a top-quality prop-forward, who has matured into an excellent player. Kevin Penny's return was justified as he'd matured into a good player, who was still capable of improvement yet still possessed qualities no-one else in the squad had.

Backwards step for me, irrespective of size of contract etc.

I think for this signing to take place we are seeing an acknowledgement that the necessary talent isn't coming through the various academies throughout the RFL....they may be good rugby players & very talented but are they big enough to compete on level terms with some of the fearsome open age giants in today's game. This could be where the more bulked up ,lower standard players may come into their own.

I think Rugby League is in dire need of a massive injection of investment & sense of purpose similar to what has been dished out to the GB Olympic Team from the Lottery Fund & Sport England, Sport UK.

Christ almighty. We'll be re-signing Lee Mitchell next.

He's been disappointing this season, but so was Luke Gale in 2014.

I think we need a bit of perspective here guys. I would guess that Matty will almost certainly be on a pretty small wage and will only get a run of games if there are injuries to the squad. its not as though we are signing a first pick forward for 2017. He knows the training regime and back room, he came through the academy (so presumably we will get cap relief), he will show up as a homegrown player on our roster, we can use him in the reserves, and presumably he will be happy to get back to this side of the pennines where he has family and friends.

That all looks like a win win to me.

Fully agree. I'm not sure what calibre of squad player some people think we're going to sign for such a small chunk of cap space, or whether there are better players available for so little. He'll play 3 or 4 games next season at best when covering injuries. So it's a good signing for me.

W/O always the voice of reason.

I can't tell if you're joking or not, you know he's backroom staff and now playing in the reserves again?