you can't drop a player after one bad game, especially the first game of the season against a settled side like L**ds

He didn't do too bad in my opinion. I wouldn't have played him in the first place. It was a big ask for someone to play their 1st competitive game in 10 months against the champions. I would have sent him to York for the first couple of games for experience. Crooks to play tomorrow.

Arundel went really well I thought first 60mins for someone who hasn't played for nearly a year. Fatigue and no support around him made him look bad last 20. He did well 1st half when Leeds were absolutely peppering that right side. Joel moon in a great Leeds side being supplied by sinfield Maguire etc will undo better centres than Arundel many times this yr.
I'd stick this week, in all positions. Personal preference is Houghton off bench but don't think it will happen. If nothing improves maybe look to change then, but I can't imagine Houghton whiting westy n galea being as poor again so instant improvement, holdsworth n McDonnell get bit more tuned into the attacking play and think we'll be ok. Bradford are solid but not amazing at the minute while Gale n Bateman are out especially. Biggest threat to us is Samutt. I was at the game on Sunday and he looks ready for a big year! Looked like a slightly bigger faster stronger more dynamic rob burrows! Could of been the opposition making him look good but still be a danger.

I agree Arundel should eb given time,but anyone who thinks he had a good game needs their eyes testing, 7 missed tackles, 2 of which led to trys and out of position for Moons. Very little impact (like many) with the ball in hand also.

Looking at the stats from the last game, Green deserves a starting place and move Pitts to 13.

McDonnell
Crookes
Arundel
Yeaman
Briscoe
Holdsworth
Seymour
O'Meley
Houghton
Lynch
Galea
Westerman
Pitts
Subs
Whiting
Heremaia
Johnson
Green

Just had a look at the stats. I said on another thread that I thought Green and Johnson were our 2 best forwards and both of them do show up well. My team earlier in the thread had Johnson starting with Pitts at 13, but either way I agree that at least one of them deserves a start.

Also whilst on stats, Westerman comes out a lot better than I think many would expect. Top tackler, completion of about 92%, joint 2nd marker tackles (with Seymour, interestingly), top offloads, top assists (obviously), 5th average metres if you take off the roundings, and no penalties.

Can't be right. Westerman is a useless, overpriced penalty machine. You must have confused his stats with someone else.

I was as surprised as you. He also made the 3rd highest metres if you don't include our back 3, the 2nd highest of the forwards.

Westerman for MOS

Me too. We need to do something different to last week in this area.

id love a win like us all of course but i aint expecting one. very tough game and if Bradford do beat us then i hope we make it very hard for them and play out our skin. like to see galea on the bench or out the squad but that's just my personal preference not his biggest fan.

1. McDonnell
2. Crookes
3. Arundel
4. Yeaman
5. Briscoe
6. Holdsworth
7. Seymour
8. Johnson
9. Heremaia
10. Lynch
11. Westerman
12. Galea
13. Pitts

14. O'Meley
15. Green
16. Whiting
17. Houghton

The bulls have sold all there adult ticket allocation so should be a few in the north stand .
could be 13k unless the leeds game has a knock in effect

Won't get anywhere near that imo.

If we don't win by 18 points then it will be a disaster for me

I will be putting a small bet on us -18 points

Look at our last 6 months compared to theirs - CHALK and CHEESE

They are well under the Cap , unable to replace big departures , our lesser team last year absolutely spanked them at their place and we are at home. They went to Ilkley for their training camp. This is a no brainer home banker for a Team looking at Top 4 .

18 points is a reasonable spread for me and I expect a FC romp. I will have $ on it and I hope Gentle does as well.

I half expected to lose last week but was disappointed by the scoreline. We must beat Bratfud at home if we expect to achieve anything this season. If we were to lose I would be worried.

Wow. Hope you're right. Don't know where that confidence comes from though. I think it'll be tight so I'll take 2-1 for Bradford to win and at least have some money to buy beer to cry into if they do.

Interesting, do you expect the weather tomorrow to be more Tenerife than Ilkley?

bit confident lol and lesser team? i don't think this team is any stronger tbh and i can see it been a lot closer than that hope your right though.

I also hope he's right for his own sake

The words arrogant,cocky and idiot spring to mind

Love it mate Good on ya

I have just put another £1 on FC at -18 , will think of you when I'm knocking back another VB

Three months ago, everyone would have seen this as a home banker for you.

That people are actually now giving serious consideration to the possibility of an upset here is surely no ill-reflection on you, but rather a recognition that Frannie and the Bulls' team spirit might just surprise a few this year.

FWIW, we totally put Wakey to the sword on Sunday. The most comprehensive Bulls win for many a day. Even after almost beating a strong Leeds side at Headingley a couple of weeks previously, I doubt any of our supporters expected us to crush one of our rivals for making the top 8 the way we did.

But, with all due respect to Wakefield - and whether they were poor because we made them so, or whether they are just poor period remains to be seen - you lot are in a different league, and you know full well you are. And Gentle will not be caught by surprise by a very different Bulls side to what he expected the way Agar clearly was. I think our fans are seriously heartened by what we have seen so far, but under no illusions that you guys on your home turf, and smarting after Leeds' late surge last week, will be a very much bigger ask.

If we play with the effort and skills and enthusiasm that we have seen so far, I'm sure most of us will be pretty happy. To come away with a win, after all we have been through, would really be quite special. I can still hardly believe that we can even admit the possibility.

In any case, although like you we have some big-hitters (Gale, Bateman, Purtell) still out, the big test for us and our small squad will come as the season progresses and injuries take their toll. Few of us are under any illusions.

For Tarquin Fuego - I'd not read too much into that total mullering you gave us last year. Yes, you were very good indeed that day (you barstewards...

). But the RFL had ensured that making the 8 was virtually impossible. And although against all odds the team - remember the scumbag administrator had sacked all the coaching and support staff - had got us to within a whisker of the 8, it was always going to be too big an ask, as I feel sure the RFL intended. That game was the one where the lads recognised it. No-one blamed them - they had worked a minor miracle up till then. They may yet work some more minor miracles.

Impressed with the nature and tone of this thread guys. And TqF is entitled to his opinion. Heart says we may yet cause an upset; head says you'll probably be happier bunnies going home tomorrow night. Either way, lets hope its a good competitive game and we neither of us pick up any serious injuries.

Cheers Adey Bull , I believe Hull will expose that mental nagging doubt that your team has hidden away in it's sub conscious . You have it and so do the Bulls and I genuinely think FC owe us a 'show' and Sunday will prove it. Rugby is brutal and any weaknesses will be trodden on. I expect us to get off to a flyer and be 12 up at half time and then win by 18+. DOES NOT mean we will win the next 2 games , I just feel it about this one.

I have to say, I am also pretty confident about this one and would not be surprised at a 24 - 30 pt winning margin.

you mean the "scumbag administrator" that, in the process of making sure you had a club to keep following, was just doing his job?

he could have sold players, and then you wouldn't have been viable as a going concern.

Hope it's a good game tonight, safe journey if you're going.(all fans)