• 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:06 am  

The season very much on the line over the next four crucial games. Anything less than six points from eight will see us needing to visit and come away with points from Leigh & Featherstone.

We're still without five key assests - Clough, Gaskell, Kavanagh, Lovegrove and Purtell for this game.

But have the option of using Charnock and Thomas in the halves, with Moss boosting the back line. I'm still not convinced that Clare should orndeserves to be moved from fullback.

Since Rohan Smith came and moved Clare to full back we've been conceding nearly eight less points a match.

Workington Town will be tough, fully expecting a similar test to what we experienced last year - tight first 50 before our fitness and full-time status takes us over the line.

One thing we can ill afford from these next four games is us putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure, due to our lack of finishing and poor game management, we've had plenty of chances to take games this year and win (Batley, Halifax, London, Dewsbury) only to then throw most of them on the floor, via very impatient and indiscipline.

Sunday's defeat has to be the lowest point of the season for the sheer unexpectedly and manner in which we lost - 18 errors, 53% completion rate.

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:10 am  

Wow. 53% completion rate. I walked away from the match estimating we were under 50% completion. Not quite as bad as I thought then....

[Bulliac]

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:47 am  

I walked away so disappointed in how we'd played that I never thought at all about how many sets were completed or passes put to ground or thrown away. I was so pigged off with what I'd seen I found it impossible to be analytical. With the exception of the defensive side of things, it was just a plain rubbish performance, and it will certainly have to be better if we are to beat Workington on their own midden, and it doesn't make any difference where they are in the league.

Hopefully, having a new recruit around the camp will spur us on - oh, and hopefully we'll learn that it isn't compulsory to score on every set...

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:02 am  

Score on every set? Well, I recommend that immediately before kick-off we cease fitting blindfolds, breaking all the players' fingers, and coating their hands in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil.

I see 53% completion but I don't believe it, I would say it was nearer 25%. In the first half I doubt we ever got past tackle 2.

But it wasn't just that. Of the 53% allegedly completed - I was watching a short piece on the SL program about walking rugby - our first half (and much of the second half too) was very similar. A bunch of people randomly stood about and lobbing the ball aimlessly to and fro. Nobody wanting it, nor having any clue what to do with it.

Maybe we should pack the Championship in and join a Walking Rugby competition.

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:07 am  

Bulliac wrote:

I walked away so disappointed in how we'd played that I never thought at all about how many sets were completed or passes put to ground or thrown away. I was so pigged off with what I'd seen I found it impossible to be analytical. With the exception of the defensive side of things, it was just a plain rubbish performance, and it will certainly have to be better if we are to beat Workington on their own midden, and it doesn't make any difference where they are in the league.

Hopefully, having a new recruit around the camp will spur us on - oh, and hopefully we'll learn that it isn't compulsory to score on every set...

Rohan Smith reiterated that last point at Tong yesterday.

Patience and discipline have certainly been the main focus of training this week.

On a side note it was great to talk to Trevor Clark (Mitch's dad) who is over for the summer from Australia.

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:15 am  

Pity. My Week 1 Coaching Agenda would have been

1. How To Catch A Fscking Ball And Not Fscking Drop It Every Time.
2. Passing for Beginners - Successfully pass ball into a maxi skip from 1 metre
3. Holding The Ball And Running At The Same Time

Though maybe he's leaving advanced topics till the players are ready for them.

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:18 am  

Next 3 games are crucial. I believe we'll get a scrappy win over Workington. We'll do our usual trick of starting well, looking comfortable and letting them back in it. Oldham i'm nervous about. Oldham have been competitive in all their games and caused plenty of shocks. It's a typical game Bradford lose. Hopefully we'll just edge it with Oldham being tired with it being a mid-week game.

Then a 4 pointer against Batley. Lose that and we are in deep deep trouble. Our next 2 opponents will be Halifax (who we haven't beaten in 3 games and always seem to out enthuse us) and Leigh.

Over to you Bradford.

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:19 am  

Has the Squad been announced yet?

[Bulliac]

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:34 am  

Sometime today, no doubt.

[Bulliac]

Re: • 12/6/16 • Workington Town vs Bradford Bulls • : Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:41 am  

MicktheGled wrote:

Rohan Smith reiterated that last point at Tong yesterday.

Patience and discipline have certainly been the main focus of training this week.

On a side note it was great to talk to Trevor Clark (Mitch's dad) who is over for the summer from Australia.

Glad to hear that Mick.

I've no doubt the team has the ability to throw the ball about and play some great rugby, after all, we've seen it on many occasions, and it's great to watch too. It' s just the idea of having to off-load every tackle, or of firing out a fanciful pass, sometimes on the first or second tackle and in the shadow of our posts - it does my head in. There is a time and a place for opening it out and, generally speaking, it isn't early in the count when you haven't even cleared your own thirty metre line...