: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:02 pm  

af wrote:

2006. 2007. Hull away 2008

Seems a bit churlish to give the credit for good sides he put out to 'someone else', while also holding him responsible for the state the club was left in by that same person(s).

Is that the same person's team and game plan that took us to a game away from the grand final in 2006 something we haven't looked like doing since.

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:10 pm  

I'm still confused that people seem to claim McNamara inherited some kind of terrible team in 2006.

In 12 games before he took over the Bulls had lost just twice (Saints away and Wire at home) while winning at Headingley and winning the WCC.

McNamara took charge and there was a dip, Brian Smith came in to hold his hand for a few weeks and things perked up a bit toward the end of the season, the team still had plenty of decent players.

No, obviously the squad wasn't as good as the one that ended 2005 but they were certainly no duds, and as they proved against Wests and at Headingley that season they could play to a gameplan and were more than the sum of their parts, unfortunatley as time has passed this is something we cannot say about Bradford teams anymore, the performances turned in now are less than the sum of the parts.

Recruitment has been a major cock-up and we have an unbalanced squad, the lack of any quality in the backs hasn't happened overnight yet it has been allowed to get worse while we bring in more and more second rowers, the team on the pitch makes the same mistakes it has for the last couple of years with no sign of them being rectified - and as the decent players age and/or move on and the McNamara era replacements have to come to the fore the fare on the pitch gets worse.

If these faults are not the responsibility of the coach and his staff, then he can't actually be the coach.

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:20 pm  

But recruitment has become increasingly difficult. And the lack of class in the backs was to be sorted by the signings of Shenton, Mogg and Bird. Does it make McN a bad coach that none of these came off?

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:21 pm  

af wrote:

But recruitment has become increasingly difficult. And the lack of class in the backs was to be sorted by the signings of Shenton, Mogg and Bird. Does it make McN a bad coach that none of these came off?

No, but maybe it shows that we need a more experienced coach to attract players to the club?

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:23 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

No, but maybe it shows that we need a more experienced coach to attract players to the club?

More likely to drive away players we need to keep.

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:26 pm  

af wrote:

More likely to drive away players we need to keep.

Maybe so, but you can't help but realise Menzies and Morro are probably the only two decent signings that McNamara has made and, although they were good ones they aren't exactly long term.

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:31 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

Maybe so, but you can't help but realise Menzies and Morro are probably the only two decent signings that McNamara has made and, although they were good ones they aren't exactly long term.

Dont forget Michael 'attacking flair' Platt

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:32 pm  

martin @ bulls wrote:

Dont forget Michael 'attacking flair' Platt

Ooh, 15 posts now, you're really getting to know your RL. Just out of interest, how many of the games did you go to at the start of his first season?

[Bullseye]

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:35 pm  

af wrote:

But recruitment has become increasingly difficult. And the lack of class in the backs was to be sorted by the signings of Shenton, Mogg and Bird. Does it make McN a bad coach that none of these came off?

Possibly not but I think the fundamental flaws in our game that aren't being addressed probably are more down to him. The inability to control the ruck, the lack of a gameplan or any creativity in attack, the inceasingly lack of know how in closing a game down when in front.

On recruitment why don't players want to sign for us? We surely have plenty of cap space? If not then I would say we've made bad decisions there as we've ended up with an imbalanced squad. Responsibility lies somewhere surely?

Look at our opponents last night. Hudders over the past couple of years have strengthened by signing the likes of Whatuira and Brett Hodgson. We are instead down to only two first team centres and re-signed the inconsistent Platt. On young players Hudders have promising kids like Cudjoe and Lawrence coming through whereas I don't know of any promising backs at the Bulls.

If McNamara isn't at fault are you saying that there are other reasons for our decline? I know we're skint but is it possible that finances are such that we can't afford to recruit top players anymore?

: Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:45 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

Ooh, 15 posts now, you're really getting to know your RL. Just out of interest, how many of the games did you go to at the start of his first season?

I haven't missed a game in over 10 years.