[Bulliac]

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:26 am  

RL is the sort of game where final scores don't always reflect how the game went. Sometimes the 'blowout' scores are warranted but most often they simply flatter the winners as the losing team goes into all out attack mode and leaves gaping holes in the defensive line with 'hail Mary' plays.

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 10:56 am  

Bulliac wrote:

With all due respect, the first game is simply that - it's game 1, in a long, long season.

For sure, it will answer your questions, but they are not really questions of any great value - who wins this game and holds 'all the aces' on the opening day are all things which will have little relevance by the time we hit the business end of the season. For all that, I'm sure both sides will be hoping to 'put down markers' and we have the makings of a good encounter. Looking forward to it and I've got my ticket already!

Very true, but can you think of a better opening game to get the contest up and running.

A Bulls loss will be a great confidence boost for all you near neighbours who are looking for your scalp

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:36 am  

Bulliac wrote:

With all due respect, the first game is simply that - it's game 1, in a long, long season.

For sure, it will answer your questions, but they are not really questions of any great value - who wins this game and holds 'all the aces' on the opening day are all things which will have little relevance by the time we hit the business end of the season. For all that, I'm sure both sides will be hoping to 'put down markers' and we have the makings of a good encounter. Looking forward to it and I've got my ticket already!

exactly as stated in press releases, they want to make a point against Leigh without saying they will win, BUT the whole approach and planning to the season is to peak for the super8's. and if there is a question to answer, that answer will be on the 19th July at Odsal, 3pm as that will tell us if either of the teams are up for the super 8s.

This settled thing. We have had an unsettled team for two years maybe more now, due to departures and injuries. Looking at this years squad there are 11 players from last year that are pretty much certs for the 17. The new players would be full back, a wing, a half back, three props. The three props imo will not unsettle the squad, quite the opposite they will settle it. at one point last season we had two specialist props fit (or was it one?) so had Addy, the water carrier, the man on the turnstile playing prop for us. Clough in for Nas, Lauaki in for Fakir, Fleming replacing the loan prop (we only had one at any point in time but how many of them over last season did we have? Mullaney, Nas's mate from Hudderfield, Hughes was it, that lad from Leeds who played for the u19s, etc etc etc) and then in addition Davies and Tahraoui. That leaves three players that could unsettle the match day 17.

The issue maybe more about settled tactics. Last season was a make do, this season they clearly have a game plan that they have chosen the players to match, so its more how do they adapt to the new game plan rather than how many new players there are.

And of course theres that other red herring, the variable quality of grounds in the championship. have they been to the iconic Odsal on a nice day, wind driving the rain across the pitch which is threequarters waterlogged if you can see it for the mist etc etc etc. I think some of these other stadia will be a pleasure to play in after Odsal.

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:56 am  

martinwildbull wrote:

Odsal on a nice day, wind driving the rain across the pitch which is threequarters waterlogged if you can see it for the mist etc etc etc. I think some of these other stadia will be a pleasure to play in after Odsal.

Many of us can fondly recall the day against Wigan when the fog appeared as if from a Horror movie. You'd never get fog that thick in an all-seater stadium. It just wouldn't be the same. It was iconic fog.

[Bulliac]

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 12:28 pm  

I doubt the props will 'unsettle' anything, to be fair. Playing behind some big men going forward is just the way to 'settle' everyone, and also the best way to defend..

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 12:52 pm  

" Leigh's game to lose on paper" as Blotto mentioned, Yes and we are certainly not favourites. I can't help thinking that come game time that if things do not go as "perfectly" as the leigh fans and players are being led to believe and expecting, it may well seriously derail there delusions about what Leigh believe is already a certainty. As a fan, I might say "We will see" COYB

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:00 pm  

Pumpetypump wrote:

Many of us can fondly recall the day against Wigan when the fog appeared as if from a Horror movie. You'd never get fog that thick in an all-seater stadium. It just wouldn't be the same. It was iconic fog.

Yes you couldn't see a thing from the stand. Literally. We were getting bored and starting to talk amongst ourselves when some comedian shouted forward - extremely funny. I often wandered if the players wondered why the hell the stand was laughing its socks off about.

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:55 pm  

Mrs. Slocombe wrote:

Yes you couldn't see a thing from the stand. Literally. We were getting bored and starting to talk amongst ourselves when some comedian shouted forward - extremely funny. I often wandered if the players wondered why the hell the stand was laughing its socks off about.

I remember this well! We only realised when someone had scored at the opposite end when the applause rippled around the (iconic) stands.

[Bulliac]

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:10 pm  

I was on the pop terrace that night, pretty much central and about half way back. The fog went in and out a bit, getting thicker then thinning off, but I did see the try, or sort of saw the try, even though it was on the stand side. At that point you could just about see where the play was, and the fact that Bulls players were jumping up and down to celebrate, told me that the team thought we'd scored an iconic try..

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Defence this year 2015 : Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:13 pm  

I'll have been in pretty much the same place Bulliac (do you recall a lovely young lad, about 16 with a winning smile and Leeds accent?). I know we got a little pass to get in the re-play but am I remembering correctly that the replay had an attendance of 14k? Seemed massive for us at the time.