Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:25 pm  

Fully wrote:

Some of them I know said they would make the top four this season...look how that ended up.

And in response to the other poster, no I am not Stevo but I do believe the gap between the top three or four is starting to close. Proof of that was last night.

I think what you lot are forgetting, is that we were actually in 4th last year at around the half way mark.

We then lost Orford, Donaldson, Langley and a whole load more players in an already bare squad. We had a squad of around 24 last year.

This year, we have a new and improved coach, and an improvement in playing squad to last year. There is cover for injuries and a good crop of youngsters also waiting in the wings.

Bradford are on the up, and still have some quality announcements to make. I'd be highly surprised if they don't get into the top 6 next year.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 7:11 am  

Paul124897 wrote:

I think what you lot are forgetting, is that we were actually in 4th last year at around the half way mark.

We then lost Orford, Donaldson, Langley and a whole load more players in an already bare squad. We had a squad of around 24 last year.

This year, we have a new and improved coach, and an improvement in playing squad to last year. There is cover for injuries and a good crop of youngsters also waiting in the wings.

Bradford are on the up, and still have some quality announcements to make. I'd be highly surprised if they don't get into the top 6 next year.

I made those points earlier. And because it smashes massive holes in the points others are making, it was roundly ignored

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:49 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

well that seems even stranger then considering you have Halley, Platt, and Finnigan to cover FB, and Donaldson, Addy and Langley who are Loose Forwards

Its disappointing for a team like Bradford to be giving a shot to a 28 year old Aussie never-was than there are young ambitious English players like Danny Allan in the 2nd teir and Addy in your reserves

But you were talking about Olbison & Crookes.

Halley is out for 6 months, and even then will have to build up match fitness. Platt has played this whole season at centre, and has only played 1 game at full-back. Finigan is only young and as Mick Potter has shown with the youth at Saints, he will get his chance if he trains hard.

Langley is a 2nd rower now, not a loose, and neither Addy or Donaldson (the latter recovering from serious injury) are ready to hold down a place for the full season.

All IMO of course, but i'm pleased that we will have strength in depth next season.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:52 pm  

iv no problem with strength in depth, its just disappointing see a club like Bradford looking at a player like Shad Royston to provide cover rather than giving an opportunity to their kids, or even other young british players in the lower leagues or on the fringes.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:56 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

iv no problem with strength in depth, its just disappointing see a club like Bradford looking at a player like Shad Royston to provide cover rather than giving an opportunity to their kids, or even other young british players in the lower leagues or on the fringes.

Well, one of our up and comers has switched to Huddersfield for an inflated pay packet. So if you want disappointing I'd point the finger at the Giants first as they're paying over the odds for our young players instead of developing their own.

And you mention going for a british player from the lower leagues, but you're the one bagging Royston simply because HE was signed from the lower league. You might want to go and work on your argument a bit more

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 2:59 pm  

no im 'bagging' Bradford for giving a shot to an unproven 28 year old Aussie instead of a young british player, im not 'bagging' him for being from the lower leagues, id be happy to see you give a chance to a young british player from the lower leagues, i would have praised you for doing so.

And there is no problem with competition for players at youth level, competition breeds innovation.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 3:22 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

no im 'bagging' Bradford for giving a shot to an unproven 28 year old Aussie instead of a young british player, im not 'bagging' him for being from the lower leagues, id be happy to see you give a chance to a young british player from the lower leagues, i would have praised you for doing so.

And there is no problem with competition for players at youth level, competition breeds innovation.

But again, most knowledgeable watchers of the game call Royston the best back in this country not playing SL and most people are surprised it's taken so long for a SL club to snap him up.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:06 pm  

Roofaldo wrote:

I made those points earlier. And because it smashes massive holes in the points others are making, it was roundly ignored

1 of Bradford's 9 wins this season came against a team in the top 6. When you were 4th, other than the comeback win against Wigan, pretty much every one of your wins came against teams that finished below you. Not saying that you wouldn't have finished higher up the table without injuries but I don't think you were anywhere near a top 4 side this year.

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:17 pm  

Adamjk wrote:

1 of Bradford's 9 wins this season came against a team in the top 6. When you were 4th, other than the comeback win against Wigan, pretty much every one of your wins came against teams that finished below you. Not saying that you wouldn't have finished higher up the table without injuries but I don't think you were anywhere near a top 4 side this year.

We got a draw against Leeds at Headingley. Even in the poor form Leeds have been in this season, there's still not many teams that get points there.

And, even though we were in 4th, we weren't a top 4 side. Hmmmm. That makes perfect sense

Re: 2011 SL Transfers : Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:26 pm  

Roofaldo wrote:

We got a draw against Leeds at Headingley. Even in the poor form Leeds have been in this season, there's still not many teams that get points there.

And, even though we were in 4th, we weren't a top 4 side. Hmmmm. That makes perfect sense

Way to spectacularly miss the point. I assume if you were 1st after 1 game, we'd be calling you the best team in the league, eh?

I don't think you would have stayed in the top 4 over the course of the season. 6 of your 9 wins came against teams outside that finished outside the playoffs. That speaks volumes about Bradford this season - without the injuries, (which every team has to put up with anyway) a middle of the table team.