1. Paul Wellens, 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 5. Francis Meli, 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Sean Long, 9. Keiron Cunningham, 10. James Graham, 11. Lee Gilmour, 12. Jon Wilkin, 13. Chris Flannery, 14. James Roby, 15. Bryn Hargreaves, 16. Tony Puletua, 17. Paul Clough, 18. Kyle Eastmond, 19. Chris Dean, 21. Gary Wheeler, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu. Bradford’s Head Coach, Steve McNamara, will choose from: 1. Michael Platt, 2. Rikki Sheriffe, 3. Paul Sykes, 5. Semi Tadulala, 6. Ben Jeffries, 8. Sam Burgess, 9. Terry Newton, 10. Andy Lynch, 11. Steve Menzies, 13. Jamie Langley, 15. Matt Cook, 16. Michael Worrincy, 17. Nick Scruton, 19. Craig Kopczak, 20. Dave Halley, 24. Julien Rinaldi, 26. David Solomona, 28. Elliot Whitehead, 29. Tom Olbison. saintsrlfc.com/news/1719

1. Paul Wellens, 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 5. Francis Meli, 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Sean Long, 9. Keiron Cunningham, 10. James Graham, 11. Lee Gilmour, 12. Jon Wilkin, 13. Chris Flannery, 14. James Roby, 15. Bryn Hargreaves, 16. Tony Puletua, 17. Paul Clough, 18. Kyle Eastmond, 19. Chris Dean, 21. Gary Wheeler, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu. Bradford’s Head Coach, Steve McNamara, will choose from: 1. Michael Platt, 2. Rikki Sheriffe, 3. Paul Sykes, 5. Semi Tadulala, 6. Ben Jeffries, 8. Sam Burgess, 9. Terry Newton, 10. Andy Lynch, 11. Steve Menzies, 13. Jamie Langley, 15. Matt Cook, 16. Michael Worrincy, 17. Nick Scruton, 19. Craig Kopczak, 20. Dave Halley, 24. Julien Rinaldi, 26. David Solomona, 28. Elliot Whitehead, 29. Tom Olbison. saintsrlfc.com/news/1719

That is a truely poor bulls squad

I don't think its a poor squad I just think its filled with a lot of similar standard players, they aren't poor by any means, they just need more play makers I think.

It is not their best - the pack still looks capable though on its day

Burgess
Satan
Lynch
Solomona
Menzies
Langley

That has pace, power and craft when on form but they are really not firing at the moment, if they do it will be a lot harder than Warrington found it.

Their backs look thrown together by a team short on money and options get on top of their forwards and we should have no major threats...but we can't be complacent.

Expecting Leon to miss this one regardless and Dean to miss out if Flannery is back

when are we going to start to rest some of our forwards.

We're playing Bradford this week, surely that counts as a rest

haha

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Gilmour
Meli
Pryce/Wheeler
Long
Puletua
Cunningham
Graham
Wilkin
Clough
Flannery

Roby
Fa'asavalu
Eastmond
Hargreaves

If Bradford see that they wont turn up

Wellens
Ade
Gidley
Dean
Meli
Pryce
Long
Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Gilmour
Wilkin
Clough

Roby
Hargreaves
Flannery
Fa'asavalu

Wheeler to play if Leon is dropping soap.

Halley
Sheriffe
Sykes
Menzies
Tadulala
Jeffries
Rinaldi
Lynch
Newton
Kopzcak
Langley
Solomona
Burgess

Scruton
Worrincy
Platt
Cook

I'm sure I read in Monday's League Express that Solomona was out injured again.

From superleague site www.superleague.co.uk/preview.php?id=3705 and from bulls site www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/news/418 ... AN%20SQUAD They maybe hoping he is ok for Friday?

From superleague site www.superleague.co.uk/preview.php?id=3705 and from bulls site www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/news/418 ... AN%20SQUAD They maybe hoping he is ok for Friday?

Beavermania

That cheered me back up!

That Bradford squad is appalling, whoever has managed recruitment at the Bulls for the past 3 years needs shooting. Too old, too slow, no creation, poor defensively, generally just appalling.

Saints by at least 20 on Friday, if we have an off day. If we decide to play, we may need to declare I think.

So you are in agreement with many of my fellow fans, McNamara needs shooting.

1. Paul Wellens, 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 5. Francis Meli, 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Sean Long, 9. Keiron Cunningham, 10. James Graham, 11. Lee Gilmour, 12. Jon Wilkin, 13. Chris Flannery, 14. James Roby, 15. Bryn Hargreaves, 16. Tony Puletua, 17. Paul Clough, 18. Kyle Eastmond, 19. Chris Dean, 21. Gary Wheeler, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu.

Wellens
Gardner
Gidley
Dean
Meli
Pryce/Eastmond/Wheeler
Long
Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Gilmour
Wilkin
Clough

Roby
Hargreaves
Fa'asavalu
Flannery

Us by 44

on Paper the Bradford pack is very good, and you can see how Leeds struggled.

The backs and halves are very ordinary though.
Michale Platt in particular is stealing a living at the moment

I think its more down to having no money at all, i cant imagine they are anywhere near cap with that squad, if they are they need more than shooting.

I have no doubt its down to money but there must be questions as to how they have ended up in that state ?

They had great crowds for a few years.
They had good success for a few years.
Somebody sanctioned signing Harris, despite the obvious concerns.
Where has the money gone from their success ?

If I were a Bulls fan, I'd be thinking somebody, somewhere has to answer for the catostrophic situation they have been put in. I see only one way for them and it isnt upwards. They look like fodder for a long time to me the Bulls and its a shame after what they offered the SL in its infancy.

The truth is that Saints and the Bulls were very similar, in stadia, crowds, success and both clubs had no money. Saints took the veiw that we will strive for the best players so we will win as much as poss and be in nearly all major finals, getting big crowds and winning prize money to pay for the players. The bulls board played it safe and massively reduced their wage bill and tried to live within their means. One tactic was very risky but has proved much more successful. I would doubt bulls are granted another franchise at this rate.

That would possibly be down to the talent we have enjoyed in our team and in our coaching staff perhaps?

I don't think so.

The big crowds were based on free tickets, they were probably never rolling in cash, as we've never been. However the signing of Harris has bitten them on the , he's cost them a bomb cap wise and damaged their finances after fighting a costly court case. As such they have never been able to replace big game players, added to Noble slowly running them into the ground, followed by McNamara, who speeded the process up.

We've been lucky in a lot of respects, though good judgement plays a very large part, when we've lost players and coaches the scouting system and backroom decisions have paid off and we've never really missed anyone for any length of time. What if one of the coaching appointments hadn't worked out? Millward, for example, was a big gamble that could quite easily have failed. We could be in their position given a few poor choices.

Fortune favours the brave

long may we reign