Hey, don't rant at me. I have never once agreed with the decision to let him go. It was stupid and will come back to haunt us. But he did spend a lot of time injured, through the fact that he always gave 100 percent. Something we are badly lacking. I would still take Morrison for half the games over some of the wasters we saw yesterday. My only point is that if, and its an if, Morrison spends half the season injured at Wakefield, then its not such a bad call. Its still absolutely gutting to see him in Wakefield shirt though.
He gave my daughter an autograph tht other day though and wrote Come on you Bulls under his name. So his heart is still with us! [size=50(Nothing to do with the fact she had her Morrison 12 Bulls shirt on obviously...)[/size

As one of those home fans I can only agree. I really didn't enjoy yesterday and don't fancy paying £18 to see it happen again on Friday and have to question why I put myself through it. I know that the 5 people in my group won't be at the Cas game for sure. One has specifically not got a season ticket this year so they could pick and choose games rather than have to endure our awful home performances again.

I think most of it has been covered.

We were awful, that's simple. It wasn't the ref or the linesmen's fault, it was ours.

Points of particular concern for me:

1. The crowd. First home game, one of our biggest rivals, new signings playing there first home game, etc etc and yet we pull a shade over 10k. This game 10 years ago (no being on sky) would have pulled 17-18k? I'd guess.

2. Goal line defence. We built pressure in there end with repeat sets and don't score. The first sniff they get up at our end and they pretty much "fell" over the try line.

3. The lack of creativity. The 17 on paper looks pretty damn good (although 2/3 players short of where we'd ideally be). We have one of the best 7's around, yet we never even look like scoring. (I think I'd create more!)

4. The lack of hunger. Especially in defence. Watching other teams go out there, I wonder what is being said to (de) motivate our guys!

5. School boy errors. Some of it's under 11 stuff. Whether you've gelled or not, given the money these guys are being paid, they should be able to pass correctly, catch and keep hold of the ball better than we are.
This was a big difference in the sides yesterday. Saints passing was crisp and clinical. Ours, well wasn't.

6. The pitch. That can't be helping and while I'm having a moan, I may as well get that in!


Things need to turn around pretty damn quick for me. The players we have out there should be doig better, simple as. And as it stands I can only see one reason why they aren't. I hope to god he turns it around.

The pitch was good enough for Saints side that's a shadow of previous ones!

If I and many others can see we're stood too flat and players taking the ball stood still or after a 2m run up is utterly ineffective then surely the players can see it too? Saints had runners, options, ran onto the ball at speed and supported each other. All basic RL skills but seeminingly alien to our lot.

I sort of know where you're coming from, but I know you're a fan, and where will fans be (if at all possible) on Friday? You know it makes sense



Going back a few years I remember being stuffed by Wigan 71 - 10 in a cup match at Bolton, which was sort of an embarrassment (it was on national tv, after all) even though Wigan were the greatest side ever seen up to then. We played them again at Central Park about three weeks later in a match that Wigan needed to win to secure the championship, and IIRC we only took the one coach. I'm glad I went though 'cos we sort of got a moral victory by only losing by fifty odd points (ish). Which errm, sort of just shows that it's best to stick with your team. I think.

I'd like to be a fly-on-the-wall (as I'm sure everyone would) at training and for the dressing room team talks.

The culture seems too matey to me. You know how a lot of players always have great things to say about McNanamara, I wonder if he's too much of a chum? I'm willing to bet the air wasn't blue in that dressing room after the game yesterday when it should have been. I can imagine him walking in and saying, "well lads that was disappointing but we'll fix it up this week won't we?" with a few nodding heads and then away you go.

It's said there are two types of manager - popular and effective. I think in Steve we have the former (with the players not the fans obviously).

On the subject of game plan he doesn't know any different. Working as an assistant at Bradford he's become accustomed to biffing it up the middle and is obviously hoping that with a bit more discipline field position will come and we can somehow turn that to our advantage (perhaps relying too much on Orford to create something magical near the line).

Mmm, the more I think about it the more things make sense. Easter should be the turning point if there isn't a massive improvement soon.

I still have this feeling though that one time it's going to just come together and we're going to muller someone. It will probably be just one game but it might make us feel better.

I never!

No, you shouldn't kid yourself that everyone in the crowd is someone with some personal committment to the Bulls, what about those who are not committed followers, just people who have choices of how they are going to spend their "entertainments" budget?

I dont see how you can say the players are 'matey' with Macca just because they say good things in the press about him. What do you expect them to do? Slate the coach in local media?

Danny Sculthorpe...............

I was at the semi in 92, it was an odd day because I don't think anyone seriously expected us to win the game. Our main aim by that time of the season was stopping up really. Funnily enough we'd just changed coaches and brought in someone proven who could stop the rot. Thanks to him we stayed up and the club was saved from oblivion. I wonder if the same sort of thing will happen this time?

History does tend to repeat itself.........

I think Sir Peter is retired nowadays tho!

I'm sure we can find a 21st century version of him though. A reincarnation if you will.

Darryl Powell's at Fev these days. Not sure he's the right man but who knows?

Considering yesterday's performance the Featherstone fans don't rate him right now. They can't even qualify for the quarter finals now.

Ive seen kearny on sky in your 1st 2 games of the season and he looks very very poor! I don't see what he brings to the game at all, he really looks poor.

I know it's his 1st 2 games for the bulls but i can't see anything to his game.

Has Connor Murphy got his coaching badges? he does a good line in uplifting motivation, and clearly knows his stuff, so maybe give him a shot...

(and the scary thing is...I'm not sure if I'm joking...)

I am speechless! Go have a lie down Sam. Jeeesus you've flipped.

It had to happen eventually. Clearly Sunday was the final straw for him. I think we all need to pray for an eventual recovery, although the signs are not promising.

Sam has always been the most level-headed bloke I've come across. That's why its so incredibly sad to see him so profoundly affected by our predicament. Seeing the poor befuddled sod suggesting Daryl Powell as a viable choice of coach is nothing short of heartbreaking.

Darryl Powell isnt actual as bad a shout as some of you are thinking. Remember it was he that nurtured and blooded most of the current SL champs homegrown stars. Glory would have come to Powell if he'd have remained, it was just a mtter of time.

Can the same be said of Macca then with the work he has done at youth level?

Powell managed to improve Leeds performances during his time as head coach.

You can't say the same about McNamara's time as head coach at Bradford.

The comparison is flawed given the resources available to them are likely to be different but the fact remains that results aren't getting any better and we should be looking at a new coach. Whether that's now or in 10 games or at the end of the season I reckon we need some fresh ideas.

No one did expect us to win in '92 and sure enough we didn't disappoint! The pies had an awesome team though and absolutely no one else would have expected to win either.

As for changing the coach, to be honest I'm far from sure the club could afford to come to a payoff agreement and sign someone else, always assuming that a suitable 'someone else' is available, of course. I know Hood said there was money available for a new signing (and room under the cap) but to be honest I personally wouldn't regard using that cash as a payoff to be the best use of that money. If we're just as dire after a dozen games or so then maybe things would change, again assuming that there is someone available.

I'm pretty confident things will turn round though..........I hope!