I agree with this. It was evidenced best for me at Cas earlier this season, when Platt did really well and made a number of breaks. The woman behind me continued to blame absolutely every Bulls mistake on Platt. That seems to be the general consensus now.

While I don't think he's ever going to be a world beater or a top player, he's not as bad as a lot of people make out. If it wasn't for those "brainfarts" and maybe a little bit too much sideways running, nobody would have a problem with him.

But it's difficult for anyone to argue that Halley isn't worthy of the spot at the moment, as the kid is doing damn well. Sadly, if Halley does leave at the end of the year and we don't bring in another fullback, despite Platt being decent, it would be a backwards step to have him as first choice.

I'm not one who has condemned him and I don't think you were including me in that statement.

I've said much the same as you in that the core skills seem to be there but he needed some focused coaching to hone and bring out the best of those.

Unfortunately as it stands, there doesn't seem to have been much improvement from Platt. (Granted he's been moved around a bit lately).

What's his best position?
Do we simply use him as a back up full back?

One thing is for sure, there's little point in using him as a bench warmer.

Possibly loan him out to NL? Give him time to re-find his confidence. He is definitely a SL player when on-form.

Possibly could be an option.
It certainly makes no sense for him to carry on what he's doing IMO.

I'm sure Widnes would take him. They seem to take every Super League back that's not getting regular footy.

What I reckon with Platt is that he never had any reputation as a brainfarting liability till that short recent spell with us, so I don't think it's just a part of his game in some Gary Sprake sort of way. Maybe a mixture of over-desire to impress and lack of confidence, i really don't know.

What i do know is that we have a youngish player who was the NL Young Player of the Year in 2004, who was picked for the GB squad from Cas in 2005, and of course scored 14 tries in 13 games for us. Some seem to think all this was a flash in the pan, but it wasn't, or if it was, it were a bloody Hiroshima-sized flash.

So I still reckon we have acquired an extremely good player in Platt, but the problem Mac now has is that Platt is exposed at centre (because it's just not his position, and Halley is suddenly blossoming and playing out of his skin at FB. It is a nice problem to have but I agree we can't keep Platt as a benchwarmer. Equally it would be a crime to drop Halley. So the logical answer is one of them goes, as I doubt either of them is up for prolonged spells back in the reserves.

Platty is an average super league player, not potentially good, not potentailly very good and definatley not an extremley good player. His errors come thick and fast and are often catostrophic and the good things he does are few and far between to compensate for these errors. Yes he did start his career very well, the first half of his first season he started very well, (it was definatley flash in the pan). He does have the odd good game but he hasn't kicked on and he has definatley become a liability for us on most occasions when he plays. Call it lack of confidence if you wan't as to why he makes the mistakes, I call it a lack of intelligence and being unaware of his surroundings like a good full back should be.

For all his talent I just dont think Platt is capable of the intense concentration required of a SL player. The moment that summed him up for me was the last play of the first half at Salford. They had a tap penalty just inside our half as the hooter sounded. It was 99% certain that ball would be kicked. Yet Platt was aimlessly wandering about less than 5 yards behind our defensive line. When the ball was kicked his expression was one of complete surprise. He just about managed to get back to take the ball at the second attempt but you would have thought he'd never played rugby before.

Quote ="af"Give us a shout when the highlights are up, cheers. www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=361'" They're up now.

Quote ="af"Give us a shout when the highlights are up, cheers. www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=361'" They're up now.

Look, we all know of his problems but don't be daft. A player who has been picked for the GB squad is, by definition, not "average".



If you exagerrate much more you'll have him up for the Jack The Ripper murders!


If you really think that full seasons of playing, and 14 unblemished games with a tally of 13 tries and plenty of outstanding play, is a "flash in the pan", then you must be really, really stupid. Or maybe not understand English.

Where has that player gone? Can you find any evidence of a quality player from this or last seasons performances? I agree, Platt was a good player when we got him, I don't know what changed that, but it's either down to lack of confidence or he cba.

I'm not being daft, he's average. There are plenty of players that have been picked for GB that are average players in the professional ranks,. Exageration? Look no further than 'an extremley good player' for an exageration of a players talent's. 13 tries in his first 14 games for us was indeed 'flash in the pan', he hasn't done anything since his first 3 months with us in his now 2 seasons that even remotley suggests that it was anything other than' flash in the pan'.

Platty hasn't replicated anything like the form he showed for us at the beggining of his Bulls career. He can not reproduce it because he is simply not good enough to do so. Call it 'flash in the pan', 'begginers luck' call it anything you like, that kind have form from Mike has passed and will be never seen again, unfortunatley.

Mystic Meg?

Great keeping the ball alive for Nero's try, and vision from Jeffries. Does he get an assist for that?

Look, the vast majority of players are never picked for GB so those that are are by definition above average.

Platt has as you very well know had serious injury to contend with in those "2 seasons".

You're retending some excellent performances this season haven't happened, to suit your biased position.

And however many times you repeat it to yourself, playing well for 14 consecutive games and scoring at an average of a try a game was not, is not and never will be "a flash in the pan". It's over half a bleedin' season man!

No, you look. Michael Platt has never been picked for GB, show me one game where he has played for our countries top flight national side, show me one cap belonging to Michael Platt that says GB on it? Please do so, I'll be waiting.

What serious injury has Michael Platt had again, I can't recall any that are really serious, only run of the mill bumps and bruises where he has missed the odd game here and there, hamstrings, tight muscles etc etc. Platty has never been seriously injured whilst playing for us Bulls.(I dont think)

I'm not pretending some excellent performances haven't happened at all, I have stated that he sometimes playes very well, which he does, no arguments on that one. My opinion isn't biased, it's realistic to the form and performances that Michael has produced whil$t playing for us, which is inconsistent and often dire.

Half /14 games, whatever you prefer to call it, Michael Platt has failed to deliver anything of value to the Bradford Bulls despite a showy beggining which is indeed 'flash in the pan'.

Nope. I just know it will not happen. He's had 2 and a half seasons with us now and despite his flash in the pan start and the very occasional odd game, there has been absolutley nothing to suggest that his early Bulls form will happen again. It certainley won't whilst Halley is playing like he is anyway.

And say -god forbid-, we have another second rower out, a centre, and Deacon. Menzies moves to Stand-off, we are a centre short, we put Platt in. Platt played awfully in his first game at centre, but in his second he was much improved and was a MoM contender. If Platt ends up back in the centres and continues to improve, I think your posts regarding Platt will be a very different tone. I have been one to crticise Platt in the past, but I have no reason to critisize him when he's not even playing, and I would be willing to give him another chance if injuries permit.

The only reason he will end up in the centre is if two of Menzies/Nero and Sykes are injured at the same time, which is not impossible but not really likley either. He isn't continuing to improve though is he? He played well for us at the start and hasn't kicked on from his good form shown at the start of his Bulls career. This season he lost his place at full back because of his poor form and doesn't look likley to win it back either, but he has been filling in here and their though and has been just the same as usual which is average/poor and and occasional good performance. Just to let you know though, he is playing, 13/15 games this season he's featured in our 17.

I'm willing to give all our players a chance and that includes Platt also and I hope they all succeed in their careers at Bulls. It doesn't change the fact that Platt is destined to be an average ability super league player though.

Doh! I always assumed it was someone called Jack.

We have two players fighting for the fullback jersey, it's good to have competition IMO. Personally I prefer Halley there but we do need cover. If Platt's not happy being back up then put him up for sale and use Hyde as backup.

I agree. I've only seen Hyde once, but he impressed me.

Hyde? You could be on to something; not a lot of people know that Platt's mum's maiden name was Jekyll, so he and Hyde should work well in tandem

Yes you might say we've seen too much of Hyde already!