Shows how much of a tool you are really. Whats wrong with saying outplayed, or owned? Or something less offensive?

Sheriffe has officially left the Bulls BTW.

Bradford won't make the 8 again, well unless Big Ian Sibbit pulls a cat out of the bag week in week out

Biggest signing for the Bulls is Potter. Confident of top 8 finish.

Outplayed then.

This would be Sibbit the squad player? Signed to give a bit more experience to the Bulls back line so should there be injuries the work load isn't forced onto our young players and therefore avoid risking damage to their development?

Is there really not a better youngster in Bradfords reserve who would benefit (and as such Benefit Bradford) by being their first choice backline cover ahead of a 28 year old lower league Australian? Surely Olbison, Crookes, Finnigan etc would be better long term for Bradford, They are 19/20 so they should really be moving towards first team if they are to become SL regulars

Yes, there are young players at Bradford, and that's the point of giving the new guys 1 or 2 year deals. They are there to provide cover and mean that we don't have drop a ton of responsibility onto the shoulders of young lads like Whitehead and Donaldson.

Bringing on youth players is about a bit more than dropping your best into the deep end and seeing if they swim. Players like Sibbit allow the youngsters time to physically and mentally develop, rather than just shoving them out into the first team, watching them flounder, shattering their confidence and basically destroying any chance they had of reaching their potential

Same as Fozzard at Cas. I like Donaldson, he has a big future. Any sign of the Burgess twins on the horizon next season?

Yes, Donaldson has a big future, and his injury last season was a great shame for the lad. But he's still only 18.

The Burgess twins moved up to the u20's at the start of 2010. Took them a little while to adjust but they've been improving most of the year. I'd expect them to possibly make an appearance off the bench in the cup depending on who we get, but I think they're still a little way off SL

But Roystonwont be covering for Whitehead and Donaldson will he? More Crookes and Olbison who need game time. Im not suggesting you throw them in the deepend but surely their game time will come as cover, where is the sense in signing Royston to provide that cover?

Should Sykes, Nero, Ah Van etc be taking on the responisibility?

Could be, as he has played at LF before. However, no-one would be in doubt that Bradford's back line this year was definitely lacking.

Olbison is a 2nd rower. Crookes unfortunatly looks like he might not make the grade.

However, the only area that Bradford current are lacking in is half backs. We've got Southernwood, but he's another one who's still at least a year away from being ready for a full SL season and we've still got the large question marks over Orford's future.

I just really cant see what Royston offers. No-one expects a lot from Bradford, and Royston isnt going to be the difference. Surely giving Crookes the chance, or even Olbison out of position, would serve Bradford better going forward than Royston.

You can't see what the best back in the country not currently playing SL offers?

i cant see what a 28 year old Australian who has no experience of first grade and has been judged not good enough for SL for the past 7 years offers as a cover player that Bradford wouldnt be get better value long-term from giving game time to Olbison or Crookes.

From what I've heard, Royston plays best at FB or LF, Crookes is a centre, and Olbison a 2nd rower. Where's the problem?

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

Quote ="SmokeyTA"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'" Yup it really is bad to see.......www.castigers.com/article.php?id=1021

Quote ="SmokeyTA"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'" Yup it really is bad to see.......www.castigers.com/article.php?id=1021

Quote ="Easty"Yup it really is bad to see.......www.castigers.com/article.php?id=1021 '" Except we only have four quota players - Widders, Youngquest, McGoldrick and Chase. Five overseas if you count Evans. On the other side of the coin we have 14 homegrown players in our squad this season, many of which we have brought through since our promotion in 2007 - three years. (Owen, Huby, Westerman, Milner, Harris, Orange, Holmes, Davies, Walker, Orr, Arundel, Massey, Thompson, Clark). OK, three of those - Clark, Orange and Harris - are yet to make their debut but I've no doubt they'll be part of the squads this season. Bit of a stupid link/comment to make really wasn't it?

Quote ="Easty"Yup it really is bad to see.......www.castigers.com/article.php?id=1021 '" Except we only have four quota players - Widders, Youngquest, McGoldrick and Chase. Five overseas if you count Evans. On the other side of the coin we have 14 homegrown players in our squad this season, many of which we have brought through since our promotion in 2007 - three years. (Owen, Huby, Westerman, Milner, Harris, Orange, Holmes, Davies, Walker, Orr, Arundel, Massey, Thompson, Clark). OK, three of those - Clark, Orange and Harris - are yet to make their debut but I've no doubt they'll be part of the squads this season. Bit of a stupid link/comment to make really wasn't it?

Not at all. The comment made was "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" Have Cas not done the same thing albeit with a 27 yr old?

Not really. He improves our squad and adds experience to help bring through the youth we've brought through in the past few seasons. Simples really isn't it.

That's fundamentally the argument that Bradford fans are using, however, in the case of Youngquest, we don't have an abundance of wingers chomping at the bit ready to come into the first team squad. The lads in our academy are very much raw and still 16/17.

it is a little disappointing Cas have plumped for Youngquest, there are a fair few wingers out there they could have gone for instead, Zak Hardaker springs to mind

Though coming from a Hull KR fan it seems a little strange what with their continued employment of Fisher and Lovegrove and signing of Blake Green

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

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.