I assume you are aiming that at me

When I mention how teams like Halifax and York shouldn't be outbidding for players it isn't a comment about either Halifax or York, it's about where WE (after all this is the Bulls forum) see ourselves these days.

If Nigel Wood and his cohorts are happy for Bradford Bulls to be a mid-table Championship team, competing with Halifax, York, Batley, Sheffield etc to make up the numbers in the play-offs, so that we can be cannon-fodder for the two or three teams that are serious about going into Super League, then fine. Just don't try and project an image of being SL aspirants.

See what I'm saying? It's about HOW the powers-that-be at the Bulls - who have done precisely NOTHING to connect with and build trust with the many disaffected fans like me - see the next few years. Not even bidding for, or getting outbid for, a player like Joe Keyes when our main half back for next season is guy who is touching 40 years old doesn't make me confident about our aspiration level

As it happens, given the squad building, it's a testament to John Kear that we are in the position that we are! I had us down for soemwhere around 6th-8th place this season

So I’m assuming people on here know that we were outbid for Keyes and not that maybe Keyes fancied Halifax more than us, then it doesn’t matter what we offer? Maybe Keyes didn’t fancy coming back, I think he lives in Halifax, he will be main HB at Fax next year not 1 out of 3 with us or are we just going to assume we didn’t offer enough. It amazes me how many people complain when players leave especially when sometimes players just fancy a change. Let’s face it most people move house during their life and it’s not always down to money sometimes change in circs or maybe just fancy a change?

Keyes will be 1 out of 3 at Fax next year.

When can we expect to see Elliot Kear?

I see he's finished his training and is based at Fairweather Green, so it can't be too long

I'm not sure who you mean by 1 out of 3. Lilley looks like he could well be moving on, Brough will be almost 40 next season, the chances of him playing in every game are slim.

We've seen what happens when we go into a season with two half-backs. You get injuries, suspensions etc - then you get a winger filling in at half back.

A team with aspirations at the top of the Championship needs three half backs to deal with the rigours of a long season.

Personally I don’t think Lilley will move on you see those type of stories in t and a every year in contract season… his business is hear as is Kear there are other halves available I’d have a look at Jouffret maybe one or two Others about too

I’ll have a wager Lilley stays

The bulls budget won’t stretch to 3 HBs of the quality of Brought, Lilley and Keyes. If it does there will be serious gaps elsewhere and/or depth

Like I say you can get a perfectly reasonable 3rd half without blowing your budget at this level plus Race is coming of age