Can only hope.

I pretty much expected this result. When the pressure is on, and the game is being televised you can guarantee the Bulls will thoroughly bottle it and play like a load of blokes who just met 10 minutes beforehand in a pub.



Just awful.



This coach is way out of his depth. Being a nice bloke and having a copy of the 'Steve NcNamara big book of excuses' isn't enough. And he was the best option. Wow.

Im not trying to rub it in when I say this but I really didn't think much of Bradford when we played a couple of weeks back, I'm not saying they are bad, I just thought they were pretty average but we were really, really bad and still ended up in with a shout at the end of the game. I still think that when we get ideal conditions pretty much like last night there is still a bit of a gulf between the two teams and there isn't many Bradford players that I would take at Fax.

I fully agree with the thrust of your post, but I have to pick you up on this bit.



Leigh has been loaning players left right and centre for years, and doesn't have an Academy (because they aren't allowed one, but still). In fact, they've had loan players THIS season in SL - Joe Shorrocks, who is now in the Wigan first team, was on loan at Leigh earlier in the season.



Most clubs utilise the loan system at one time or another - including Halifax and York, whose fans were bagging the Bulls for it.



That said, I think we are leaning FAR too much on loans and DR this season.

As above, I don't think you were anywhere near as bad as we were two weeks ago and if you had completed at less than 30% in either half last week like we did then the score would have been a lot worse. It does show though when we can be that bad and still end up in the game near the end but Bradford play pretty bad and we blow them off the park.

The Bulls need to move on from Dunning now, if we're to rescue the season. This squad is badly underperforming and if he's as vanilla and cliched in the dressing room as he is in his interviews, the lack of motivation seems pretty obvious. If we're serious about going up this is the season to do it, before the IMG franchise model kicks in and the door is closed for a very, very long time.

Probably fair, the scoreline definitely flattered Halifax two weeks ago. Bradford kept Halifax in with a shout because of inability to stick to a game plan and grind a game out. Widnes walloped Halifax not so long since, but they have been pretty average and inconsistent as well - I guess it is an issue at Championship level.



I’m not sure I agree about a ‘gulf’ in quality we are 9 games in on equal points and 1-1 in games against and you’re signing journeyman like Dan Fleming, so you’ve definitely got a few players I wouldn’t take either!!



I do think this squad is underperforming though and could be a lot better side with a higher calibre coach.

from a fax fan i thought both those lads had a good go for you and should get more of a run in your team going forward.

There is massive underinvestment to the extent that I don't think we can afford to pay Dunning off (if that is the answer). We are now just a mediocre team in a run down town.

We've been this for the last 5 years plus!

Surely we can stretch to a packet of crisps and a sausage roll? His contract can’t be worth much.

That is a massive understatement...

Bradford a run down town! It makes Mixenden look like London!