If, while perusing the forthcoming season’s fixture list, it had been noted that six of our first ten games were to be played at home, yet none of the ten were to include games against Wigan, Warrington, St. Helens or Leeds, I’d imagine the Bulls organization would have been well pleased. Whilst the season eventually balances itself out, such a ‘weak’ opening schedule could have yielded the Bulls 8 wins- or more, giving the club confidence and a winning mentality, ahead of more testing fixtures to come. Well, for the Bulls- read Castleford, a team offered, by the fixture compilers, a flying start and the same opportunity to accumulate form and confidence. Having also just lost Westerman and Shenton, this schedule must have been a godsend. Though Cas have yet to face the real big guns, doing so with 7-8 wins under your belt, and a good league position to boot, gives a team confidence and momentum for the challenges ahead. It reminded me of the mid sixties, when Northern lead a single 30 team table for most of the season, yet their fixtures were considerably weaker than many others, as your club didn’t face every team in the league at that time. Accumulating wins and leading the table, whilst lacking the ability of a Wigan or St Helens, gave Northern confidence against the bigger teams when they came around.
However, while i’m here, following the games v Catalans and Warrington, Bulls will have completed 48% of their games (13 from 27,) with an eminently losable 14th game at Craven Park to follow. On current form, Bulls could easily find themselves with four wins from fourteen games- third bottom of the league, and playoff hopes in tatters.
While I understand the current Bulls organization to be ‘a work in progress’, remedial action is required, if season and crowds are not to dwindle into obscurity. Unfortunately, Mick Potter interviews are only a little more inspiring than Avram Grant’s, though an upturn in fortunes, with regards form and injuries, may keep the natives happy.
More importantly, I feel a strong Challenge Cup showing is now vital, as lifting this trophy, or reaching the final at least, would probably save the season, and give impetus to the next. Again, on current form, and had Halifax not been 0-5, I would be very concerned about this tie. It appears we’re not to see the influx of playmakers so desperately lacking, so let’s hope we can find some form, a respectable league position, and a visit to Wembley. If not, I fear 6,000 attending our final home league game v Crusaders- and an 11,000 crowd announced.
Bradford City’s initial cheap season ticket offer attracted 12,200 takers, while this season’s uptake fell by 2,600 - to 9,600. Following another poor showing, next season’s ticket sales will dip below 9,000- a drop of 25% over two or three seasons. The fanfare, which heralded the Bulls new season risks falling flat on its face, with next years season tickets sales taking a dive, following several years of decline and underachievement- similar to Bradford City.
Thursday’s crowd was terrific, and made me wonder how many more it would have attracted, had Bulls and Leeds been challenging at the top, had taken place on a Sunday afternoon, and without live TV. Moreover, how many of the 11,000 ticket holders would attend title challenging Bulls games, paying normal season ticket and admission charges. I cannot see circa 20K crowds being the norm, with Bulls and Leeds failing to challenge Wigan, Saints and Wire. With Salford hitting us for 56 last week, and Wire more than returning the compliment today, i’m really looking forward to the Warrington game.
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