As an outsider looking in it seems to me that although you ended last season very well you have managed to fall further behind Leigh this off-season.

Whilst they have strengthened with some impressive signings your club has attracted publicity for the wrong reasons with James Lowes rant at the end of the million pound game and now Marc Greens allegations about Salfords salary cap.

Wakefield do look weak but i cant realistically see any more than one team being promoted.

Comparing the team of Leigh to your Bradford team do the majority of you see promotion as unrealistic?

What sort of comparison is that?
Leigh have signed some impressive players and we've.....attracted bad publicity?
So because Marc Green's letter was leaked to the press, that is in some way going to hinder our promotion chances? How?!

For what it's worth I think our squad has strengthened in some areas and weakened in others.
We've signed some more props, which we needed to do. We've also signed some backs and released those who probably weren't good enough.
Last season our scrum half was injured for long periods and pretty lousy for others. His replacement for 2016 is, as of right now, a complete unknown, so it's impossible to say if we've improved in that area.
Losing Mullaney was a huge blow imo. Granted he missed a lot of last season but when he did play he was very influential and, in all honesty, too good for the championship. The jury is still out on who will get our 1 shirt. Maybe Thomas will get it and do well? Maybe Clare can make the switch to fullback a permanent one? Again, it's too early to tell.

So is promotion unrealistic? No more so than last season, and we were one try away from managing it then.

I wouldn't say we have no chance, but i'd suggest it would be slim at this moment.

The only thing I can say is that we have kept the core of what was a team that came within 15mins (and 8pts) of winning promotion back to Super League. We also finished 4pts ahead of Leigh in the qualifiers despite the so called big name signings of Moi Moi, Hock and Higham.

I genuinely don't think that the new additions are going to make that much of a difference. Chase blows hot and cold. Any team he has played in have suffered as everything runs through him. Cas, Salford, England... none have done much with him in the team. Cas have become a much better side since he left and I expect the same will be the case for Salford.

Tonga is past his best as is Patterson. The only signing I'm genuinely impressed with is Harrison Hanson.

Look at the spine of the team and I think we more than match them, even maybe a bit stronger...

Full Back - Campbell/Clare vs McNally = Leigh win
Stand Off - Gaskell vs Ridyard = Bulls win
Scrum Half - Jacks vs Chase/Brierley = Leigh win
Hooker - O' Brien vs Higham = Bulls win
Loose Forward - Addy vs Patterson = 50/50

Think the interesting thing for me is whether we strengthen mid season ahead of the qualifiers and then struggle to settle them into the team (like Leigh did).

Also interested whether Leigh actually have any budget to strengthen down the line should some of their so called big names pick up any injuries.

A lot of ifs and buts... don't think anyone knows hows its all going to pan out but I think its closer than you make out.

I think this question is better being asked in the last 7 games which is what actually matters.

As it stands, yes Leigh have a better squad than ours. But it's a long old season and Leigh have some volatile characters that could implode at any moment.

Injuries and suspensions will always play a part. We'll recruit throughout the season.

Agree with Both his. We haven't made any eye catching signings, but we've kept the core of stars within our team, while improving the depth which we didn't have last year resulting in our star players being flogged to death. In 7 months time I believe we'll have a few additions and be a stronger team.

I think the question will only be answered when people can see how weak the teams are in the bottom 4 of SL.

I don't see either Bradford or Leigh getting promoted without something terrible happening to at least one SL team in the run up to the Middle 8's.

Leigh have signed a number of big names from Salford, however Salford's season last year wasn't what you'd call exemplary. There was clearly some bad feeling behind the closed doors over there and I'm not sure that taking a number of players, who Salford fans seem happy to see the back of, is the best move Leigh could have made

The thing that Bradford have become good at is quietly getting on with business and not overstating our ability. That reflects in the transfers where we are no longer willing (or maybe able) to sign overrated primadonnas that could either catapult the club into the Super League, or drag the club down with them.

I fear for Leigh - their owner has instilled belief into the club and that should be commended, but it seems this belief turned into delusion last year, and now with these signings we have the owner and fans alike thinking they will bulldoze the league and walk the qualifiers.

I would prefer to be a Bulls fans right now. We might not hit dizzy heights week in week out, but we have some stability about us at the moment and the playing staff no longer flatter to deceive. With that, expectation has lessened, and that can only be a good thing for Bradford. Leigh on the other hand could be heading for heartbreak.

I think most Leigh fans are perfectly grounded in their expectations. It is a minority, albeit a very vocal minority, that are predicting world domination and a nice easy stroll into Super League.

Derek is fond of sweeping statements and sometimes it can be a bit much but Paul Rowley is much more reserved and is keen to downplay expectations when possible. I would be much more worried if it was our coach coming out with grand claims and bold predictions. As long as the coach and players know they are on the wrong side of an unfair and badly weighted system then I have no problem with a few fans and the owner coming out with a bit of hot air now and again, even if it is a touch cringe worthy at times. It is only 6 years ago we were all but relegated to Championship 1 so it is understandable that some Leythers are a bit giddy with how far we have come since those dismal days! The club and the whole town is absolutely buzzing and that is a great feeling regardless of how things finish at the end of the season.

I expect a top 2 finish for us and would settle for us showing even a glimpse of what we are capable of when the 8's come around which is more than we managed last year. I hope that is enough to get us into SL but it all seems a long way away at the minute. All focus for us should be on the Batley game for now and worry about the 8's if and when we get there!

Is there any players and coaches salford fans dont slag off who have left.

Common theme is Koukash ess them all off and then Salford fans jump on the band wagon.

It also must be said Salford were doing fine in the league until Leigh knocked them out the cup and lots of injuries set in

It's essentially.... Salford have bad game. Koukash does his "I'm rich and I can do and say what I want" routine, gobs off on Twitter and in the Changing Rooms, the players' morale plummets lower than Leigh in the Middle 8s, and they question why they bother putting the effort in.

Not very professional, but human nature.

I think Widnes, Wakefield and Hull KR are looking favourites for the bottom 4 right now. I'm still not sure of the 4th team though. Salford might be in there again, but a full pre-season with Sheens at the helm might actually mean they scrape above someone else and make the top eight. Maybe Hull FC? They have a good squad on paper but Radford is clueless and their season could easily fall apart.

I would be worried if I was a KR fan. Battered by Hudds in a recent friendly, a handful of injuries already and they don't have any decent cover for Campese who currently has no return date from a long term injury. Plus I don't really rate Chester, so it could be a long season for them.

That sums it up nicely i think.

People keep saying they fear for Leigh because of the players they've signed, personally i fear for Salford should Tim Sheens walk away

I'd be surprised if Radford sees out the season in all honesty

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... ord_Bulls/ Jeez Ross is a miserable git these days isn't he? The club will be ecstatic about that article I'm sure!

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... ord_Bulls/ Jeez Ross is a miserable git these days isn't he? The club will be ecstatic about that article I'm sure!