The suddenly resurgent Bulls could make quite s statement with another thumping win against s team above us in the table and I expect they will.

No Gaskell but the following players may be available that did not play at Oldham: Addy, Clough, Moss, Purtell, Ferguson, Williams, Caro, Kavanagh, Lovegrove, Lauaki, Mathers.

Guess Batley scouts will have learned little from last night when you consider the players missing.

That's the thing. Under Lowes you didn't need to scout Bradford. You knew what the team would be before it was announced and you knew how they'd play. Now, we're a different animal and adding back those missing players to the line up will make us a tougher opponent than when we collapsed to a draw against Batley earlier this year

John Kear will be relishing meeting an up and coming Coach in Rohan and showing him that the old dog still has a few tricks left in the coaching locker, Disco will be a beneficiary in the long run as he benefits from both Coaches system of plays!

Don't think we'll thump them. Batley are third for being consistent and this is a game that has John Kear written all over it. That said i think we'll just edge it then we'll be third (despite some media commentators thinking and a for has set in at the club). Interesting what everyone thinks we should line up like. For me we have 5 props playing well so lets go big.

1. Moss
2. Ryan
3. Walshaw
4. Welham
5. Clare
6. Thomas
7. Charnock
8. Crossley
9. O'Brien
10. Sidlow
11. Ferguson
12. Addy
13. Clark

14. Lumb
15. Lauaki
16. Clough
17. Pitts

Campbell unlucky to miss out but thought Walshaw and Ryan looked solid. Absolutely massive game this.

Not sure I'd put Ryan and Wallshaw on the same wing. Both are good lads but if you have them both on the same side then that's the side that Kear will focus on. Better to pair one with Clare and the other with Welhem

Batley will play their normal tactics, ie lie on, hands in, short 10m wtc to slow the game down when defending followed by looking for the deck to get a qptb on attack, similar to your attacking style at Blackpool.

Looking forward to going to this game. Hope Bradford are switched on as i know Batley will turned up switched on.

Kear is that sort of coach. He'll turn adversity into a positive to give his guys an edge. I can just imagine him telling a bloke with two prosthetic legs that he has a terrific advantage over everyone else and the he should make the best of it - and he'll make the player believe it.

It's a tester for Smith, that's for certain. Hopefully the message will have gotten through that, unlike the Lowes regime, no one is guaranteed a place in the 17 and failure to perform will result in a failure to appear as a player as Smith has already shown a wiliness to change the team should a performance not be forth coming

I like the way he puts it "we're looking to put out the best 17 we can for each match" he is using knocks and injuries to rotate and therefore nobody is being dropped! The Players are being given chances to prove themselves and its up to them to keep a place in the starting 17, but come the 8's hopefully baring injuries the best 17 will have emerged!

The 19-man squad:
Joe Lumb, Mitch Clark, Adam O’Brien, Alex Mellor, Ethan Ryan, Kurt Haggerty, Kieren Moss, Kris Welham, Paul Clough, Danny Addy, Oscar Thomas, Lewis Charnock, Jay Pitts, Adam Sidlow, James Clare, Steve Crossley, Lucas Walshaw, Ross Oakes, Epalahame Lauaki.

Joe Lumb, Mitch Clark, Adam O’Brien, Alex Mellor, Ethan Ryan, Kurt Haggerty, Kieren Moss, Kris Welham, Paul Clough, Danny Addy, Oscar Thomas, Lewis Charnock, Jay Pitts, Adam Sidlow, James Clare, Steve Crossley, Lucas Walshaw, Ross Oakes, Epalahame Lauaki.

Moss
Ryan
Walshaw
Welham
Clare
Thomas
Charnock
Sidlow
AoB
Clough
Haggerty
Mellor
Pitts

Lumb
Addy
Clark
Crossley

Oakes and Lauaki to miss out.
We're looking a bit light in the second row with both Ferguson and Olbison missing.

Joe Lumb, Mitch Clark, Adam O’Brien, Alex Mellor, Ethan Ryan, Kurt Haggerty, Kieren Moss, Kris Welham, Paul Clough, Danny Addy, Oscar Thomas, Lewis Charnock, Jay Pitts, Adam Sidlow, James Clare, Steve Crossley, Lucas Walshaw, Ross Oakes, Epalahame Lauaki.

Moss
Ryan
Walshaw
Welham
Clare
Charnock
Thomas
Sidlow
AOB
Clough
Haggerty
Pitts
Addy

Lumb
Lauaki
Crossley
Clark

Think Lauaki has done enough to earn a place, could do with a big squad to stamp some authority on the game as soon as we can.

maybe swap Clare and Ryan so you dont pair relatively inexperienced Ryan and Walshaw on one side from a defensive POV, as someone else mentioned elsewhere. Otherwise looks strongest lineup. If we're worried about size in 2nd row then bring Oakes into and move Walshaw upto 2nd row with Crossley missing out and Pitts dropping to bench.