Anyone actually going to this one? Unless there's some sort of miracle and we win it looks like it'll be the last home game for a whole month until we play Fax on Good Friday!

I'm ok with a break. I've had enough of Odsal already this year. Maybe, come Easter, it'll be drier and look less embarrassing.

I know we have to have new room-mates to help us afford the place but honestly, they leave that much sheet lying about and make the place an even bigger tip I'd rather not afford it and would prefer us to move out and go back to Dewsbury

Assuming season ticket holders will have to pay extra for a ticket, its on tv (albeit an obscure satellite channel), recent home attendances have been pitiful and we're likely to get thumped, it could be the lowest crowd for a competitive fixture in decades.

Odsal is embarrassing but the one thing it has going for it is that it's in Bradford. I think if we moved out of the city that'd be the end of it for me. Odsal will look marginally better in spring and summer. In winter it's like stepping back 40 years at least. Shame we can't afford to move to Valley Parade. Never thought I'd say that but it's very true now.

As for the Leigh game I was critical of the attitude before the last game but the team put up a fight before getting stuffed in the 2nd half. Being as it's on a Monday it stacks the odds against our part time players again. Can't see a win but a good showing where we stay in it till the end would be good for confidence and I wouldn't want to go to Workington on the back of a thrashing. In the big scheme of things it's not an important game.

One question - if we go out of the cup when is the next round of the 1895 Cup? Must be in one of the free weekends surely? That's a comp we could have a chance in.

Isn't it only the teams who win this weekend who qualify for the 1895 Cup?

On the game I should hope its a closer fight. We're at home and have Patton and Lilley playing together, plus we have a much stronger squad to choose from than the last time we played Leigh.

I dunno what the rules are regarding the 1895 cup. They've been so well publicised. It'd seem a bit of a swiz to miss out. Going without a home game for a month is a bit poor too. Perhaps we can get that Barrow game re-arranged for that period? Depends if they're still in the cup I suppose, plus they're on a roll so perhaps better to play them when that finishes.

With Lilley back one would hope we get closer to Leigh this time. I doubt we'll have any of our SL duel reg or loan players as the parent teams won't want anyone getting cup tied so that may cancel out the Lilley effect.

It's the four victors from this next round who will make up the two semi finals of the joke that is the 1895 Cup

Valley Parade might be more modern but its still like Odsal far too big for Bradford Bulls of 2022. I might as well go watch Huddersfield if I wanted to stand in a modern but 85% empty stadium. Another vote for Dewsbury here.

So, we’re actually just 2 games from Wembley? Didn’t think I’d be saying that anytime soon!

I think Mondays game will be a lot closer than most think , I’m expecting a very difficult game , maybe 6 points either way , more important to me is the week after against Fax .

Not quite!

There are 5 ties this weekend

I have just got this off wikipedia

"This adapted format for 2022 will see five teams progress from round 5 of the 2022 Challenge Cup, and hence qualify for the 1895 Cup. [1] Any Championship, League 1 or Amateur team that subsequently wins in round 6 of the Challenge Cup will qualify automatically for the semi-finals of the 1895 Cup.[3] Two of the remaining qualifiers will be drawn into a play-off match on 9th/10th April, to reduce the five qualifiers to four teams for the semi-finals on the 7th/8th May, with the final held as a curtain-raiser for the 2022 Challenge Cup Final on the 28th May"

So that`s clear then.....

Rugby League's glorious leaders do love their convoluted, if not opaque systems.

I’m expecting a hammering. I hope we put up a good fight and defend well. I at least hope we make Leigh work for their scores and not let easy tries in like Leak and Walshaw last week.

It's because Toulouse aren't entering the Challenge Cup. That means there are only 11 SL teams to enter at the next round so 5 teams from lower teams were needed to make the next round up to 16.

Last year when Leigh were in SL there were 12 teams entering the CC at the next stage, meaning there were 4 spots from lower divisions, which made the allocation of the 4 1895 Cup semi finals much neater and more straightforward.