Don't forget that our starting 13 today was actually mainly our 'second team'. Look at the thread about 'Our Starting 13' and you will see what I mean.

Most of our team in the second half today was actually our 'third team'. Strength in depth, eh?

That said, I thought Dewsbury played well. I think you'll be competitive in your league and hope you have a good season

I agree about the opening 25 minutes. Lots of big hits going in from both sides and the banter between the fans was brilliant. Hope we get you in the cup again this year.

Really bogged off I could not go today. From what I saw last year, Dewsbury is a super ground with great fans well up for some banter but knowledgeable with it, and a team that gave their best. Was a great day out last year, and sounds like this year was the same.

Most of us are mate, thanks. I for one didn't recognise the bulk of our lads in the latter stages of the 2nd half, mainly youngsters form our academy, but its inevitable that fitness & experience will always show in the end. Thanks Bradford for a good afternoon.

I did notice that as no doubt you will have noticed that we had 70% of the academy side for the last 20 minutes.

On the team sheet Jowitt had 34 Dewsbury players and all played so while some may be enthusiastic about the strength in depth that we have at Bradford.

I think Dewsbury can equally be proud of the good work that is coming along at the club.

Walker, Horton, Craven, Brambani, England, Brooks etc all gave us a really difficult game in that first 40 minutes and I can only see improvement on that 9th placed finish last season (I think you saw that in the final eight games of the season with big wins over Halifax, Batley, Barrow and Leigh).

Just as in the second half, Bateman, Burgess, Crossley, Crooks, O'Brien and young Windler took advantage of the fitness factor.

I enjoyed yesterday and if our games don't clash, perhaps I'll give the Shay a miss and take in a game at the Tetley's stadium instead.

All the best for the coming season.

Who was the rather "chunky" prop for Dewsbury? They all seemed to get a bit giddy when he took a hit up but it took him 10 meters to get to a canter........the guy was e!!!

Briggs was MOM he ordered them around the park and noticed wasn't afraid to voice his opinion after giving Platty a right bollocking for his decision to come inside for Dewsburys try early in the second half!! Still unsure as to if I would start him against Leeds & Wigan though, would like to see how he does against Wakey!

I imagine Potter will play his 'probables' against Wakey, so I doubt Sykes will get the chance, unless he gets on the bench.

What was the atmosphere like?

Mostly gas, some liquids.

Just laughed out loud in an open plan office. Cheers.

James Walker was the "chunky" prop. He plays second team mainly nowadays. He's a cheap shot merchant.

Was the guy who had a pop at Scruton last year playing? I didn't see him I don't think.

Yeah that's him. If I remember right, didn't he hit one of our younger end with a cheapshot, so Scruton whalloped him with a crunching tackle the next time he took it up? Then he spent the rest of the game hiding.

Beefy is right. Every time I've seen him, he comes across as a cheap shot artist. There are far better players at the Rams than him.

I realise that we have had this futile debate since 1895 but was there really 1500 in the ground? Perhaps I was unusually hemmed in on half way but if it holds 3k ish then I didn't see all that much room for another 1500 to fit in.

I'd agree with you there. I thought there were more in than they let on. Would it have been a split gate?

Well HMRC get 20/120ths of the take, so yes to an extent you could say it was a split gate...

Apparently the capacity is 3700 (on Wikipedia), so unless they open up the ends and have people standing on the grass I don't see where they would have put the rest...

Oh, and 1500 was actually 1599

There was loads of room by us - in stand just towards the end that Bulls attacked in 1st half. Could have easily put double (if not more) in. Loads of room

First half I was stood in the middle, pretty much on half way. It seems like it was packed to the rafters. I didn't want to smoke amongst all those people so stood outside the stand to the end the Bulls were attacking in the second half. Loads of room all over the place, could easily have got plenty more in. Assume the other end was the same and the stand opposite looked about half full to my untrained eye.

I was up in the main stand at the back and the Dewsbury supporters I spoke to all said the crowd looked around 2,100/2,200.

but did you avoid the paint?

I was lucky to be in the other stand that hadn't been painted

as i go to all rams home games and away id say 1600 was probably about right,the didnt look any more fuller than when we played teams like batley halifax widnes and featherstone and in those games last year and in previous seasons we tend to get around the 1500.

alot ov bulls support today,both sides can take alot of positives goin into the new season.

in each pre season game weve played id say wev got better,barin in mind we lost 30 6 at batley,lost to a near full strength wakefield 30 12 at home and then for 50 mins was drawin with a strong bulls team,only the last half hour when our academy came on did we struggle.34 players we used,thats 2 teams but we got out of the game what we needed.

good luck for next season

see for yourself
[urlhttp://www.dewsburyramstv.co.uk/?location=/Friendlies/Bulls+(H)[/url