Sounded like we had decent pressure on there line most of match, despite losing gaskell fairly early. also sounded like thomas had a decent kicking game,particularly in latter stages. Who got motm?

Mixed bag. I thought our defence was much improved. Good line speed, and we were hitting hard. Defence on the wings is still an issue but hopefully in time that will improve.

Attack in the first half was hopeless. We just panicked. When we got near the Sheffield line and there was a defender in front of us, we just randomly kicked the ball. Last tackle options were poor again.

Thankfully Smith seemed to spot this and we were much better second half. We were much more composed and weren't trying to score off every play. We built pressure. Our first of the second half We just completed our set in Sheffield line, Had a good defensive set then next set we had the ball, we scored. Simples. Our kicking improved and we seemed to have a bit of game management.

Hopefully we'll see more improvement next week when Smith gets a full week with them.

I thought O'Brien was immense and Lumb did very well when he came on too. Fantastic to have those 2 on long term deals.

Forward pack was excellent for mine. Backs less so. Thomas did well with the infamous "game management" towards the end (drop goal and kicks to touch), but we lacked leadership once Gaskell went off early doors.

Clough & Sidlow were excellent. Mitch Clark does the perfect job as an impact prop. Steve Crossley had potentially his best game in a Bulls shirt.

The problem was the defensive efforts of the backs. Thomas, Blythe, Williams & Caro were bloody terrible in defence. And when you're going up against Sheffield's three quarters, that's an issue.

James Clare is our first choice fullback. The lad was brilliant for us tonight.

To make a point other than the performance though, that "stadium" is awful. Terrible view, terrible lighting, terrible facilities. Sheffield were clearly desperate to use that as their home ground this season.

I was in two minds about going last night but in truth I was shattered so decided to give it a miss but I had also looked online at the stadium beforehand. I got the impression it was pretty much a field with a shallow stand behind the sticks and a clubhouse on one side. Imagine the view of the game would be fairly poor, which made the decision a bit easier.

You weren't far wrong. The "seating" was a 10 row temporary golf stand behind the sticks. The "standing" was at one side of the pitch, with no incline or anything. It was essentially like watching West Bowling but with marginally better players on show.

I think the forwards worked hard all night as did James Clare.

Backs were terrible, including Welham who seems to have either brilliant games or a total meltdown. Someone also needs to tell Smith (if he's not already seen it) that Blythe is sodding useless. Give Ethan Ryan or Ross Oakes another game. Neither have let us down and deserve a chance ahead of him.

As for the stadium, I'm going to stick up for the university here as I've seen this place being built and it's a first class playing facility... For university teams!!!

The pitch is in very good nick to say it's had a full season of Rugby Union over the winter. The pavilion changing and bar facilities are possibly better than our own at Odsal. The obvious let down is the spectator areas and this was always going to be a struggle.

I just wonder if stands along the far side touch line would have been better, but this would have increased costs.

The main question is how the hell have the RFL agreed to this when a ground share at Doncaster or even Rotherham could have been an option?

It's easy to see why the Eagles will be happy though. They have spent minimum amount on the temporary stands, and with their gates being so low this is the only way they can afford to be full time. I do however worry about them next year as the costs of running their own stadium at the legacy park will be quadruple what they have spent this season.

Glad it will be the only time I watch Bradford here though.

Though Clare was a clear MOM for us, as a guy who was standing nearby asked, 'how many James Clare's have we got on the field - he seems to be everywhere'. Definitely a game of two halves and we looked hopeless early on, but when we finally got on top there was no way back for Sheffield and I though we were deserved winners.

Spectator facilities were poor though, there is no escaping that. Incidentally, speaking to Sheffield fans, they seem to feel the new ground isn't going to happen, which will be a bummer for the club, tbh.

Standing right at the side of the dug-outs was fascinating though and the banter between Chev and Keith Senior was brilliant - at one point, Chev [jokingly] accused Senior of spending more time on the pitch than Gary Mercer....sadly Senior's reply was lost in the noise! One other funny - Chev's not got the loudest voice so, in the second half, whenever he had to shout team instructions he shouted to Omari Caro who passed them on....it's a wonder you couldn't hear Omari in Bradford, he doesn't need a megaphone, that lad, and that's a fact!

Wel done forwards, backsmust try harder. RFL: how did this ground get past you? Sheffield are one of the leading Championship team this year and one reason for that is because they are spending fsck-all on a ground. Everyone else seems to have to pay for a ground worthy of the name (from a spectator's perspective) but they somehow haven't.

Put it this way - if we were a parks team playing out of Horsfall, it would be a spectator palace in comparison. And Sheffield are a team one step away from SL. Which might be hosting SL visitors in the playoffs. How great would that look on international TV?

I like Sheffield and the people there have done a fine job keeping it going but really, there is a line and their ground is so far the wrong side of it, the RFL should really absolutely not allow it. And if in the playoffs, they certainly shouldn't be allowed to play there.

Worringly for 55 minutes Sheffield were the better side until we woke up and started to engage.

Whilst it's good for Rohan Smith to join B Smith, M Elliot, B Noble and F Cummins on winning his first outing as Bradford head coach, last night was uncomfortable viewing for the majority of the game.

You knew after 25 minutes with the score reading 4-0 that this was going to be one of those games where defence was going to be the best form attack.

For Danny Williams this certainly was the case - his outstanding try-saving tackle on Garry Lo must be up there with one of the best defensive efforts from a Northern/Bulls player in recent memory.

You can certainly the impact Rohan was made on the defensive structure with more communication and cohesion between the players. Yes, we conceded three tries, but we certainly made Sheffield work to their limits to post these scores.

As has already been mentioned James Clare was solid at the back and was heavily involved all night.

Unfortunately the attack was lacklustre at best for 75% of the game with the same foolish and unforgivable errors being made - winning the penalty and then knocking on/running in to touch on the first tackle.

Losing Lee Gaskell at halftime was a huge blow, so it was over to Thomas and Addy in the halves, who did a comendable job of orchestrating and moving play.

Thomas really came into his own in the final twenty, taking the game by the scruff of the neck with his effective game management - the drop goal, the three kicks to touch deep inside the Sheffield 10m.

You really got the feeling that he was standing up to be considered as the playmaking 7 we so desperately need.

On reflection Rohan Smith can certainly take a lot of heart from the collective spirit and character shown by his side in finishing the game so strongly last night.

Like I said on the commentary though, the performance will have to raise ten fold for next Saturday's showdown with Leigh in Blackpool.

On the plus side, I expect Rohan will have learnt a bit more about the squad last night than he did watching us run 50 odd past an average Swinton. Beating Leigh looks a very tough ask on current form and with the added blow of Gaskell being injured but with the right mindset, anything is possible.

It was strange, but I thought the Thomas/Gaskell partnership was poor. Maybe just needs more time together. But the Thomas/Addy partnership worked a lot better.

Defensively - too much time standing & watching out wide. Line speed was slow - again out wide. Also didn't play to the whistle. Kept expecting knock-on calls when Sheffield knocked on.... Rarely happened though.

To be honest, Gaskell hasn't seemed his old self for a while, for me. Not sure, but sometimes I feel he maybe has other things on his mind? I accept he still does some good things but he seems a bit semi-detached at times.

It's my belief he's staying at Odsal.

Make your mind up Ffs

I said last night that it's my belief that Gaskell and Clare will stay.

Sadly that means Addy, Clark and Ferguson will move to Super League.