Agreed. Our last few games of the season are all very winnable. So if we can keep within touching distance of the top 5, with the likes of Evans, Jy & Keyes back we could sneak in that top 5 and then anything could happen.

Unfortunately I couldn't go yesterday but I saw a highlight of DFJ's try (think it may have been his 2nd) where Ryan passes to Oakes onto DFJ. The centre play from Oakes is absolutely class. He barely touched the ball and provided an accurate pass for his wingman. It had to be bang on and that quick for of a pass for DFJ to score. Superb centre play.

Oakes is a very classy player, he's impressed me from the very first game I saw him play. A proper winger's centre, that's three tries in recent weeks he's been instrumental in - the great try Milnes scored against Fax was thanks to his quick hands and two more again yesterday.

3,414 the crowd, which just beat ours at 3,361. Get down to LSV next week where it will be considerably warmer and see if we can get over 5,000 on!!

Also need to note that next seasons central funding allocation is based on this years final position table - the lower we finish the less funding we receive.

As far as I can see - we need to increase attendances and finish in the top 5 to remain sustainable with the current setup we have.

Not an easy task!

They are supposed to be normalising the funding distributions so that final league standing doesn't make that much of a difference anymore. Every club should get the same split imo regardless of where you finish. Stop encouraging a boom or bust scenario.

Hardly think the opinion of a fan is going to change or encourage anything within the Bulls "management team".

However, I would hazard a guess that Chalmers will have a good idea of how next years funding will be distributed.

As for a fair distribution between the clubs - not sure if that has happened to date - its usually a results based reward.

I don't expect us to be pushing Toronto (ha ha!) - but 5th might be achievable and if I am proved correct - will help fill the coffers for next year.

Sorry that comment wasn't aimed at you. I just meant evening out the funding would generally help move away from clubs going down that route.

Did they? I was charged £5 for upgrading and that was at about 14.40..

Hmm, it's only second hand info that I have but apparently they put an announcement out over the pa system about it?

I didn't hear that, tbh. It would be a strange thing to do though when the option of transferring must make a bob or two on rainy days. Long before I got a permanent stand seat I've availed myself of that option quite a few times.

There were a large number of junior players from various clubs who were all seated in the stand during the game, along with parents etc, so I guess that may have given the impression of it being fuller than normal. Around where I sit it actually seemed quite a bit less well populated than normal and the terrace looked very thin. To be honest I was quite surprised at 3414, though I guess the kids and entourage would have been included in the attendance even if they were invited for pre-match and got 'freebies'.

Thought Irvine was in a joint role and split his time between us and PA.

It was but it seems now he's fulltime at PA.