Lowes told us at the start of the season that the pre-8s games didn't matter. He couldn't have been more wrong, but now we literally are in games that don't matter, the game has no point at all except as experimentation and training for Rohan. It is a strange feeling. You don't often get games that feel totally irrelevant but this is one. And apart from wanting to extend their streak, I doubt it will mean much more to Fax either.

How did it come to this?

That's very true Roger. Didn't we have a kid came through the academy a few years back, think his name was Johnson, Richard perhaps[?] He was like excrement off an agricultural implement.

I remember a pre-season game against Leeds, and when their famously quick winger took off from his own 10 metre line, the Rhino fans were celebrating the try as soon as he caught the ball, but he barely got over the half way line before young Johnson caught him from behind. Pity is he was a flying machine but no rugby player.

Nicky Johnson. He caught Paul Sterling easily.

Unbelievable pace.

Yeah Nicky Johnson was a stupidly fast winger, but he was also a bit rubbish. Ended up playing for Oldham or some similar team if I remember correctly.

His brother Richard was a centre and also at Bradford. Ended up getting a first team squad number, but think only played a game or two (if that). He was less rubbish.

Bradford are famous for having big, powerful wingers. I can probably name over 20 that might have fallen into this bracket but i'm struggling to recall many genuine speedsters of the past.

There was Richard Francis as already mentioned, Brimah Kebbie, St. John Ellis, Gareth Raynor, Dave Halley and possibly David Myers but i'm struggling to think of many more. There are a few that fit into neither category but it's manly been about power. I was surprise that Etu Uaisele didn't work out as he appeared to have all the attributes of our successful wingers.

Garry Lo should certainly be of interest if he's available.

David Redfearn and Phil Ford from a bit further back. More your classic pacey wingers.

Berwyn Jones probably the fastest.

How could I forget Phil Ford? He was in the team when I first started watching it. The other 2 are before my time.

Redfearn was still around when Ford was albeit at veteran stage but his heyday was the early to mid 70s.. He actually gave up playing in his prime for a season or two before returning. Can't remember why exactly.

I used to love Ford...right up until he signed for Leeds.

I was only a young un when I first started watching but I remember Ford playing but can't fully appreciate how good he was. It was the pack that usually got my attention, usually for all the wrong reasons. Oh and Sir Keith!

I can never fathom what makes some sprinters good Rugby Players. Martin Offiah was very fast, and scored a hell of a lot of tries, but was he a rugby player or just a sprinter?

Then there's Mark Calderwood, who was very fast, but absolutely gash at Rugby, and he utterly failed. That inexplicable clip kick to but the ball in the in-goal at Odsal for our try summed up his prowess.

Or the time he celebrated before putting the ball down and slid over the dead in goal line before he grounded it. That was my personal favourite Calderwood moment.

Up there with Sean Long running totally clear and diving over the line against us at Knowsley Road, only to drop the ball as he dove.

I remember that being an utterly miserable night, we were also getting tonked and I'd trailed all that way on my own. That moment alone made it worth it though as it was right in front of our fans.

Offiah was most definitely more than just a sprinter. The fact that he was yards faster than anyone else was important but he knew how to deploy it. He had unbelievable support play and could turn up anywhere on the field.

There’s a video on you tube of him scoring 10 tries in a match versus Leeds in 1992 this is a great example albeit against a side that was getting stuffed.

He might not have been a great defender but he wasn’t really put on the planet to do that. Fans used to criticise him for that weakness - typical glass half empty RL fan numpties. He is the greatest English RL try scorer ever and behind only Boston and Bevan in the all-time lists.

I remember seeing him score once against Wakefield and a Wakey fan yelling at him “You’re crap Offiah! CRAP!! All you do is score tries!”

That said it all.

Vainikolo was like sh!!!!t off a stick despite being the biggest winger in SL.

Seems like Bradford are settling in to the championship for the long haul.