That was a fine wigan team I have just watched, Fast, skillfull, with quality individuals all over the park and crucially, coached to champions last season. For our part we were a little rough round the edges but the committment by all the bulls players was 100%. We will improve greatly as the team responds to Potters coaching methods.
Today Kearney was outstanding well supported by Hargreaves, Scruton and Sykes. Yes Sykes! His defensive game was top drawer and didn't disgrace himself as makeshift stand off.
On that performance, one of the finest I have seen at Odsal and on a par with any St Helens drubbings we have seen at Odsal, I expect Wigan to win this years competition.
With regards to the pessimists on this board, I would suggest you get yourselves over to the T and A forum where you can talk bollox like for like!

When we are playing like we did first half and the last 15mins of the second half I don't think any team can match us. We didn't let Bradford into the game. Do not be ashamed of that performance, Wakey or Salford would get 80 points on them with us playing like that.

Kearney was quality for you guys and you will go alot better this year.

True.

Sometimes It looks like Tomkins must have covered himself in vaseline before the game! Just can't be tackled.

I certainly aren't ashamed, and I think your post is very, very accurate. I'd put much more emphasis on Wigan being good rather than Bradford being poor.

Fair enough - but get ready to get mighty frustrated.

Well that could have been a lot worse.

As soon as the squads were announced it was obvious it was going to be damage limitation for the Bulls today. We had more then enough to match them in the pack but Langleys absence meant we had to pass out the workload he gets through. I noticed Elima spend some time off the pitch today which didn't really help proceedings. I thought we got off to a decent start but the class of Wigan came through eventually. The scoreline was fairly flattering for them in my opinion.

It was always going to be an uphill struggle losing Briggs and Herbert midweek. I was reluctant for Potter to put Sykes back in the halves as he must have seen how poor he was last season. I agree with Ewwenorfolk we must have Southernwood in the squad next week. Kearney put in a decent stint and could have been helped out a little more by Ah Van, L'Estrange & Whitehead. Diskin also put in a decent shift but we couldn't open up the wel drilled Wigan defence.

The referee calls were a bit dodgy but our discipline is getting a bit worrying. I felt if our 2 disallowed tries would have stood the result may have been a bit closer.

Fielden had a solid game and we couldn't stop his offloading which killed us. Instead of putting 'big shots' on the opposition I wish our defence would focus on wrapping the ball up. As for Wigans defence, I can't make my mind up. It felt like they were persistently lying on in the tackle and wrestling in the tackle but it seems no officials are blowing for it. Interesting debate.

The only positive from today was the 15,000+ attendance. It was fantastic to see so many fans back supporting the Bulls. Hopefully todays performance won't put them off and they'll be back on March 6th for our home game against Wakefield.

I'm still full of optimism for the rest of the season. We must remember we were missing 3 key players facing the best team in the League.

Bring on the Crusaders!

Mate, we've had McNamara for 4 years before this.

Where is Bullseye? Didn't he absolutely, positively guarantee Sykes wouldn't play at stand off again, ahem

Though to be fair he wasn't the poorest out there today.

Still enthused about the season, but Potter needs to have another look at our starting 17 - If our only fit scrum half is Southernood so be it, he has to play, and let's get some pace in the side!

By about 8 to 12 points i reckon...............

Who was then? Bentham?

Not the best today, no one can argue with that. Thought Lynch and Kearney went ok. Olbison ran in hard when he came on. We're in need of a centre, a prop and a half back. Mystified why Addy didn't play. Walker tackled hard but he's best used in the 2nd row. I thought the officials were a joke today, not seeing blatant things and then seeing things a lot less obvious.

Briggs was a 50/50 chance of playing om Wednesday so I;m taking all the info with a pinch of salt from now on.

He may have aggravated it in training, plus they couldn't be certain until he had a scan.

I won't believe Briggs is playing until I see him on the pitch. Whenever that may be.

Indeed. Plus you don't have to be 100% fit to play. Scruton was carrying a ankle injury into todays game but managed to put in a sterling performance