As a Dewsbury Fan, what i saw of Bradford last week i don't think any Bulls fan has to worry about the new season.
You seem to have got rid of the dead wood like worrincy. I think you'll finish in the top 4.
But i don't think your academy is as good as other seasons though.
Your academy in the past have always given the Rams a close game in our annual pre season game, but it sounds like Keighley have given your youngsters a bit of a thumping tonight.

But it usually has a sprinkle of first teamers.

When playing an older team, It makes a huge difference to have an experienced older head or two. The size difference was a huge factor too today, only BUrgess, Crossley and Olbison came close to them in terms of size.

First of all, thanks to the fans that came over tonight. We had a good craic and you were a credit to your club.

The one individual who stood out from your side tonight for me was Burgess, he's freakishly big for his age and gave us a lot of problems. He looks like he'll be a really good one in a year or two. Southernwood's try was class also.

We put in by far the best performance of our 4 pre season games and did so missing 3 of our regular prop forwards.

I think despite the heavy defeat your youngsters by no means disgraced themselves and will have gained some experience against a semi-pro side.

You deserve credit for coming on here and not bragging - I know i'd be tempted if I were you.

I think your team played very well though and they look like a bunch of players who work really hard for each other. You shift the ball out wide well too.

That was the most suprising thing for me from our point of view.

We looked clueless in attack against Hunslet on Sunday and our threequarters hardly saw the ball despite our pack dominating and giving the half backs plenty of room to operate.

Tonight we looked quite impressive out wide and it fills me with optimism for the coming season.

Match highlights Video www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1p2XXvKE0o The video is filmed by a Keighley Fan, but does include all the Bulls tries also. The team with the energy was the younger Bulls team. Credit for heads not dropping. I also thought the Bulls Scrum half looked very good in the first 20 of the second half. As for size difference. That might be the reason JD rested our 3 biggest Props. Shickell, Rawlins and Benjafield. Nice to win, but I wish Bulls had sent a Full team. It would be painful but we would have enjoyed the crowd and got more from a harder test.

Match highlights Video www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1p2XXvKE0o The video is filmed by a Keighley Fan, but does include all the Bulls tries also. The team with the energy was the younger Bulls team. Credit for heads not dropping. I also thought the Bulls Scrum half looked very good in the first 20 of the second half. As for size difference. That might be the reason JD rested our 3 biggest Props. Shickell, Rawlins and Benjafield. Nice to win, but I wish Bulls had sent a Full team. It would be painful but we would have enjoyed the crowd and got more from a harder test.

I didn't think the size difference was that much TBH. Having not seen any of these before (except Crossley probably) I had little idea who was who for Bradford, but assumed Crossley & Burgess were 8 & 10 & were easily the biggest on the pitch & went ok. Apart from Southernwood's individual try & saw nothing from Bradford to get excited about (I did miss the first 15 minutes not realising it wasn't 8pm KO). I was surprised at the muscle on the Bulls youngsters, with a few exceptions such as the winger in the head guard who got murdered down his wing repeatedly. They are massively more physically developed than when I regularly watched Cas youngsters in the 80s & early 90s. Bulls dropped far too much ball, made a number of breaks where they failed to pass or gave the wrong pass & were exploited down there right side, especially when Demetriou was on that side. I definitely don't remember Cougars forwards making great breaks up the middle. But it was so cold I could have been in a state of suspended animation & dreamed it all.

Enjoyed the game despite the absolutely freezing temperatures! I thought Southernwood looked impressive and Burgess did well in spells. I expected Crossley to stand out more than he did, it must be his make or break year.


Note to Keighley though, would it be too hard to put a sign up stating which turnstyle is for concession/adult etc.

Yes it would. Now stop moaning

While we're making requests, I'd really like a port-a-loo or something on the side that doesn't have the seating. Stood on the half way line and it was right trek to the loo!

In fact by the time I got back, BullyBoxer had turned up out of nowhere!

Ah so that's why I hadn't spotted you! I thought I'd just been stood next to you in a dream world for 5 minutes!

Now I know almost all fans are biased towards their team but Mr Crazy on the halfway line was great entertainment. I can't ever recall hearing a fan shouting for someone to be sent off for being offside..