I'm pretty sure if I ended up inside, the charity I worked for wouldn't want me back sullying their reputation. And fair enough too. He's a has been jailbird and smacks of how desperate Bradford are.

We've been poor of late but we're not a charity case....yet dancing boy

Bulls chairman Peter Hood said: "Gareth is an international wing who will add significant extra fire-power to the Bulls outside backs division next season.
"The regime that Gareth's been living during his sentence has enabled him to maintain his core strength and fitness and his appetite for the game remains undiminished."



Or in other words he's cheap.

My comment was not meant to imply that a player should be deprived of an opportunity to gain employment

But I am pretty sure that removing the threat of relegation meant that clubs had the opportunity to build from the bottom up without the need to resort to short term fixes

Signing a 32 year old to 1 year contract smacks of a short term fix to me

Except its not, its providing experienced competition within the squad, if we take just the wing position these are the bulls options for next season and their ages, two of whom have come through our academy;

Ainscough 20
Halley 23
Ah Van 22
Finigan 20
Raynor 32

So we're doing both, we are building from the bottom up bringing through kids, but we're also signing experience when needed/available, as you need balance in the squad, not just inexperience.

That's a pretty positive spin on the situation

The other viewpoint is the Bulls sign a 32 year winger on a 1 year deal despite having 4 young wingers in the squad (two of them who have come through the Bulls Academy)

How do think the young Bulls wingers feel about this new signing?

Hopefully they'll see it as a challenge and push themselves to prove they should be playing ahead of the other 3

Dave Halley, who's unfortunately out for 6 months following a knee reconstruction, is the sort of player who needs pushing to play at his best. And the additional competition for places at Bradford next year will be a positive

I would expect them to compete for their spot, If they throw their rattle every time a club signs competiton for their spot their going to have a short career. Halley is out for 6 months, Ah Van is likely to be played in FB or so one of Ainscough or finigan will start, probably Ainscough as Finigan only went full time a few months back and is still developing.

I suspect they would have the same reaction if we signed another 20 year old winger rather than a 32 year old, but I suspect you would not, even though the effect on the excisting players in terms of competition is the same. If they are good enough they'll make it into the team, as I think Finigan will BTW.

My objection is your implication that the Bulls are generally signing older short term signings at the expence of our youth players on the evidence of signing Raynor, when this is patently not true. Donaldson, Whitehead, Kopzack, Finigan, Olibson, Southenwood, Addy, Crookes, Wardle, Halley are all in or from the Bradford Academy and all having 1st team opportunities this year with all but Wardle in line for a 1st team squad number next year.

Raynor has 1 year deal probably as its a punt by the club on him and to give him longer if it doesn't work out would be daft, or maybe after another year one or more of our youngsters will make Raynor surplus to requirements, who knows?

Firstly, please don't think that I am in any way criticising the Bulls club in particular, I am not suggesting that the club is turning its back on youth - the players you list above are testimony to that

You suggest that I would have a different reaction if the Bulls signed another 20 year old winger. You are correct, I would. The effect on the Bulls players would be the same but the effect on development of the game as a whole would be different

As a fan of Rugby League with no particular club allegiances (born in Wigan but haven't lived there for over 20 years) I would say my main interest is in the development of the England team and RL in general

I agree with the point about competition - made by yourself and the poster above but it's a chicken and egg situation, how can a young player prove his worth in the first team if a 32 year signing is standing in his way. The argument goes that if these players are good enough they would win through but that requires the game time to prove their worth. Again, this is not a Bulls argument but one for the wider sport

There is a lot of discussion about the positives and negatives of the franchise system and if pushed, I would say I was in favour of it if it brought about the desired goals and one of those I believe is the investment and development of young players

I may have over reacted to one signing but it is the attitude it is indicative of rather than the player or club that I am commenting on

Good points, and I guessed you we're using this particular signing as an indication of something you clearly have an interest in discussing. Please don't see my responces as too OTT, but I seem to have developed a slight siege mentality regarding defending my club given our [islight [/ifall from grace! And youth development is an area where the club is making significant strides currently.

I take the point about it being generally harmful to have older journey men stopping youngsters getting game time though, a point well made and it is something each and every club needs to be aware of. What I would hope is that the club stike a balance of giving the youngsters a chance and having experienced players for them to learn off and help (if thats help positionally and indivualy or general help by making the club more successfull and therefore more condusive to development) A team full of youngsters getting beat week in week out does no good to their development IMO.

I feel with Raynor this will be the case, Raynor will probably start as one of our wingers but the other spot will be open for someone to claim, so opportunities will excist and Raynor will be far from certain to keep his spot regardless. More worrying for me as far as Bradford is concerned would be if Elima and Sibbit signing on in the backrow limited Donalsons and Whiteheads progress (both for Bradford and england as I believe both could become international class.)

Im not a fan of franchises TBF, but I suspect it has already prompted more home grown players to get a chance in the teams at the wrong end of the table, but how much of that is down to the stricter and tightening quota rules I'm not sure. But there are more english youngsters playing super league now than back in the late 90's early 2000's I would guess?

He's doing better than most people do in prison.

Heard about this about a month back, and Gareth is more than up for the challenge, he accepts he hasn't got long left at the highest level, and its not far from home for him, so he's onto a winner there as well.

Spot on. People in life make mistakes. The ones that get caught serve the sentence that is laid to them. Gareth Raynor will have done his time by the time he pulls on a Bradford shirt. For me, he serves his sentence and has hopefully learnt from his mistakes. I've not problem with him playing in Super League & I can understand why Bradford have made a punt for him.

Seriously, unless rlfans inhabits a complete bastion of pure angelic saints, then people need to get off their sanctimonious, hypocritical backsides, and as this poster says "give the bloke a break".

Reckon he will be a decent signing if he can recapture his form.

Big difference between SL and NRL mentality stillis that 22-23 is not sen as a youngster anymore. With most players (especially backs) coming into 1st grade at 19-20 those 4 wingers would not be seen as a group of youngsters.