Well I take heart from the first half performance when I actually thought we were the better team.
That said, I mentioned to my other half at half time that I had a feeling that one team was going to take the other apart in the second half - We were good but we were giving Bradford far too much room to run at us and I just had a feeling that turned out to be a prophesy, sadly against us.
Smith was good and should remain. I am not yet convinced about John-maybe the lad needs some time out to find some form.
Discipline, defence and goalkicking require immediate attention!

We were very poor last night in most factors of the game. I think one of the problems is that on the whole the team is showing that it lacks rugby intelligence. They do not seem to be able to follow a game plan and they find it hard to execute a basic set of of six. Look at the way Diskin and Lestrange managed their team, the way they understood when to play a five drives and a kick and play field position. We on the other hand played a lateral game and keep given Bradford the ball in our half. Our halfbacks / pivots never went forward from the play of the ball whilst Diskin and Lestrange had us on the backfoot all the time.
Our line speed shows a total lack of effort,desire and pride in the shirt. It was only in the last few minutes that we showed any fire in defence. When is Mellers going to have a good game ? What more does a player like Wildie have to do to get a game, he has been brilliant in the 20`s and yet we persist with the very average Smith and John. Smith and John need a run in the under 20`s to learn how to run forward and take a team on. Southern should not be playing prop, we should put him in the second row and keep him on the field longer. The team should be made to do at least 3 hours extra training a day on kick defence, Widnes, KR and Bradford have exposed how weak we are in this area. Do you think Danny Brough and his mates will not have noticed. Mellers needs to learn how to catch a ball (not asking to much am I of a pro Rugby player, Bradford seem to have mastered this basic skill ). We are soft and look like the 13th best team in the League.

Yep, it’s early days, yep, it’s a new team, but, that was pretty poor, against an under-strength Bradford team playing the simplest game ever. God knows how we will cope with a team that plays open rugby!

As against HKR we blew far too many chances. Smith needs to up his game, he’s drinking in last chance saloon, and I’d have preferred to see Wood in the halves with Ellis rotating with Aiton. As for Southern, I know we’re short of props but he’s the captain & should be on the field for the full eighty.

Plus side Kyle Trout made his SL debut!

For me Wood should be at halfback next week with Ellis coming into the 17 I would drop Smith woeful in the first 2.75 games as for John at the moment I cant see why we have signed him

And I doubt that we would have gone into the season without a goal kicker or props

It was I was level with play

Haven't trawled through all the previous pages, but this is my take on the game.

We were the best side in the first half when the momentum and penalty count was in our favour but failed to turn the possession we had into enough points (partly due to an atrocious forward pass call when Kirmond had set John clear, and a poorly executed pass from Aiton when fox had the line begging). We then compunded this by giving an interception try away just before half time. Consequently, instead of going in probably 2 scores up, we were actually 2 points behind - I know if I was in the Bradford dressing room at half time, I would have been very happy to be ahead on the balance of play.

Second half, we gave away some silly penalties which gave Bradford the momentum and the field position and unlike us in the first half they did turn it into enough points. Having said that had we not missed the 3 conversion attempts (2 of which were relatively starightforard) and another atrocious forward pass call not have ruled out Mellars try towards the end, we would have been 6 behind with 3 to 4 mins left with the potential of a draw on the cards. Even taking out the missed conversions, the Mellars try would have made the difference 14 and if converted 12.

We need to make up our minds what we are going to be happy with. I said at the start of the season that due to the massive turnover of players, I would be happy to see us play some entertaining rugby and compete. So far this season in every game, I have seen us move the ball around well and would argue that even yesterday we competed overall despite the lopsided scoreline and poor second half discipline and inability to defend the Jeffries cross field kick. We are only in round 3 and the team and the systems are still settling down.

The team need our continued support and whilst I am as frustrated as the next man that we have lost two games that we could and probably should have won, I am still happy to give it and to give these players particularly the halves some time to settle in.

IMO Smith and John whilst not breaking any pots are doing a reasonable job overall considering its only game 3 of their partnership. John's vision spotting Kearney at marker and putting in a perfectly weighted kick allowed us to score the first, he would also imo have scored from good support play had Kirmonds pass not been called forward. His defence is good and whilst I would like to see him take the line on a bit more (which I think will come with more game time), I think he is doing ok (the interception was just one of those things). I think both John and the team would benefit from him being relieved of goalkicking duties, which I think is putted unwanted extra pressure on his shoulders.

Smith has created 5 or 6 of the tries we have scored this season (roughly half) and was also I believe the architect of the move that should have led to Mellars try, with a neat short kick through. Also his kicking in general play was pretty decent getting good distance and finding open space more often than not. I think the partnership may be broken up for couple of weeks though as I am sure Smith will be called before the disciplinary for his face rake on Jeffries and probably cop a few matches. If this happens, will be interesting to see how we fair without him.

I know I may be in a minority, but I don't think we are far away from being a good side who will win more than they lose. If we take more of the chances we create that will help, and defensively I think the two main areas are numbering up and defending the crossfield kicks better, and working harder at marker to stop teams getting a roll on with quick dummy half runs - something that both KR and Bradford have exploited to great effect.

IMO this team is only going to get better and we just need to have the patience to allow them to fulfil their potential. Bagging the likes of Smith and John after 3 games, is not going to help matters.

Sorry, but there was no way on earth that pass was forward both his hands and the ball are in a backwards direction

seen 15 minutes from him in 3 games yet another halfback who wont take the line on never expected a play off place this season but its 2 home games that got away Smith was poor last night

Sorry TRB but I can't agree with this. A JK coached team would not have had the nouse to get over the line even if we were camped on it - far too predictable. In addition, the fitness levels of the team would have been nowhere near what they are now cos Sanctuary would probably still have been the conditioner.

Considering some of the inept performances under JK over the years, I am surprised that after only 3 games of Agars reign with a totally new squad, someone such as yourself, who normally is fairly realistic in what you expect can draw such harsh conclusions.

sorry but it was forward if you are looking at a replay on TV thats why it cant go to the video ref it was forward

IMO it is going to be John's job to take on the defensive line. Smith IMO is doing a reasonable job of organising the team when we are in possession. His passing and kicking game are what he is in the side for and I repeat half our tries have been created by him.

This constant bagging of Smith in my opinion is unwarranted, certainly at this stage of the season.

I was directly in the line with the pass and no way in hell was it forward. Thaler made some shocking calls and that was one of them.

The point I was trying make is that the team need some control and that is what John was noted for. These are better players with better conditioning, but the rugby is crap because there is no platform to play off.

I do think John would have got more from the game last night, but we need more than that in the long run.