: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:19 pm  

SDB wrote:

Great game of Rugby League yesterday. Really enjoyed it in the sunshine and as a neutral interesting couple of things come to mind.

Firstly I think Bradford need to address this whole "10 minutes" of whatever it is. (Poor performing.) In the first 10 minutes against Hull a few weeks back Bradford conceeded I think twice pretty much straight from the kick off and. After that they we're pretty much matched with Hull and ended up losing by 12. That 10 minutes being the difference. Same against Cas. Only a different period of 10. I appreciate it doesnt take a coach to work this out but just thought i'd include it. Moving on...

I dont think you can blame Steve Mac for the loss. Infact I'll change that to you cant!!!His team out performed Cas for 70 minutes and whilst Yes they lost it in the last 10 how people can say things like "couldn't he have got a message out to slow the play the ball ect" is just plain ludicrous. Steve Mc will have been screaming for that to happen but these are proffesional players being paid proffesion wages. They should know to slow the play the ball down. They'll have been trying to slow the play of the ball down. 70 minutes aint good enough, sure! And if the Bulls continue to not perform for 10 minutes a match then that will be something for Steve Mc to coach out of them. But don't doubt every single one of those players will have been thinking the same thing, trying to do the basics. Castleford simply created the tries they needed, when they needed them....Although Bulls can take heart in their showing they also have to realise that performances alone dont get you to Old Trafford.

Moving on with with abit of constructive criticism for Steve Mc. I'd question the decision to bring Deacs back on. When he was off the bulls we're on top of things and they didn't seem to miss him much. (which in itself is worrying.) But when he came back on, he missed a kick and Castleford scored 18 points. Now I'm not blaming him for Bradford self destruction but Im saying as a coach why change whats working?There might have been other injuries or players out on their feet and I can accept that, this is all ifs and buts but for me to put an already underperforming Deacon (with the added worry of the head injury) back on when your team had built up a 16 point lead is a questionable decision. Only my thoughts tho and I appreciate im no coach.

I'll finish with my thoughts on the ref. Not Good. I thought he missed alot. As for his linesman also there was what seemed a ridiculous call where he said a ball had gone behing the marker on the try line when actually it didnt and should have resulted in a Bulls 40/20 and subsequent posession??? Beggared Belief that one.

Overall a lot of positives to take away, but alot of things to work on. Was good to see the Bulls fans out in good numbers and was also good to see Platt have a good game. Hopefully you wont be too far from getting your 1st win. Just hope it not on the 10th where I wont be as neutral as I was yesterday

I was right in line with the kick, albeit 100m away in the WRE. I thought it bounced over the top of the corner flag so a 20m restart was correct. The in goal ref also gave a 20m restart. It was so close it could have gone either way though.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:02 pm  

Nev0807 wrote:

I was right in line with the kick, albeit 100m away in the WRE. I thought it bounced over the top of the corner flag so a 20m restart was correct. The in goal ref also gave a 20m restart. It was so close it could have gone either way though.

From my vantage point on Ilkley Moor it obviously went dead.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:11 pm  

Your telling me you could see "The Jungle" from Ilkley Moor. Through all of Castlefords Smog and Pollution I doubt it.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:54 pm  

debaser wrote: I guess we will see won't we. Yes indeed SDB wrote: Your telling me you could see "The Jungle" from Ilkley Moor. Through all of Castlefords Smog and Pollution I doubt it. What?

debaser wrote: I guess we will see won't we. Yes indeed SDB wrote: Your telling me you could see "The Jungle" from Ilkley Moor. Through all of Castlefords Smog and Pollution I doubt it. What?

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:55 pm  

SDB wrote:

Your telling me you could see "The Jungle" from Ilkley Moor. Through all of Castlefords Smog and Pollution I doubt it.

I was wearing glasses.

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 9:00 pm  

[quote="Liane"]Only just legal, deacon being bent down made sure of that but Shentons arm was close to being an elbow regardless though!!


Looked a good shot to me and check out the League Express. For those who haven't read the report, I quote reporter Tony Hannan
"The little halfback was led from the field bloodied and shaken up after an absolute belter of a one-on-one tackle by Shenton. Referee Gareth Hewer put the incident on report, but really there was nothing in it. Deacon's clattering was more the result of a hospital pass from his halfback partner Ben Jerries than anything criminal by the Castleford centre".

: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:10 pm  

Cibaman wrote:

Very true, but if a coach is to be sacked it shouldnt be on the back of a performance such as yesterdays.

Quite right. Lots of positives about the performance at Cas as mentioned elsewhere;

Great numbers of away fans
Platt did very well
Some excellent attacking play
Some excellent scrambling defence

But, we didn't win. And whilst I agree with people that say the result is not everything, it is something, and we can only go so long without the results following the effort.

I dont think there is any blame for McNamara for Sundays result, more our experienced players on the pitch didnt control the game at the end like I would have hoped - coupled with some excellent attacking rugby throwing the ball around by Cas.

However, coming back to how important the results are, at some point this season the club need to plan for next year, with McNamaras contract up this year if he does not get results on the pitch he might effectively sack himself as the club surely wont be able to offer him a new deal if we remain near the foot of the table with a 15 - 20% win average, will they?

: Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:43 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

Moaning and whinging brigade - especially those who did not get the opportunity to see the game - take note.

We played pretty damn well - for most of the match. Cas's coach recognised it needed their best performance of the year (and that from a team near top of table on back of some excellent away results) to beat us.

I thought he was talking about Bradford having there best game of season, thats what it sounded like to me, Terry master added the part in brackets. This from Telegraph and Argus seams to back my opinion up "Castleford boss Terry Matterson thought this was the Bulls’ best game of the season"

Anyway i agree you should of got something from the game after being the best side for 65-70 minutes, but we were very good in the last 10. I have to say i thought it was one of our worst defensive efforts this season.