Just read Andy Wilson’s depressing analysis of Bradford Bulls on his blog, “The season so far, and Bulls in decline”.
I have to admit I was thinking a lot of the same things that morning while cycling along the canal at Apperley Bridge looking at the ground where the team sometimes practises.
But on reflection I feel he has been far too down-beat about the Bulls, there are lots of positives, just not at the moment. Any team would struggle to beat Leeds at the moment, but considering their current injury crisis I think Bradford made a monumental effort last weekend and came pretty close. Four tries being disallowed does not help, we were nearly there and I think we would have won if Deacon had been there to combine with Jeffies and if Tadulala had not been injured during the game.
Steve McNamara is beginning to build a good team after the loss of all those stars at the end of 2005, and although they will soon lose Hape, and of course lost Vainikolo last season, they have Burgess, Halley, Sykes, Deacon, Morrison, Jeffries and several others who are quality players and will help the team progress.
Now that the Harris business is over the Bulls can start to recover from that and build a better team with the money that Harris’s salary will save them. I feel that the Harris court case has cast a long shadow and has been a major factor in the lack of success for the last three years. If by some miracle the sporting village comes to fruition, that would be a major boost for the club and surely the crowds would increase. Perhaps now more money could be spent on advertising the club in the Bradford area so that more people are enticed in to watch the games.
I think it is inevitable that the fan base is always going to be much smaller than that of Leeds. Leeds is a much bigger and wealthier city; the Rhinos have a better ground, more facilities and are more likely to benefit from corporate hospitality packages.
I think Bradford just have to hang in there to get through their injury crisis, and if they can still stay in the top six, they have as good a chance as anybody in the playoffs. But having said that, things will have to change a lot before anyone looks likely to beat Leeds, and a Leeds St Helen’s final is by far the most likely outcome.
I’d be more depressed if I was a Warrington fan – all that money, great international players and very limited success – though I know they have had a lot of injuries too. And have just parted company with Paul Cullen. That has been a long time coming, he almost went last year, and I think that the Board have probably made the right decision, they need a new and dynamic coach to push the Wolves forward.
As of today, here are my predictions for top six at end of season:
Leeds
St Helens
Wigan
Catalans
Bradford
Warrington
But I hope I’m wrong and Bradford end up much higher than that!
Tags: Bradford Bulls, Rugby League
