Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Tue Aug 25, 2015 2:48 pm  

I echo some of the thoughts about not getting carried away with the victory and predicting automatic promotion.

Yes, it was a stunning victory. The best I've seen us play since Headingley away last year, if not even better.

I've not seen much of Salford this year, but were they THAT good? Leigh were better than them in Round 1 ffs.

Tough games ahead. We may well not beat another SL side, and there's no way we can be too confident about victory over at Leigh. The fact they haven't beaten a SL team will make them even more eager to prove themselves against us.

Please can we not get too excited!

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Tue Aug 25, 2015 4:28 pm  

I doubt any Bulls fan who has endured the last few years is getting over excited. But there is no harm in believing we might do it. And after all, we demand that the team 100% believes that they can come and wipe even the SL opposition off the park - and when they have that desire belief and confidence, then you get performances like that).

We just don't want then to get over-confident, but there's zero danger of that. We DO need them to keep up the desire, intensity, speed and application. The difference is in genuine and sustained confidence that, if they apply themselves right, then they should be very confident that they have the ability to win. The team MUST have a genuine belief that they can win. Not that they WILL win.

Anyway, at least the bookies recognize that withour upturn in form, we do have a chance - if slim - of making it back to SL. We are now "first reserve" to be promoted, at odds of 8/11. That is, the bookies now have us as firm favourites to be in the million pound match. (Wakey are in 4th spot and their odds have shrunk to a much more generous 2/9 - Salford are 3rd favourites at 1/6, Widnes 1/7 and HKR home and hosed at 1/200)

Leigh are now out to 9/2 to be promoted.

As for finishing in the top 3 and getting an automatic spot, The bookies have cut the Bulls' odds to Evens. I must say that is very mean, especially when there are four teams odds-on to get an automatic spot, but it indicates that the bookies think we are at least edging into the frame, whereas poor old Leigh in contrast are now out at over 20/1 for 3rd spot, meaning the bookies no longer believe it is possible for them.

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:54 pm  

For Widnes, I'd go with:

Mullaney
Clare
Nielsen
Purtell
Williams
Gaskell
Addy
Clough
O'Brien
Sidlow
Ferguson
Olbison
Pitts

Lauaki
Crossley
Blythe
Mellor

I see no reason to bring Siejka back in now.

It's the same team that played in the Salford game, but with Gaskell in for Caro. I don't think we should shuffle the team around too much to keep the consistency, but Gaskell is too good to leave out.

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:56 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Leigh are now out to 9/2 to be promoted.

As for finishing in the top 3 and getting an automatic spot, The bookies have cut the Bulls' odds to Evens. I must say that is very mean, especially when there are four teams odds-on to get an automatic spot, but it indicates that the bookies think we are at least edging into the frame, whereas poor old Leigh in contrast are now out at over 20/1 for 3rd spot, meaning the bookies no longer believe it is possible for them.

I think for Leigh to get 3rd, they'll have to win all four of their remaining games, and win them by big margins. Their points difference is already looking unfavourable.

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:18 pm  

BullCharge wrote:

I think for Leigh to get 3rd, they'll have to win all four of their remaining games, and win them by big margins. Their points difference is already looking unfavourable.

They also need Salford and Bradford to lose a couple too, and even there they're scraping it on points difference. That's with four score margins against all their remaining opponents and Salford losing to all remaining SL opposition.

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:37 am  

Drust wrote:

I echo some of the thoughts about not getting carried away with the victory and predicting automatic promotion.

Yes, it was a stunning victory. The best I've seen us play since Headingley away last year, if not even better.

I've not seen much of Salford this year, but were they THAT good? Leigh were better than them in Round 1 ffs.

Tough games ahead. We may well not beat another SL side, and there's no way we can be too confident about victory over at Leigh. The fact they haven't beaten a SL team will make them even more eager to prove themselves against us.

Please can we not get too excited!

I'm not trying to get carried away either, but we have a fantastic chance of doing our promotion hopes the world of good by beating Widnes. We would go 2 points clear of them, with one of the remaining fixtures against Fax. Whereas Widnes have already played both part time clubs.

But i'm expecting a fired up Widnes and a Kevin Brown masterclass

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:01 pm  

Bull Mania wrote:

But i'm expecting a fired up Widnes and a Kevin Brown masterclass

A fired up Widnes v. the Mk.II fired-up Bulls should be some game, though. The Bulls objective if that happened would be to bas their forwards harder than they bash ours, as if our pack doesn't concede the yards then it becomes increasingly difficult for Brown or anyone to play when given no space or time.

I hope Widnes have a similar attitude to Salford. I absolutely love those 80 minute thrillers where the teams tear at each other hammer and tongs and the result is in doubt till the last minute. As long as it's not us being put through the mill" - during our games I just want us to be 40 up after 10 minutes and never under threat.

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:22 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

I hope Widnes have a similar attitude to Salford..

Doubt it. Widnes are in a bit of trouble now. They're on 4 points but have already played the two part time teams. All they're remaining fixtures are going to be tough.

[Bullseye]

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Wed Aug 26, 2015 3:40 pm  

After last week nobody will be taking us lightly.

Re: Remaining Middle 8 fixtures : Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:24 pm  

Widnes will be wanting to put in a good performance after their first 3, which they were poor in.

Our pack has to stand up to theirs. Give them field position and Brown will punish us.