Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:01 am  

Both Leeds and Bradford have endured financial difficulties which nearly closed them both down.

Leeds offered financial assistance to Bradford by allowing then to keep ticket money and loan them players whilst Bradford did everything they could to take players away from Leeds in a way to finish Leeds off in the mid 90s.

The Bradford rivalry was great for both clubs, great for the game but to me Bradford was never our rivals. Cas was always the big derby to me, the team i always wanted to beat more than any and that still remains.

Just wish we would help out well run clubs who deserve help like Batley.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:58 am  

Perhaps it is because I grew up in Bradford during the start of Bullmania, but for me Cas have never been serious rivals. Bradford may be out of SL but I doubt Cas will overhaul their SL trophy tally in the next 30 or even 50 years. Those Bulls-Rhinos games had real intensity and 'spice' (as Stevo would have put it) that I don't think I've seen in a Cas game (even the Sinfield headbutt game).

Since Bradford's demise our real rivals have been Wigan and Saints - even if we did suffer a bit of a dip in recent years.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Sat Dec 04, 2021 5:28 pm  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

but to me Bradford was never our rivals. Cas was always the big derby to me,

Yeah same here. The Bulls era was great but we should never lose sight of the club's fundamentals - for Leeds it is and needs to be all about the Hun and Cas when it comes to our top local derbies.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Sat Dec 04, 2021 7:00 pm  

I’m probably different but it’s Wigan for me.

Cas is a big derby. Maybe not the intensity of Bradford but nicely that’s a result of the massive side the Bulls put together. My word they took it to you with Anderson, Fielden, Peacock and Vagana. Big part of the spice was Barrie Mac.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Sat Dec 04, 2021 7:58 pm  

Wigan is a big game but certainly not a derby match.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Sat Dec 04, 2021 8:19 pm  

bdrhino wrote:

Great to speak to another Pudsey Lad.Interesting place Pudsey because I remember as a kid my dad telling me you could split his work place down the middle.Literally half loved rhinos and half loved the bulls.

I'm from Pudsey too. Well Farsley, Pudsey anyway. Moved to Mirfield to be with the Mrs, which similarly is another area that was a good mix on Leeds and Bradford fans. The Airedale Heffer which was run by John Charles son was great on rugby nights.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:02 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

Re. Bentley, are you sure a Dewsbury, York, Featherstone wouldn't have taken him if Bradford hadn't? Plus, if Bradford were a SL side at the time they might not have initially taken him either, it probably needed to be a Champ club given where he was in his career at the time.

James Bentley was at Fev's scholarship system before then moving to Bradford (moved with the coach)

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:22 pm  

I hope Bentley lives up to his promise, he's not a player I've seen an awful lot of but plenty on here seem to think he'll kill it at Leeds. Seems a good lad, hope it all works out as planned.

Does anyone know where Corey Johnson will play for Bradford by the way? Used mostly at 7 for York, I'm kindof hoping he'll get a run at 9 for Bradford assuming he's physically ready.

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Fri Dec 10, 2021 4:12 pm  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Yeah same here. The Bulls era was great but we should never lose sight of the club's fundamentals - for Leeds it is and needs to be all about the Hun and Cas when it comes to our top local derbies.

I think we can all agree the Leeds v Bradford Derby was to a degree a contrivance by Sky. We've always been rivals but are not each others primary grudge matches. For you it's Hunslet and Cas, whereas for us it's Halifax and Huddersfield. That said, there's a lot of our Derbies that live long in the memory. Brian McDermott having a psycho moment in the cup and punching any Leeds player that came near. Barry Mac fancying a bit of a rest so randomly leathering Fielden. I also loved Karl Pratt (whatever happened to him?) running in front of the away end at Odsal with his hand to his ear, although I bet you'd have cheerfully put your fist down his throat at the time.

I could never get on board with the "I hate Leeds" mentality though. Seemed fake really and I've always grudgingly respected the sleeve and the way the club has been run.

Re: Partnership | Bradford Bulls : Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:02 pm  

Pumpetypump wrote:

That said, there's a lot of our Derbies that live long in the memory. Brian McDermott having a psycho moment in the cup and punching any Leeds player that came near.

It's really funny how this incident gets exaggerated over the years
My recollection of this event was that Brian Mac punched Terry Newton once, Damian Gibson once and then had an altercation with Martin Massella.
None of Brian Macs punches actually sat anyone on their booty despite being the only one throwing the hammer, which especially in Damian Gibson's case is laughable as he was only 10 stone wet thru

If that dust up had occurred on the street then I would have backed Terry Newton to be the winner all day long.