: Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:22 pm  

Although I'm resigned to missing out on the playoffs, we still need to give ourselves the best chance of making them and that means playing our best players. But in my books we also have a duty to play our promising young stars that have shown they can hack it with the best. For me that means Morrow straight in providing he's fit and Worrincy out, but keeping our youngsters in the team aswell.

I'd be going with the following against Celtic if I was coach.

Halley. Sheriffe. Menzies. Nero. Tadulala. Sykes. Deacon. Scruton. Newton. Lynch. Langley. Morrison. Donaldson. Subs. Whitehead. Burgess. Kopczak. Godwin.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:22 pm  

I don't think comparisons with 2005 are entirely valid, either in terms of the quality of the two squads, nor in the 'starting position' (i.e in the play off positions as distinct from being adrift)

I don't think its an issue of 'pride' at all. After all, if we'd seen a bit more pride and commitment in the first 2/3 of the season then we wouldn't be in our current position. I'm not saying we'd be topping the table, but a few narrow defeats e.g Castleford (both), Wakefield (away), Celtic (home) might have become victories and we'd be in the lower reaches of the Top 8 with every likelihood of being in the play offs.

So it seems a bit strange to think that a bunch of players who haven't exactly been bursting with pride and commitment - or so it appears from the terraces - are suddenly going to start busting a gut now, when they know they are leaving

I still think the best policy would be creatively use the people who are leaving to 'bring on' people for next year. I mean, who could honestly say that a second row pairing of Morrison / Whitehead wouldn't be better for the future than Morrison / Cook? And it's hard to argue that the former wouldn't actually be better in the present than the latter!!

I'd definitely start with Morrison and Whitehead on Saturday, then maybe try Morrison / Olbison the following week, and so on. You can still have Worrincy and/or Cook on the bench ready to bring on...

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:28 pm  

paulwalker71 wrote:

I'd definitely start with Morrison and Whitehead on Saturday, then maybe try Morrison / Olbison the following week, and so on. You can still have Worrincy and/or Cook on the bench ready to bring on...

Yep. Seconded

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:49 pm  

tigertot wrote:

I think the only reason you are suggesting naivity is because you know how to put those fancy dots over the a.

Alt is my friend!

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:14 pm  

Since so many are leaving use them to pad the crowd out, Solomona could make a section of the terrace look full, and create a better atmosphere. Since they are being paid the noise they make shouldn't be dependant on the performance. Also supporters could express their opinions of the players worth directly to them with no need to boo and maybe offend the wrong people.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:12 pm  

Play Morrison as we are dumb enough to let him go and kill all the rest, feed them to the players and then in effect we will have 20 players on the pitch.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:31 pm  

I can't see what the difference is call me short sighted but they are still under contract to Bradford we pay their wages and they should be out there doing their best for Bradford.

I also have yet to see any evidence that any of them have dropped their effort because they are proud professional men. So until they prove otherwise we should pick the best 13 possible they owe us fans a few wins after underperforming this year.

Don't get me wrong something needs freshening up and changes needed to be made but until it is mathematically impossible to make the play offs we should be going for it.

Personally I'd be disgusted if the coach said "right lets face it we're not going to make the play offs so lets sod this year".

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:33 pm  

I'd just like to add that if anyone shows a lack of effort because they are coming off contract they should told that they are not training and are not playing for the reserves so they are miles behind when they join up with their new clubs for preseason.

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:38 pm  

Maccbull_BigBullyBooaza wrote:

Personally I'd be disgusted if the coach said "right lets face it we're not going to make the play offs so lets sod this year".

Well, didn't he kinda say that in the T& A last Monday? Something about being not willing to talk about the play-offs and just wanting to get a few wins before the end of the season.

It sounded pretty much like he'd given up on the playoffs to me at any rate

: Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:44 pm  

paulwalker71 wrote:

Well, didn't he kinda say that in the T& A last Monday? Something about being not willing to talk about the play-offs and just wanting to get a few wins before the end of the season.

It sounded pretty much like he'd given up on the playoffs to me at any rate

I think that's the right way to look at it. Win the next game that's all he can do otherwise everyone would be shouting about how deluded he is. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I'm talking about team selections I want to see positive team selections and I want to see the team trying to win every game left because I'm hoping they do and that other results go our way and I wont (however stupid this may appear) in fact I refuse to think otherwise until it can't mathematically happen and if it doesn't I'll look forward to next year.