Fozz for GB

[JasonE]

Fozzard is the form prop in SL and should make his debut in this years Tri Series, I think he is just what GB needs and what GB lacked in the Ashes series, a big man to go forward and make the hard yards, Fielden can't do it all by himself.

While on the subject of improved players how about Keith Mason, Ian Millward deserves a huge wrap for managing to develop Mason into a really good prop who at 22 looks like he will only get better and could also be a test player in the next few years.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Fozzard is the form prop in SL and should make his debut in this years Tri Series, I think he is just what GB needs and what GB lacked in the Ashes series, a big man to go forward and make the hard yards, Fielden can't do it all by himself.

While on the subject of improved players how about Keith Mason, Ian Millward deserves a huge wrap for managing to develop Mason into a really good prop who at 22 looks like he will only get better and could also be a test player in the next few years.

You are right. I believe it was you that I laughed at in pre-season for suggesting that Fozzard could equal Fielden in the Cup tie. Fozz has been nothing short of utterly sensational for us. I don't know if its just that no-one noticed him at Warrington, but he didn't seem to be capable of the dominant performances he has been showing in the red vee. Millward has got him playing the game Saints way and he looks the part. For me he is an absolute cert for a starting spot for GB. Whether Morley is allowed to play or not, Fozzard, Cunningham and Fielden should be the front row.

Keith Mason is another player who's career Millward has turned around. When he returned from Melbourne with pretty much no time on the field many had written him off after his error-strewn first season. This season though he has been immense, backing Fozzard up all the way. At 22 it would perhaps be too early for him in the Tri-Nations, but there aren't many in front of him if he keeps his form up. McDermott and Anderson surely cannot be considered this time around as they are now laughable and have no impact whatsoever.

The only worry for me is that Brian Noble is the new coach of GB. He prefers the neanderthal approach to Rugby League as demonstrated by the physical freaks he plays at Bradford. I'm very worried that he will pick an utterly defensive team with Deacon (Please god no!) at 7.

I will be running a campaign later in the season for GB to have 1 fullback, 2 wingers, 2 centres, a stand off, a scrum half, a hooker, 2 props, 2 second rowers and 1 loose forward on the field instead of the usual 7 loose forwards, 3 props and three backs.

GB:

1. Paul Wellens
2. Brian Carney
3. Martin Gleeson
4. Keith Senior
5. Richie Barnett / Ade Gardner
6. Danny McGuire
7. Sean Long
8. Stuart Fielden
9. Keiron Cunningham
10. Nick Fozzard
11. Adrian Morley (If allowed)
12. Jamie Peacock
13. Paul Sculthorpe (Captain)

 

[DrewBeliever]

Yeah, Nick had a great match against the Rhinos, and some big smashes in defence.
Deffinatley, if he carry's on playing the way he has done, he'll deffinatley be there, those if Noble is named as coach, he'll be the one to judge that.
Especially how McDermott has been a pick for the past good years for Great Britain.
I also daubt Cunningham will be there, especially with all the young talent coming through, if Matt Diskin is back for the Rhinos soon, he alway's put's in a 100 % and Nobby is a huge fan of him.
And he'll probably put Pryce in the centres with him been Bradford, those he's had a mixed thought season so far, since the Penrith and Wigan match, I'm still to be impressed.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Yeah, Nick had a great match against the Rhinos, and some big smashes in defence.
Deffinatley, if he carry's on playing the way he has done, he'll deffinatley be there, those if Noble is named as coach, he'll be the one to judge that.
Especially how McDermott has been a pick for the past good years for Great Britain.
I also daubt Cunningham will be there, especially with all the young talent coming through, if Matt Diskin is back for the Rhinos soon, he alway's put's in a 100 % and Nobby is a huge fan of him.
And he'll probably put Pryce in the centres with him been Bradford, those he's had a mixed thought season so far, since the Penrith and Wigan match, I'm still to be impressed.

If Keiron Cunningham is fit, he plays. Matt Diskin is third or fourth in the reckoning.

I think GB should use the Cunningham/Higham rotation that works so well for St Helens.

 

[DrewBeliever]

Yeah, I've noticed, Millward has pulled some awsome tricks this season, and well done to him!

Yeah but Fourth is the reckoning, is not alway's fouth to Noble.
Judging on the past, when he's been sky's guest to Boots'N'All and on other Teams matches with Eddie and Stevo, he's alway's commenting on Diskin, and how great a player he is, and that he's deffinatley the next British hooker.

Those it wouldn't suprise me at all, as to when Karl Pratt's back for the Bulls and shook of his injury, he places him in at hooker for Britain.

But over all, I think if Noble is the next Lions coach, I don't think he'll be biast, and choose all Bradford players, I think he'll deffinatley be fair, as he's a fair coach with a great mind in selection.

 

[Asim]

Fozzard has gone well so far this season, it's a bit of a shame that he is now being talked about for GB when, IMO, he is doing no different than what he did for Wire, it's just that he now plays for a big team. If his temprament holds out over the season then he's got to be in there along with Fielden and Bailey.

 

[DrewBeliever]

Last season, there were some suggestions from people around a couple of message boards, saying Fozzard was good enough for Britain.
Those, it alway's takes a player to play for a big named club, to get a team selection for Lions.

Asim, are you going to London, for the Bulls match tomorrow?

 

[Asim]

Asim, are you going to London, for the Bulls match tomorrow?

Yep, I should get to bed really as I've got an early start - 7am train from Manchester!

 

[DrewBeliever]

Oh, and still, I never saw you.
Was you sitting in the corner, or getting wet behind the sticks, I was one of the more lively supporters behind the sticks getting drenched, with a VB bucket on my head with the rest of the message board crew!

How good did little Andy Smith place in replacement for Lesley, he's deffinatley a British star of the future!

 

[JasonE]

Andy Smith is only 19 too, i saw him in the Academy GF last year and he was awesome.

 

[DrewBeliever]

He's brilliant, he doesn't make one mistake, and some of the high balls he caught yesterday were incredibull!

Those, with him been so young, and a future British Winger (I mean come on, how many good wingers do we have what don't come from over seas) some club is bound to come in and steel him, and offer him more money, and prive him away.

Who have we had since Newton, and he doesn't want to play rep footy no more.

I think, it would be amazing if Noble looked at the squad, like the Australians do there's and have believe in you younger players and place them in, It can do no harm, they have alot of talent and please, we may as well just book our tickets for the final between NZ and Kangaroo's now, as Scully and the Clang are going to get no where in the Tri Series if we don't look at our younger generation!

Those our future is deffinatley bright!

 

[Asim]

Oh, and still, I never saw you.
Was you sitting in the corner, or getting wet behind the sticks, I was one of the more lively supporters behind the sticks getting drenched, with a VB bucket on my head with the rest of the message board crew!

I was stood behind the sticks for most of the game, just to the left as you looked at the pitch. I was by myself as my girlfriend decided she wasn't prepared to be out in the rain and instead went shopping, thats her dumped anyway!

I got absolutely drenched and the dye from the blue jacket I was wearing has run into my Bulls shirt! With about fifteen minutes left I gave up and retreated to the stand!

How good did little Andy Smith place in replacement for Lesley, he's deffinatley a British star of the future!

I was impressed, a couple of handling errors but given the conditions that is forgivable. Unbelievably when I moved into the stand I sat near a bloke who shouted for him to be taken off every time he got the ball, some people baffle me.

 

[DrewBeliever]

Wow, well for his age, he dead set impressed me!

I was with my VB singing Bulls message board crew, the likes of Nicey, Meist and Bulldozer II!

Yeah, I have some pretty bad stains on my shirt too, and I can't believe you gave in with just 15 minutes, I mean how much wetter could you of actually got? :lol:

Did you happen to see at half time on the big screen, 2 people snogging each others faces of, on a random note of times?! :lol:

On the up side, I wa simpressed, even those London had some ingury's, I mean where suffering our selfes, those where never aloud to use that excuse.

 

[Asim]

The worst thing about the rain for me was that on my way to the ground I developed a hole in the sole of my trainers, I can cope with rain normally but I couldn't cope with standing there with my feet getting wetter any longer so I gave in and went to the stand, I bought some new trainers when I got back to Oxford Street and they are also bust too, the strap on them just went while we were walking around Hyde Park (in the sun), so it wasn't a good footwear day for me!

I think you lot were probably on the other side of the sticks to where I was, I did see the messing about on the big screen, with a day of walking round London ahead of me I was too wet and miserable to do any singing!

I thought we did well given the conditions, I thought there would be more handling errors than there were and we looked sharper with Robbie Paul back at hooker, full credit to London because they never gave in, despite all their injuries, and when it's going against you in conditions like that it would be easy to just cave in.

 

[DrewBeliever]

Meh you and you're shoes, I was wearing my Puma strats and the rain just soaked through them, so by half time I just took them off and walked round in my socks.

Meh, I can't believe you could possibly be miserable, you should of just come stood with our bunch, we never turf any one away.

I as actually suprised that Logan Swann didn't knock on, on a random note of times, I can't wait till Karl pratt comes back and play's hooker those, he played awsome against Penrith in the role.

So, you coming down Odsal for the Cas match on Sunday?

 

[Asim]

Meh you and you're shoes, I was wearing my Puma strats and the rain just soaked through them, so by half time I just took them off and walked round in my socks.

Did you have a black (and green?) jacket on under a Bulls shirt? I think I might have seen you!

Meh, I can't believe you could possibly be miserable, you should of just come stood with our bunch, we never turf any one away.

I'm very shy, meeting new people scares me!

I as actually suprised that Logan Swann didn't knock on, on a random note of times, I can't wait till Karl pratt comes back and play's hooker those, he played awsome against Penrith in the role.

Pratt has never convinced me at hooker, last year he played there a couple of times and we went to pieces, he didn't dictate the fame at all like a hooker needs to, he was playing 7 in the WCC wasn't he? Pratt and Pryce in the halves, Aaron Smith at hooker...?!

So, you coming down Odsal for the Cas match on Sunday?

Probably, one of my mates is a Cas fan so I may watch the game with him, if not I might come over the tunnel and say hi!

 

[DrewBeliever]

You saw me, I looked a mess!! Yep, that was my Canberra Raiders rain jacket under my Bulls shirt, boy I looked a scratter, how did you possibly think thast was me :shock: !!

:? I could of sworn he played hooker, maybe Noble changed positions throughout the match, but I'm sure he started at hooker, no I'm not a big fan of Robbie, I think he has his of and off's, he irrates me, even if he is our captain!

 

[Asim]

I think Robbie Paul is best used from the bench, like in last years Grand Final but, from what I have seen he is our best bet at the moment at hooker, Aaron Smith doesn't quite seem ready and I just don't think Pratt can fill that position.

I was amazed we weren't in the market for Richard Swain to be honest, we knew Jimmy was going to retire and to me Swain was the only available player who could have filled the gap, I'd have rather we'd signed him than Logan Swann anyway. Logan is a good player but I'm not sure he's the right type of player for the Bulls at loose forward.

I'd have liked Swain at hooker with Jamie Langley given more of a run at loose forward, thats where he played successfully throughout his junior career and I think of the youngsters he's got the most potential.

 

[Paul-The-Cowboy]

I was amazed we weren't in the market for Richard Swain to be honest, we knew Jimmy was going to retire and to me Swain was the only available player who could have filled the gap

Ditto. There were strong whispers going around that Dean Triester was going to join you when it turned out Swain was off to Hull. I would've thought the Kiwi factor (Robbie and Vainakolo) could've lured Swain to Bradford.

Come to think of it, I'm amazed you never ended up signing Mal Alker. That rumour was going around this side of the Pennines for years that he was going to Bradford to learn his trade under Lowes and then to replace him. His brother said Bradford were showing huge interest in him so I don't understand what happened. The rumour had been going for 2 seasons before Salford were relegated so when they did drop down I was amazed that he never ended up at the Bulls. I mean if I was in Malc's shoes I'd take Bradford over NL1 any day...loyality hey :lol:

Quite a few of your fans reckon Mickey Higham will end up in Bradford colours but that's another rumour which is yet to materialise. Hope it isn't true!

The hooker role will take a while to sort out and IMO, Robbie's the man to do it. He's looked the most impressive to play there for you this season from what I've seen. I'd give it time. Things will be clicking by the end of the year. It'll just take a while to get used to life without the "demented dwarf". He could really get the forwards on a roll and no doubt had a big influence on the other players.

 

[Asim]

While Alker is a tackling machine and great in defence I don't think he has the attacking game to play hooker at a top club in Super League.

I thought a year in the National League might have done him some good, playing in a team usually on top and enabling him to develop the attacking side of his game but, to be honest, I've seen Salford a few times this season and it doesn't really seem to have happened.

Jimmy is pretty much irreplacable, but I mantain that of all the hookers who were available Swain was the one who could have had the best crack at it, Robbie will do well a hooker but our pack still lacks a workhorse in the mould of Danny Gartner or Mike Forshaw.