Great game, crap result, but as soon as Danny McGuire naively threw out that dodgy pass with 2 minutes to go you knew exactly what was going to happen.


And it did with Brett Ferres falling over the line for the Bulls with the very last play of the game, absolutely sickening.
Bradford had the better of the game early on despite a strong wind against them and went in front after 15 minutes when Stanley Gene crossed, the conversion made it 0-6 Bulls.

It was end to end stuff but when Rob Burrow forced a goal line drop out the Bulls could keep us out no longer and Ellis went in after a brilliant pass from JJB.


HT: 6-6


Minutes into the second half and Rob Burrow made and scored a try out wide after running cross field and also added the 2 points, we lead 12-6 and were looking good to extend that lead, but that all changed when Lynch stole the ball one on one from Ryan Bailey.
Ironically, after what happened to Bailey the other week, 2 minutes later and the Welsh money grabber went over, 12-12.


Shortly after that, on 57, Paul Deacon kicked cross field and another ex-Rhino, Marcus Bai had little to do to score as Danny Williams was well out of position. 12-16 as the kick was missed.


At this point I thought we may lose it as the Bulls were getting on top, but Williams made amends for his bad positioning soon after, when McGuire sent up a bomb he did well to tap the ball back the Mathers who strode over, 16-16.


With just 6 minutes to go we were awarded a penalty 30 yards out in front of goal and unusually accepted the kick at goal, 18-16 Rhinos, with 5 minutes to go.

At that point I could only see us scoring again until with 2 minutes to go after just 3 tackles McGuire inexplicably sent out that pass.
FT: 18-20



If I do have one criticism of our team it is that we do not know when to kill a game off. That said, I'm sure it would not have happened had Sinny been on the field.

Sold out over a week ago, the biggest game in Super League promises to be a belter, the game already had all the ingredients: A full house; JP captaining the Rhinos; Welsh money grabber captaining the Bulls; McKenna and Bai returning; the Rhinos injury problems and now we hear that Bradford have given Wigan permission to speak to Brian Noble.


Without Kevin Sinfield this is going to be a tough game for us but we do have cover and I expect Gareth Ellis to take over at loose forward and do a good job.
Having said, that we have nobody with Sinfield’s range of kicking skills and we use the long game a lot against Bradford particularly against the “Volcano”. McGuire and mainly Burrow are going to have to be at their best in that department.


Also out of the 17 are Smith, Diskin and O’Neill. Danny Williams and Shane Millard will replace the first two, O’Neill is not yet ready to start in a game such as this.


JJB comes back into the squad and should make the 17, Ashley Gibson will probably be the man to miss out. The Bulls are missing just Paul Johnson through injury.


This again looks likely to be a close game, with the Bulls coming off a poor display against Warrington last week, they are likely to be fired up but if we can cover Sinfield's kicking game we can win it.


The Bulls have 10 points start on the coupon which I would take. They will not win the game though, I take the Rhinos by 8 again to take the two points and temporary league leadership.


Prediction: Leeds 22 v Bulls 14


Come on Leeds!!!

After 3, maybe 4 months stuck talking to the wife, Super League is back just in the nick of time before you have to start discussing the new series of footballer’s wives.


Unfortunately after a series of mediocre pre-season displays and an unbalanced squad, we will not be winning it unless we bring in a further winger.
The Bulls won't be winning it either as their recruitment has been as bad as ours, so that leaves The Saints. I'm not happy about it but I think they will have it won by round 23 and even worse I think that Hull will finish above us in second place.


Danny McGuire has to have a Bigseason offensively but having said that I don't think The Rhinos will struggle in that department, I think we look weaker in defence this year and for that reason I think we will finish in third spot just in front of the Bulls and then Wigan with Warrington making up top six.


Danny Ward might make an impact at Cas but I still see them finishing bottom just behind Wakefield.

These first 3 weeks will give us a good idea of what to expect from the Rhinos, I hope my pessimism proves misplaced and we are still going come 6.30pm on the 14th October.


Roll on Sunday!!