O'Brien and Addy are positives in dark times (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

O'Brien and Addy are positives in dark times

5:05pm Thursday 18th August 2011 in Bulls By Jamie Langley

What more can you say after last week?

It was really tough to lose that game, and we've said a lot of the same things over the last few weeks.

You always start the season optimistic and striving to achieve as much as you can as a team – aiming for a good run in the cup and a good position in the league.

When you don't do that it's devastating, and it's happened to us in each of the last few years now, which isn't acceptable.

I've had plenty of lows in my career so I'm experienced enough to deal with them – you have to take the rough with the smooth.

I'll come back next year and work harder than ever to change things.

But we have to make sure the younger players in the squad are able to cope and that they don't start to accept losing as the norm.

We can't accept not making the play-offs and us senior players will make sure it never is accepted at this club.

Positives to come out of last week's game were the performances of Adam O'Brien and Danny Addy.

Both of them have got a near-impossible task and are taking on a lot of responsibility to lead the team round in the absence of Matt Diskin and Heath L'Estrange but are giving their all.

Adam is a really outstanding talent who still has a hell of a lot to learn but is doing a good job in a really complex position.

Danny hadn't even played hooker before this year and didn't even start playing rugby until he was 14 but Mick saw something in him to suggest he could do a job.

He's one of the most skilful players at the club and has a kicking and passing game as good as anyone else but is still learning how to read the game.

It will take time but he's identifying when to run and when to pass and he will have a bright future.