LOOK at the T&A giving me my own weekly column, who do they think I am, Simon Parker?

Anyway, just like how my esteemed colleague is not afraid to give his opinion on City matters, I will be looking to do the same on Bulls, Avenue and many more people and teams around the district.

For me there is only one place to start, and that is the hysterical overreaction from many Bulls fans over the way their season ended, in what was effectively a Championship play-off quarter final defeat to Batley.

Several of them hit out on social media and on our own website, calling veteran head coach John Kear ‘past it’ and questioning whether several players, like the departing Joe Brown, had thrown in the towel.

Of course, those comments were not about the Batley match in isolation necessarily, more about the four-game losing run that saw Bradford’s 2021 campaign end with a whimper.

But of those four defeats in a row, to Toulouse, Widnes, Whitehaven and Batley, only the one against the Cumbrians was shambolic, and even then it was only a half-hour spell where Bulls forgot how to tackle, rather than for the full 80 minutes.

And I’m happy to call that out. Check my live blog and match report for the Whitehaven defeat, and the pathetic opening day loss to Sheffield in Doncaster, if you don’t believe me.

Bulls have put in some dreadful performances on occasions this season, and have been rightfully criticised, whether that be by myself or the loyal supporters.

I should know because I covered most of those horror shows, Whitehaven at Odsal, Sheffield in Doncaster and Featherstone away in the league. All three, games I’d like to forget.

But in a season where Bulls played 22 competitive games, you can count those disaster matches on one hand.

Swinton at home and away were pretty poor, and yes I was at the latter too, but they won both of those at the end of the day didn’t they?

And what about when Bulls excelled?

The resilience shown to beat a fine Halifax side 27-26 just a fortnight after the Sheffield shambles?

The stunning performance to eviscerate recent Super League side London Broncos 33-8 in the capital?

The destruction of old foes York, home and away, when James Ford’s team had given them no end of trouble in 2018 and 2019?

As usual, all that is quickly forgotten after a few bad results.

We mustn’t forget the rotten luck that Bradford have had this season either.

Arguably their best three-quarter, Matty Dawson-Jones, has been out injured virtually all season.

Vital half-back pairing Jordan Lilley and Danny Brough were only able to start around half of Bulls’ competitive games together.

George Flanagan’s 10-game ban, Sam Hallas’ broken jaw, key players having to self-isolate due to Covid. I could go on, but I challenge any side to cope with all of that.

I’ve seen people laughing at Bulls, and claiming that they’re miles away from being Super League standard.

Correct, but with so much investment in Super League, is it any surprise Championship clubs get left behind?

Look at poor Leigh, promoted into the spare spot left by Toronto for 2021 and ending the season with just two wins to their name.

Unfortunately, without more help from the governing bodies for Championship and League 1 clubs, Super League may remain a pretty closed shop for the foreseeable future.

Two sides who might have half a chance of remaining in the top flight if they get promoted are the standout Championship teams of 2021, Toulouse and Featherstone.

That goes for the former in particular, with the French outfit an outstanding rugby league team who beat Bulls 60-6 in Dewsbury last month, despite the hosts not doing all that much wrong.

And it is Toulouse and Fev who will rightfully contest the Million Pound Game this Sunday.

It is not an outlandish or controversial suggestion to say that if Bulls had operated at 100 per cent in every single fixture this season, they still would have only finished third at best.

There was no chance of them finishing above those two behemoths, and of course, third was in Bulls’ hands on that final day before their terrible collapse against Whitehaven.

We all pine for those glory days of 20-odd years ago, when Bulls won Super Leagues, Challenge Cups and World Club Challenges at will.

But those days are long gone, and we have to accept that. Heck, Bulls were liquidated less than five years ago, so maybe we should be grateful we have a club to support at all.

This isn’t a piece attempting to defend everything that has gone on off the field at Bulls over the years, far from it, but simply support for the team and coaching staff.

So let’s stop all the shouting, and see what 2022 brings, shall we?