Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty has admitted that he has started to take a sneak peak at the Super League table with his side slowly climbing, however, he’s drawn a line on any talks of play-offs just yet.
The Bulls were one of three sides to be promoted to Super League with Haggerty having to build much of his squad in just a matter of months after Bradford learned which league they would be playing in in mid-October.
As a result, the former Salford assistant has maintained his message from the start of the season that any promoted side finishing outside of the bottom three will have done fantastically well, and for the Bulls that’s looking possible.
Bradford currently sit 10th, level on points with ninth-placed Hull FC, and a win today over Leigh Leopards would see them climb up the table and within six points of the top six.
Asked in his pre-match presser if he’s allowed himself to have a look at the league table, Haggerty admitted: “I do, yeah, I do. Every now and again when I’m at home, with my children out in the garden, I’ll just have a little look at the Sky Sports table on my phone, and just go, OK, we’re not too far off. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a little look.”
On his coaching philosophy and approach to the table, he said: “I think it’s under-promise, over-deliver.”
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Bradford Bulls boss calls on big away improvement to back up strong home form
One thing that has got Bradford into such an impressive position so far is their home form with all five of their wins coming at Odsal, something that could bode well when the Bulls take on the Leopards this afternoon.
However, Haggerty is well aware that for the top six to be a reality and not a dream, his side must start winning on the road whilst maintaining their home form.
He said: “We have to start picking up some wins away from home before we even have the conversation in regards to the play-offs, because I know what it looks like and what to get there, so we can’t have them chat yet until we start dealing them away wins, we need to keep winning at home.”
On if he’s spoken with his players yet about the prospects of play-offs, he reiterated: “I’ve not had that conversation yet, but if we start to pick up some wins, pick up some wins on the road, then I’m sure at some point I’ll sit down with the group and with the team and say, right, what does this next phase look like?
“As I said previously, for any of the newly promoted teams to get anywhere from ten above, I think it would be an incredible achievement. If a team can get in around eighth, then, yeah, I think that’s pretty fantastic, because it’s a very difficult competition.”
