BRADFORD BULLS captain Michael Lawrence believes that in veteran coach Brian Noble, the club has the right man to put the brakes on any inflated ideas in the wake of the eye-catching Challenge Cup win against Castleford.
An 18-16 third-round home triumph over the Super League side sealed an away tie against Salford in mid-March and underlined the Bartercard Odsal team’s place among the favourites for second-tier success this season.
Bradford have pushed the boat out to assemble a strong squad as they work to amass enough IMG grading points to regain the top-flight place they lost in 2014.
And after the October departure of Eamon O’Carroll, who guided the Bulls to last year’s play-off semi-finals, to work at St Helens, they turned to Noble, who guided them in the glory years of the first half of the 2000s and who had returned to his home-city club as football consultant.
Noble was quick to retain another experienced operator Lee Greenwood, who was assistant to O’Carroll, while Keith Senior has also been added to the staff after long service at Sheffield.
And Lawrence, in his third season at Bradford after 16 at Huddersfield, believes the trio can deliver the success supporters are craving.
“The coaching change was very unexpected,” he said.
“Freddie (O’Carroll) did a great job, and he was one of the big reasons I decide to go around again this year. I can see why Saints wanted him, because he is a top coach, and it was a great opportunity for him.
“Nobby and Greeny have both been there for the last two years, and that provides some stability. I don’t think we needed a fresh coaching team and to start from scratch.
“They work well together and have brought in the experience of Keith Senior, who has complemented the pair of them.
“Nobby is great at communicating and managing players, and he doesn’t let anyone overreact to highs or setbacks.”
