BRADFORD BULLS coach Kurt Haggerty was proud of the way his side pushed St Helens all the way before succumbing in the dying stages.
Haggerty, who has worked alongside Saints coach Paul Rowley for much of his career, said his newly-promoted side had proved they could compete in Super League.
“I’m really proud of what we did in that second half,” he said after the 26-22 defeat.
“Losing a couple of players, we still turned up for each other, putting our bodies down.
“We still have the ability to play rugby and believe in what we do. I’ll never want to be a valiant loser, but I’m proud of today’s effort.”
He reflected on the challenge of being underestimated: “After these first four games, I hope people take us seriously.
“Tonight was about reaffirming that we should be respected as a club.”
Haggerty acknowledged crucial moments swung the game, including a red card for Eliot Peposhi.
“The kid’s absolutely devastated,” said Haggerty. “It’s only his fourth Super League game in a short space of time.
“We won’t beat him up over it – he’s got my full support. It’s a learning curve, and he’ll learn quickly.”
Haggerty highlighted positive moments despite the loss: “We scored some really good tries, and there was a moment around the 65th minute where we moved the ball across the top three to (Ethan) Ryan, creating a line break. That was brave, and it shows a team that believes in what they’re doing.”
The intensity of the match and physical demands were clear: “Some of our bodies are shot. It’s been an incredible effort from everyone.
“We’ve had massive minutes, rotating players, and everyone stayed locked in. It’s a testament to the discipline and preparation we’ve put in as a group.”
Haggerty also commented on the challenges of transitioning the club from the Championship to full-time rugby: “The first thing you question is whether the process we’ve put in place will hold up.
“Tonight, it resurfaced – moments that were really difficult – but it showed the work and discipline we’ve trained for, and the players kept competing no matter what.”
Despite the defeat, Haggerty remains optimistic about the season: “It’ll hurt tonight, but we’ll celebrate the good things we did and learn from the moments we lost.
“We won’t dwell – we’ll focus on the next fixture and continue building. The team still believes, and that’s what counts.”