BRADFORD BULLS are categorically refusing to write any games off as they plan to make a sustained impact back in Super League.
Given the nod under the IMG grading system to be a top-flight side in 2026, Bradford began building for the big time whilst still in the Championship last season.
And this season they have taken several opponents by surprise, not least Catalans Dragons, whom they demolished 28-10 at home in round two.
Having also beaten Toulouse Olympique, their schedule has grown more challenging on paper with Saturday’s battling 26-22 defeat to St Helens followed by a Challenge Cup fourth-round tie this Friday at Wigan Warriors.
Whilst some promoted teams may find themselves looking at potentially winnable games they can target, that is not the case for Bradford.
“We’re on a journey every single week, we are a brand-new team and are learning every day,” their coach Kurt Haggerty said.
“We will know more about ourselves when rounds eight-to-ten come around.
“What we did straightaway when I came into the club was to make a point of not pinpointing any game we think we can or can’t win.
“It doesn’t matter who it is – Leeds, Wigan, York or Toulouse – we have planned to win every game.
“We’ve gone into every game to win it and that’s served us well.”
Haggerty has pinpointed the differences between Super League and the Championship and how the ruck speed is making his team change the way they play.
“Ultimately, the game is a little quicker than in the Championship, so decision-making under fatigue is a really big one, especially defensively,” he said.
“The way the game is being played with the ruck, we are doing a lot of work on losing our third man and solving the problem.
“I’d like to think we are trying to get ahead of the game with the new rules.”