HALIFAX PANTHERS chief executive Damien Clayton wants fans to help beat out the message that the West Yorkshire club means business this season.
Kyle Eastmond’s side might have suffered a first league loss of the campaign at the hands of neighbours Bradford at The Shay in round seven.
But the Bulls had to battle for their 12-8 come-from-behind triumph, with a solid defensive stint preventing further Fax points.
The derby drew an encouraging 4,887 crowd, with the home supporters once again backed up by a drum after it was yellow carded during the 46-12 win at Hunslet.
“It was temporarily benched by the stewards,” noted Clayton.
“But (losing) it made our support even more impressive.
“It has been loud, proud and unwavering, and now it’s back in full voice and rhythm, and it’s also been fantastic to hear from our loyal fans proposing initiatives which will not only enhance the matchday experience but also provide a visually-inspiring spectacle for the players.”
Having hosted London Broncos on Sunday, the Panthers head to Toulouse on Saturday with Eastmond hoping lessons learned from the high-profile Bradford showdown can be put to good use in the anticipated tough test in the south of France.
“It was obviously disappointing to lose,” he reflected.
“We got 8-0 up but Bradford scored just before half-time, and I was disappointed at how we conceded that try.
“But we had a good dig against a good team, hung in at some stages and had opportunities for more points, but also made some uncharacteristic errors, and bring honest, we didn’t deserve to win.
“But it told me things I needed to know about how we deal with pressure and carry out instructions in those kind of situations.
“There are a few things we need to polish and a few areas we need to get better in if we are to go in the direction we want to go in.”
