Warrington Wolves head coach Tony Smith has paid tribute to Bradford boss Francis Cummins, insisting he should be a leading contender for Super League’s coach of the year accolade – regardless of whether the Bulls stay up.
Cummins has faced major traumas during his first two seasons in charge of the Bulls, with numerous financial sagas often overshadowing the work the Bradford boss has done out on the field. But Smith hasn’t missed what Cummins has achieved, and believes he should be well in the mix for the prestigious award come the end of the season.
“I think he should probably get it anyway, regardless of whether they stay up.,” Smith told the media.
“It remains to be seen whether they can close that gap but after all the challenges that Franny has faced, he’s a prime candidate for it and he will certainly get my vote come the end of the year.
“You look at the players who have been sold off, the uncertainty whether they would be paid and what support staff he would have, but Franny has kept Bradford tight and you could see that when they beat us last month.
“They have had their off-days, which is inevitable in sport and even more so with the amount of obstacles that Bradford have faced in the last couple of years.”
