IT MAY be a role he is unaccustomed to, but Bradford Bulls’ Joe Mellor is proving to be a revelation in the loose forward position.
With Bulls coach Kurt Haggerty keen to see his side plan an open and expansive style of rugby in their return season too Super League, Mellor’s new role within the team adds another dimension to Bradford’s attack – something the coach has been left delighted with in the opening stages of the campaign.
Mellor has played the bulk of his career in the halves or at hooker, but has transitioned to loose forward with ease under Haggerty.
Even with regular half Joe Keyes out injured, Haggerty moved Luke Hooley into that pivot role leaving Mellor to continue to impress in the forwards.
With Jayden Nikorima still out for another couple of weeks with a calf injury and Keyes missing indefinitely with bulging discs in his spine, Hooley is likely to retain that spot alongside Rowan Milnes.
“Joe (Mellor) has gone from being a very good pivot to being a very good hooker in Super League, to now being a ball-playing 13 and people are talking about how good he is there,” said Haggerty.
“That’s just credit to how good a Rugby League player he is – I can put him anywhere and he is fantastic.
“He has bought into being a ball-playing 13 and the team have bought into what he does off the back of that so I’m really happy with what he’s doing.
“With Joe Keyes being out I discussed it with my staff and with Joe (Mellor) and he wanted to stay at 13 so we accommodated that as well as what we thought worked as a team. The days are gone now where have to try and rely on pivots to make the line breaks and create for everyone else.
“We very much have a next man up mentality and Luke has been multi-skilling himself at training, coming in at fullback, dropping in at centre and at wing and at pivot, so we made the call early ahead of the Catalans game and we were more than happy to put Luke in there and he did a great job.
“It doesn’t matter who goes in and in what position we believe we can win games no matter who is in personnel-wise and that is a credit to the squad. We know that whoever steps up will do the job.”