Kurt Haggerty will take on a unique task this weekend.
The Bradford Bulls star is set to take the field in the Challenge Cup fourth round this Friday as the Bulls play Dewsbury in one of the ties of the round.
However on Saturday he’ll swap the boots for a pair of his finest shoes and the field for the touchline as he takes Pilkington Recs to Langtree Park to take on Championship giants Halifax.
Haggerty is the head coach of Pilkington, who advanced to the fourth round of the Challenge Cup by defeating League One outfit London Skolars 13-0.
With Haggerty fearing a potential clash between his two clubs at one point, he now has the opportunity to help two teams advance to the next round.
“It’s not too hard to be honest,” he said. “Bradford’s my job at the end of the day and it’s something I’ve done for a few years now. It’s something I just take as it comes really.”
Speaking about Bradford, Haggerty said: “It should be a good game, they’re a team in our league and it’s a hard place to go is Dewsbury. We’ve got to be ready to go there, especially physically. It’s a good, tough game to welcome us into the Challenge Cup for the year. We’ll look to get past Dewsbury and then hopefully get a Super League team. Especially at home we’d back ourselves against most teams on our day, so it could be exciting for us.”
While trying to prepare for that clash, Haggerty is also plotting a potential cup upset against Halifax, who have been underwhelming so far this season and have currently won just two of their six opening league games.
“Coaching is something I’ve just done as a hobby. I love my coaching and they’re all friends of mine. It doesn’t make it a chore, it’s just something I enjoy doing.
“It would be nice to go on the CV, but we’ll enjoy it and see what comes of it. It’s a massive challenge for us and Halifax are a top four side with very good players. We’ll go out there and try to entertain the crowd as the amateur team and see what we can get out of the game. If I was a betting man I wouldn’t be lumping on Pilkington if I’m honest!”
With the game set to draw a healthy crowd, Recs have moved the game to St Helens’ Langtree Park, something that has increased excitement levels at the club according to their coach.
“Playing at Langtree Park is a massive occasion for some of them, something they’ll probably never have the chance to do again. It’s something that we’ll really enjoy on the day,” he said.
The 27-year old still has plenty to look forward to in his playing career, but Haggerty has already plotted his path into coaching once his days on the field come to an end.
“It’s something I’m looking into. I’ve already got my level two and I’m looking to get the next level that will take me up to professional coaching. It’s definitely something I’ll be interested in after my playing career.”
