FINISHING bottom of the Super League ladder has placed an unwanted tag for Bradford Bulls coach Kurt Haggerty.
Bradford’s 35-16 defeat at York on Thursday night confirmed they would take the wooden spoon back to Bartercard Odsal as the curtains came down on a troubled season back in the top flight.
An unprecedented injury crisis, errors and ill-discipline have all contributed to a disappointing end to a season that began with much promise, with their performance at York a far cry from the one that earned them a memorable win over Catalans Dragons when Super League returned to Odsal in February.
“It’s hard,” conceded a frustrated Haggerty.
“I didn’t want it for the club, I didn’t want it for the players, the staff or anybody to have that tag in the first year.
“Especially after how we started, with having near enough a full-strength team, and what we could do.
“I don’t want to make excuses, I’m not that kind of coach, but I didn’t want that tag for the club.”
Haggerty’s Bradford side will look very different in 2027, with some ten players departing the club, and a host of signings including Cameron Scott, Sam Eseh and John Bateman coming through the doors.
As a result, the head coach admitted: “It’s very difficult to put into words how I feel.
“I found it very difficult addressing the team at the end because there’s a lot of players in that team who won’t be here next year, and a lot of players who came to the game and didn’t play that are not here next year.
“It’s been a rollercoaster, but we knew exactly what it was going to look like.
“We’ve had some great days and we’ve had some tough days, and tonight’s probably going to leave a sour taste in my mouth for the rest of pre-season, which will drive me for next year.
“I want to thank the group for the effort that the group has put in and the buy-in that they’ve given to myself.”