Entertainer Ryan is '˜bit of a coach-killer', admits Toovey

BRADFORD BULLS chief Geoff Toovey watched winger Ethan Ryan score four tries to help end the club's nine-game losing run '“ and then described him as a 'coach-killer'.
Bulls Ethan Ryan goes over in the corner to score the first of his tries.  Picture Tony Johnson.Bulls Ethan Ryan goes over in the corner to score the first of his tries.  Picture Tony Johnson.
Bulls Ethan Ryan goes over in the corner to score the first of his tries. Picture Tony Johnson.

The 21-year-old took his try tally for the season to 14 in just 18 games with his flurry in the 47-12 success over Oldham.

But Toovey insisted: “Ethan’s got a lot to work on his game.

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“He’s a good finisher of tries. He sometimes, I think, makes them more spectacular for the crowd than he has to, which is sometimes a bit of a coach killer.

“But he’s a great entertainer and the crowd loves him.”

The victory, of course, finally sees Bradford reach zero points in the Championship after starting the campaign on minus 12 following the previous club’s liquidation.

“We’ve been hanging around this negative two for what seems like an eternity so it’s great to be finally at ground zero,” said Toovey.

“It’s been a long time coming and, to be honest, we probably should have got there about eight weeks ago when we played Oldham the first time.

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“But they made a break with a minute to go, went 60m and scored a try for us to lose.

“It’s a bit ironic, then, that we got them and got to zero. Finally.”

Bulls are 10 points adrift of safety, though, and still face a massive battle to avoid relegation.

Some feel they would have to win at least eight of their remaining 11 games to clinch safety and asked if they could do that, the Australian said: “Anything’s achievable.

“But it’s a very tough task being in the position.

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“We had a lot of players leave the club due to the situation at the beginning of the year, starting on minus 12 was another thing and then someone thought it was a good idea to play Hull KR three times so the odds are against us,” he added.

“But we are willing to accept the challenge and I think we are capable of getting there.

“Yes, it will be difficult, but we believe now we’re at zero it is possible.”

Asked what the difference was yesterday, Toovey actually heaped much on their opponents, who had Huddersfield Giants players Sam Wood and Gene Ormsby in their ranks, rather than his own side.

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“To be honest, they were off their game,” explained the Australian.

“They’d played three games in 10 days, had a lot of changes to their side because of that scheduling, then lost (Scott) Leatherbarrow in the first 10 minutes, which knocked them around more, so that definitely helped us, no doubt.”