Challenge Cup: Backs remind Lee Radford of glory days with Bradford Bulls

Back then, Radford had the ‘Awesome Foursome’ of Paul Anderson, Brian McDermott, Joe Vagana and Stuart Fielden around him in a team that lifted plenty of silverware.

Now he has robust forwards like Scott Taylor, Liam Watts, Frank Pritchard and Sika Manu dishing it out. However, it is in the backs where Radford sees bigger similarities.

“I didn’t specifically go out to try and build the same type of team as we had when I was a Bradford player,” he insisted.

“But I was very appreciative of the way we played, particularly in the outside backs. In Tevita Vaikona and Lesley Vainikolo we had some great blokes out of the backfield; I sometimes stood on halfway and watched them break the ball back to me.

“I was very respectful of having those big outside backs and we are not far off achieving something similar in Mahe Fonua and Fetuli Talanoa.

“Our coach, Brian Noble, was good for me as a player and no doubt had an influence on some aspects of my coaching, too. He had great success and it was no coincidence. I stay in touch with him regularly still.”