Cummins out to deny his old mentor Smith

BRADFORD Bulls head coach Francis Cummins is hoping to get the better of one of his main mentors tomorrow.

The Bulls head to Challenge Cup holders Warrington Wolves looking to get a win which would see them pull above the third-placed Cheshire side.

Cummins goes head-to-head with Tony Smith, the ex-Great Britain chief who was his boss at Leeds Rhinos and, later, proved so important in his own progression into management.

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“Tony has been a big influence on my career,” admitted the 36-year-old. “As a player he put the finishing touches to me and to Leeds and took them up a level.

“But also, when I retired and got the opportunity to coach with him and Brian McDermott, it was a great apprenticeship, not only in rugby league but also in how to manage people, things like how you influence people and make them better.

“I am indebted to the time I spent there under Tony.

“I steal things from everyone and I know I am still using things I got from him and other coaches.”

Cummins welcomes back Brett Kearney, Nick Scruton, Elliot Kear and Matt Diskin who all missed the Challenge Cup game at Rochdale Hornets.

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He is keen to see his Bradford side show their true class after failing in recent big fixtures.

“I am just looking forward to coming up against another of the perceived top sides,” he added.

“We know we need to bring our best game out because we didn’t against Wigan and we didn’t against Saints.

“We have to be at our best. We know they have not got Lee Briers but they have great halves in Stefan Ratchford and Richie Myler.

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“They have great strength in depth and have quality right across it.”

On-loan centre Matty Blythe could return from a niggling back problem to face his parent club but Bradford’s record against Warrington is poor.

They have lost their last eight matches versus the Wolves, their last win coming in June 2009, just a couple of months after Smith took charge to transform them.