Friday Interview - Mick Potter: Defensive mindset enables Bulls’ confidence to grow

The Bradford Bulls head coach may be famously quietly spoken but he commands respect throughout the game while knowing what he wants from his squad and generally how to get it.

Five months into his Odsal reign, the Australian takes on his former side for the first time hoping to build on Sunday’s impressive result against Castleford when defiant Bradford ended Super League’s last remaining 100 per cent record.

It was constructed on the sort of steely defence which too often proved elusive last season, one of the many improvements Potter has made in his early days.

The erstwhile Super League kings have failed to even make the play-offs since 2008, the ex-Catalan chief charged with rekindling that previous magic.

Three wins from their last four games has seen them rise to eighth and another victory this evening would do wonders for their growing confidence.

St Helens, however, where Potter had spent the last two seasons, were ominously ruthless in defeating Leeds six days ago.

“They were very good,” he told the Yorkshire Post. “They came up with some excellent tries and very resilient defence when Leeds were putting some pressure on them.

“We’ll need to play controlled and be aware of the dangers Saints have with James Roby, James Graham, Tony Puletua – you could mention 17 players.

“They are dangerous. We need to concentrate for 80 minutes and control the ball.”

Bradford’s hopes of achieving that have been strengthened by the recent return from injury of Australian hooker Heath L’Estrange, scrum-half Marc Herbert and England loose forward Jamie Langley, an experienced trio whose presence gives the side a spine.

Such was the healthiness of their squad as they completed their run yesterday that the likes of fit-again ex-Great Britain star Chev Walker and up-and-coming scrum-half Kyle Briggs realised they may not be included at Widnes’s Stobart Stadium.

That venue is one other reason why the West Yorkshire club may fancy their chances of consecutive victories; since moving out of their traditionally fearsome home of Knowsley Road last season and awaiting the completion of their new stadium, St Helens have yet to win at the temporary abode, losing both games so far against Warrington and Harlequins.

Potter will not read too much into that or the absence of Kyle Eastmond, the controversial England scrum-half who has caused consternation among the St Helens faithful following the announcement of his move to Bath and subsequent suspension for allegedly making an obscene gesture to supporters.

Saints reached two Grand Finals under the ex-St George’s full-back’s tutelage, but failed to topple first Leeds and then Wigan, leaving Potter, 47, with something to strive for – “the ambition I had at Saints is the same I have here”.

Eastmond’s departure to the 15-man game is not something which shocked his former coach.

“I’m not surprised he’s going,” explained Potter. “There are greater opportunities there and I think that’s always been in the back of his mind. He never really directly spoke to me about it, but I had the feeling that when discussions were going on that was always on the cards.

“However, if you can do a job where you earn more money and do less, what are you going to do?

“Potentially he could go on and play for England and again that’s more for him – Six Nations, World Cups.”

But what of the player’s recent disdain for his own fans.

“I think there was a combination of different things,” added Potter.

“He’s a good person and I don’t think he should be judged by anything he’s done. Everyone should wish him all the best.

“But given the circumstances of how this has evolved I don’t think they are worse with him not playing at the moment.

“The other two guys have just jumped in and filled that void straight away; the Saints are not in a bad way as far as half-backs are concerned.”

The duo Potter refers to is the tyro pairing of Lee Gaskell and Jonny Lomax, who delivered rich performances far exceeding their age to help inspire Saints to victory at Headingley.

“When you look at their match-up with (Kevin) Sinfield and (Rob) Burrow, it’s a mis-match,” he said. “But those kids are very enthusiastic and not afraid of anything.

“They have got the ability to play – whether it be at half, hooker, centre or outside – and have no fear.

“I’ve seen that from working with them and that’s what you want – your kids to try stuff and be willing to do things to help the team.”

It is some of Bradford’s elder players, meanwhile, who are stepping up to the mark at Odsal at the moment, Matt Diskin proving an astute transfer from Leeds, just like Olivier Elima, Potter’s former player at Catalan.

Their solid start has been all the more admirable given Potter overhauled the squad he inherited, bringing in 10 new players and releasing another 11.

Many of those new arrivals are only on 12-month deals and have to impress, meaning Bradford could be just as busy off the pitch as on it with re-negotiations in the coming weeks.

The consensus is that many of them will be rewarded while the long-serving Nick Scruton is set to sign a new three-year deal to fend off any potential interest from former club Leeds.

But Potter is concentrating on the now and cementing some consistency.

“If you get those wins early it makes it that little bit easier at the end,” he said.

“We don’t want to be scrambling later.

“The confidence is good here now and winning will only help that keep rising.”

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