McNamara rallies Bulls

McNamara rallies Bulls

Bradford coach Steve McNamara says the champions have gone back to basics in a bid to get their engage Super League campaign back on track.

The Bulls have won just two out of five games since the departure of Brian Noble and crashed to a 30-0 home defeat to arch rivals Leeds in their last match.

His replacement McNamara, however, believes last week?s gap in the fixtures came at a crucial time.

?The break has been very good for us,? he said. ?We have been able to get back to basics and work on things we haven?t had chance to because of the games.

?The players were disappointed with their display against Leeds but they have been working really hard to put things right.?

Bradford are expected to get back to winning ways at the expense of Castleford at The Jungle on Sunday but McNamara is warning his side not to under-estimate their relegation-threatened opponents.

?Castleford are an unpredictable side,? he said. ?You are never safe against them. They are certainly scoring plenty of points.

?They are a side used to being behind and that is dangerous. Teams can be winning and look like they are winning comfortably ? as Salford were ? but not be used to opponents digging themselves out. Cas can do that and that makes them a threat.?

The Tigers are six points ahead of bottom club Wigan, level with Wakefield and Catalans Dragons, and coach Terry Matterson is confident they can start to pull away from trouble.

?We?ve turned the corner in position and, if we?re good enough, we?ll start climbing the table,? he said.

?I?m not looking behind us now. I?m looking up and pushing ahead to those just in front or level with us.?

Castleford Tigers v Bradford Bulls, The Jungle, Sunday June 11 2006

Castleford 20-man: Platt, Pryce, Shenton, Blanch, Handforth, Sculthorpe, Henderson, Nutley, Roarty, Bird, Huby, R. Fletcher, Viane, Fa?aoso, Manu, McGoldrick, Ward, Lupton, A. Fletcher.

Bradford 20-man: Vainikolo, Smith, Meyers, Fielden, I. Harris, Withers, Pryce, St Hilaire, B. Harris, Gene, Newton, Ferres, Deacon, Vagana, Langley, Hape, McKenna, James, Lynch, Henderson.

Referee: P Taberner