Never before has Mick Potter appeared so utterly dejected.

Sitting solemnly in the press room at Castleford’s Wheldon Road ground, the gaze of the media fixed firmly upon him, Bradford’s head coach appeared to be at the end of his tether.

“We’ve got some work to do – but I keep saying that every week, so I’m over talking about it,” he told the gathered journalists. There were simply no words to describe the depth of disappointment that accompanied a devastating 34-30 defeat.

Anyone who thinks Potter lacks passion for the club is sorely mistaken. Witness the rollercoaster of emotion he embarks on during an average Super League game for evidence of that.

The Aussie animatedly runs through each and every play with his troops, constantly talking and passing on instructions to his sideline coaching staff. On occasion that enthusiasm boils over and it would have been entirely understandable to see the air take on a blue tinge at Castleford.

Too often, the people charged with carrying out the coaches’ orders have let themselves down.

There were 19 errors against Catalan and a further 15 against Cas – most of them unforced – which have stopped the completion rate creeping above 70 per cent and contributed to a failure to close out games.

Equally worrying was the inability to break down the Tigers’ defence when the game was still in the balance with time running out.

Whereas Rangi Chase and Danny Orr were able to put their team-mates through gaps at the right time, Bradford were simply unable to do the same.

Increasingly, they seem to have become reliant on the efforts of a select few to break the opposition line and provide try-scoring opportunities.

Brett Kearney is expected to bust tackles left, right and centre, rather than being allowed to run on to passes with genuine opportunities in front of him.

Likewise, Matt Diskin is a domineering physical and vocal presence at dummy half but has suffered from a lack of leadership around him.

Too often, plays are not properly called and the outcome is evident in the players’ frustrated expressions. Not since Matt Orford injured his shoulder and subsequently engineered his exit have the Bulls benefited from the presence of a bellowing field general.

Unfortunately, the veteran Aussie’s contract wranglings played havoc with efforts to bring in a like-for-like replacement and, consequently, the likes of Scott Dureau, Rhys Hanbury and Blake Green slipped away. It means half-back is still a recruitment priority.

Marc Herbert appears to be more of a stand-off than a dominant scrum half, while Ben Jeffries is more effective when taking on the line or offering support, rather than being asked to fulfil an organisational role.

Additional strike on the edges and more aggression and dynamism up front would also help but the lack of guidance appears to be at the root of many problems.

As a result, 24-year-old Herbert is among a number of players whose future appears in doubt. He has exhibited some positive attributes but not enough for the Bulls to lay a new deal on the table.

Similarly, Patrick Ah Van has not yet sorted out his future, while Chev Walker and Shaun Ainscough may have to wait until they return from injury before having any chance of putting pen to paper.

New deals for Shad Royston and Gareth Raynor should get done but even players with existing contracts may find themselves surplus to requirements if form doesn’t improve.

For Potter, meanwhile, a critical few months lie ahead and he too will not be exempt from criticism.

His tenure has not been without mistakes – the Bulls would sit higher than 11th if it had – and a couple of unusual selection decisions have provided food for thought.

Defensive issues aside, Kyle Briggs was possibly deserving of an extended run at stand-off, while it seemed harsh to drop Royston after encouraging displays at full back against Wigan, Salford and Harlequins.

After all, Kearney could have returned to the side at half-back, where he started the season in reasonably impressive form.

Then there’s the persistent defensive problems and while the Bulls have been able to lift their game on the odd occasion – games at Leeds and Catalan immediately spring to mind – there is a shortage of communication and cohesion when playing without the ball.

The coaching staff must take their fair share of the blame but still, it’s too early to pass proper judgement on Potter’s regime.

He inherited a rebuilding job and has set about that task with determination and vigour. Given the benefit of a full season to analyse his squad’s strengths and weaknesses, and given ample time to recruit for 2012, he will have the chance to affect genuine change.

At his best, the two-time Dally M Medallist is a shrewd, steely operator with an in-depth knowledge of the game few peers can rival. Now is his chance to prove it.