Unity in everything they do will be the Bulls’ buzzword tomorrow night as they attempt to complete the job started last week.
Despite finishing on the wrong end of a 44-18 scoreline against St Helens, Bradford make the short trip to Leeds Rhinos believing they can down the Super League champions.
Only a few well-intended but bad decisions changed the course of the contest versus Saints in the eyes of boss Steve McNamara.
Holding a decent lead in the second quarter, they blew an amazing opportunity and the Odsal chief does not want to see that happen two weeks running against the competition’s other major big gun.
McNamara has impressed on his charges how they must stay as one to prevent a similar end result tomorrow evening and admitted: “We were in full charge but lost some concentration.
“We tried to stop some things individually rather than collectively and against a side like Saints, particularly with the bench they brought out there, we came unstuck.
“When you try to do things out on your own – and that’s not through a lack of effort but dead-set trying to do the right thing – sometimes you expose yourselves.
“You do that against Saints and they make the most of every little opportunity; go solo and you come unstuck.
“Leeds are very similar in terms of some of the personnel and attributes they have.
“If one person tries to shut down Rob Burrow, he skips around you and away he goes. But collectively if you work together on that person, then you have a better chance.
“That’s the battle – to keep your discipline in terms of shape and make sure you do things as one.”
The likes of Burrow, Danny McGuire, Brent Webb and Super League’s top try-scorer Ryan Hall can strike from any range if gifted the slightest of chances.
The Bulls cannot afford to encourage the determined hosts, who – despite being up in second spot – are making noises that they haven’t yet been anywhere near their best this term.
Bradford could pick up a Super League double over their arch-rivals for the first time since 2003 but McNamara warned: “We need to perform well if we’re going to do that at Leeds.
“It’s a game we’re all really looking forward to and the key for us is working together consistently, as showed at Warrington the week before Saints.
“When we defended like that as one, we’re much harder to break down.”
Meanwhile, the boss might not decide on his line-up until just before kick-off as he awaits medical updates on a series of players.
McNamara said: “We will probably leave it until Friday, as close as it is. That sometimes happens on a short turnaround like this and we’ve a few to check on.”
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