Steve McNamara has come out in defence of his under-fire half-backs, insisting: Working together they are the best in Super League.

Iestyn Harris and Paul Deacon have received heavy criticism over the last fortnight following the Bulls' failure to see off relegation candidates Wigan and Wakefield.

Both games ended in hugely disappointing defeats and much of the blame has been laid at the door of the highly-decorated duo.

The Great Britain internationals are normally so influential in making the champions tick and bringing the best out of their team-mates.

But recently Bulls have really struggled to open up opponents and are now limping towards the play-offs rather than sprinting.

Against Wakefield, Bradford were camped in their opponents' territory for much of the second half but failed to add to Mick Withers' 48th-minute try.

Chief architects Harris and Deacon kept hitting brick walls and the Bulls have looked lethargic, slow and one-dimensional in attack of late, while loaded weapons like Shontayne Hape, Lesley Vainikolo and Karl Pryce just aren't getting the opportunities they crave.

However, while acknowledging his play-makers currently aren't at their best, McNamara refuses to write them off.

"Both carried the ball for over 100 metres against Wakefield, which is great," he said.

"But probably they worked too separately and, individually, our halves wouldn't be the best in the competition. Collectively though, when they work together they are probably the best.

"That's what we're looking for. The problems are not through lack of effort, it's just been misdirection at this moment in time and it's frustrating for them.

"They are working extremely hard to rectify it, as is everyone, and we'll slightly change the way we play to help us as well."

McNamara accepts the champions, unlike rivals such as Leeds, don't have pace to burn around the middle but maintains that if Bulls can clean up the rest of their game, their halves will prosper.

"We didn't create a great deal against Wakefield and there's a number of reasons for that," he explained.

"We certainly had enough position but the last two weeks' completion rate has been down to 50 per cent.

"When we've had the ball in the right areas, we've given it away too much - eight times in the final 20 metres last Friday - but in terms of being able to create and make points, you need possession, position and pressure. If any of those are missing you don't create much.

"When we get up to 80 per cent completion, building plenty of pressure, that is where we have people in our side to get points.

"We aren't a team that can compete at 50 per cent and expect one of our half-backs to do a Rob Burrow, pick the ball up, skip past five people and score the tries.

"But when we build that pressure, that's different. People can criticise the half-backs but they are working extremely hard and some of the decisions some of the other players are making aren't helping at the same time.

"We're being pulled in different directions. We've got to make sure we pull in the same and, when we do, it will pay off. We'll put it right."

The big question is whether they can get it right in time for the play-offs.

However, after a year of upheaval and turmoil, on and off the field, no-one is really expecting McNamara and his side to reach Old Trafford this time.

He took over mid-season and fans may not see him really stamp his mark on the team until 2007 when he has assembled his own squad and had a full pre-season putting his ideas across.

But then again, if Harris and Deacon can recapture their form, maybe a sixth successive Grand Final isn't such a long shot.