Noble: Bradford Bulls partnership a no-brainer

The legendary former Bradford boss is heading up the newly-formed Canadian outfit as they prepare to enter League One in 2017.

Noble is serving as director of rugby, with Paul Rowley as head coach, and the pair are currently recruiting players for next season's promotion assault.

Toronto will spend a chunk of pre-season and their league campaign based in the UK, during which time they will share the Bulls' training headquarters at Tong.

Noble met Bradford counterpart Rohan Smith at the venue yesterday and said: "This is an opportunity not to be missed and the benefits are clear to see.

"I just think it's an absolute no-brainer that we dual reg with Bradford first and foremost.

"At the Wolfpack, we are going to set the highest possible standards.

"We will certainly have an element of travel involved in our journey next year and we obviously don't know the fixtures yet.

"But we are hoping to have three one-month blocks in Toronto to play our home games, so we've got to do our pre-season here.

"It's minus 35 degrees in Toronto then, so we will be based at Tong and I just feel nothing but positive about it.

"Rohan, Steve Ferres and I really hope that we can give some Bulls players who aren't getting a game with them some game-time with us and help them to develop.

"The deep heritage of the Bulls is firmly ingrained within me. I have spent pretty much all my life in Bradford and I understand the logistics of the training ground here at Tong.

"Obviously we need some people to help us along the way – but I just think it's a no-brainer to get a partnership going with the Bulls.

"It's massively positive and what we want to achieve at the Wolfpack is becoming everybody's second favourite club. Now we are connected here at the Bulls, we have an opportunity to do that."

Noble's acquaintance with Smith dates back to his father Brian's stint in charge at Odsal 20 years ago.

There is another Bradford link in the partnership, with Toronto assistant coach Simon Finnigan having enjoyed a spell playing for the Bulls.

Noble said: "I'm a Bradfordian through and through and Rohan grew up around Bradford Bulls and knows about the club's ethic.

"Simon Finnigan played for the Bulls as well, so there is an element of familiarity and friendship there.

"Both parties want the best for both clubs, so the ability to train together and hold opposed training sessions will just have such massive benefits for the Bulls and for ourselves.

"First and foremost, I'm friends with Rohan Smith before I am a colleague and I know Paul Rowley is developing a good relationship with him.

"It's difficult to find any negatives, although we still need to work out the intimate details of how it will work – but I think it's a winner."

Noble has backed Smith to fashion a serious promotion challenge from the Bulls in the coming weeks as they bid to secure a top-four finish in the Championship ahead of the all-important Qualifiers.

The former Great Britain boss said: "Every time I do a sabbatical to Australia, which is pretty much every year, I visit Brian Smith, Matty Elliott, Ian Millward or Wayne Bennett.

"I spend a few weeks there and the last three times I have been, Rohan has been there too. We swap notes and he's an outstanding young man.

"I know he was an outstanding assistant because he is sought after everywhere he goes.

"He's got to spend a bit of time sorting out his circumstances here and be as good a head coach as he was an assistant.

"If I can help in any way, then I will, but he's got his own ideas and is his own man, so I'm confident he will do a great job.

"Will Bradford go up? They have a chance. The Million Pound Game last season was a brilliant opportunity and it didn't quite work out.

"Beating the likes of Leeds, Huddersfield and Salford is tough but you just need to be healthy and in form going into that pivotal time of the year.

"There has been a lot of disruption at Bradford this year but if you can get to that all-important fourth v fifth game, you have a chance."