Lee St Hilaire is aiming to prove he can hack it as a head coach by leading the Bulls into the play-offs.

Assistant to Steve McNamara for four years, St Hilaire has taken charge until the end of the season following the club’s decision to part ways with his former boss earlier this week.

Although he did not apply to succeed McNamara on a permanent basis, long-term the former Huddersfield and Castleford player has his eyes on a Super League top job and sees the coming six games as an ideal opportunity to enhance his credentials.

Top of his list of priorities will be ending the Bulls’ current eight-game losing run when Salford City Reds visit Odsal tomorrow (3pm).

“Some people might say the pressure’s off but there’s self-pressure because I want to succeed as a coach,” said St Hilaire.

“I don’t want to be known as a bloke who loses six games and the season ends at the end of the regular season. I will always push myself due to the self-pressure.

“It is unexpected and the challenge is massive. I’m not going to be a fool and say it isn’t. The challenge is there for me to enjoy and that’s what I’m going to do.

“I’m going to enjoy the experience of being an acting head coach at Bradford Bulls. It’s a prestige club and the pressure’s immense but I’m going to enjoy that.”

St Hilaire has quickly set about attempting to rebuild the Bulls’ confidence, which has been shattered by the worst run in the club’s Super League history.

Currently tenth but only a point behind the play-off places, the race for the post-season is still wide open, yet Bradford’s focus will not be on results.

First St Hilaire insists they must address faltering performances, following an abject display in losing 35-18 at Harlequins last week.

He said: “We’re not talking about the top eight. We’re talking about performing well – first performing well in training and then performing well in games – and hopefully the other bits take care of themselves.

“We’ve got to transfer whatever we’ve done on the training field onto the pitch. It may be a mental block some of them have got to overcome and it’s a confidence thing with each individual that was a worry. If we can instill self-confidence in them, the team will build in confidence as a group.

“It’s been a difficult week, at least it started off very difficult. But the boys and myself, we’re looking forward to the challenges so you soon get over some departures.”

Although St Hilaire is now the man in charge, he also hailed the role of the remaining backroom staff and the senior players in helping the Bulls move on from McNamara’s exit.

The caretaker boss will look to consult his fellow coaches, as well as the likes of Andy Lynch, Steve Menzies and Jamie Langley when making crucial decisions.

St Hilaire said: “The support staff have been wonderful. After Steve sat down and spoke to us, we sat down as a group afterwards, talked about some roles and responsibilities and how things were going to have to change.

“I spoke with the players about where we’re at, where we’re going and how we get there. Not how I’m going to make them get there, how we get there. Then I discussed with the senior players more and the support’s been massive.

“I think I prepare the same but obviously I’ve got bigger decisions to make. Steve made nine out of ten decisions and I had a little bit of input in them.

“Now it’s the other way round and I’ve got to make those decisions. It can only stand me in good stead for the future.”