Bradford Bulls star admits many may not see Super League

While Featherstone or Toulouse are surely favourites for promotion, Bulls know they are only three games from the holy grail themselves, and have competed well in three of their four games against that aforementioned pair this season.

Discussing the prospect of Super League, Holmes said: “It’s taken a lot of sinking in after our celebrations against Sheffield.

“We are just two games away from a final, then there's 80 minutes to try and reach Super League.

“I always said I wanted to get back to Super League again and I’d love to do it with Bradford.

“It would be one of the greatest achievements of my career and I know how much it would mean to the club and fans.

“There’s been a lot of tough times in the past and hard work for it this year.

“A lot of our lads are doing this with jobs and some are coming towards the end of their careers in the game.

“Whether they’ll be there with us or not if we make Super League, the drive to get there is there from everyone.

“Greeny (Lee Greenwood) has said he probably can’t go full-time as a coach if we make it, but he still wants to get Bradford promoted, so we’re all in it together.”

Lee Greenwood taking on this part-time role has only worked because he is in the Championship. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

That has been reflected in the raucous scenes in the changing rooms after the thrilling wins at London and Sheffield that secured a home play-off eliminator for Bulls against York tomorrow.

Holmes has previously spoken about his mental health struggles and he admitted the camaraderie among the squad means a lot to him.

He said: “There’s a real bond here.

“You hear a lot of teams say it, that they’ve got a good group, but we genuinely do.

“That shows on the field, our togetherness in games, that extra effort to tackle each other, having five or six of us drag an opposition player over the touchline, things like that.

“We try and come together to meet up off the field too, and there’s a good feeling around the club.

“There’s been a massive mindset change under Greeny and Nobby (Brian Noble).

“Some of loan and dual reg players we had earlier in the year were outstanding lads, but that made it harder to gel, whereas we’ve really cemented a team now, who work and play for each other.”

Having signed as a half-back, Holmes has arguably been one of the Championship’s players of the season, but at full-back.

He said: “I’ve loved every minute of it in that position.

“I wasn’t signed as a full-back, but I did get the number one shirt as it was spare with Jack Walker wanting the number 31.

“I was all set as the starting half-back but then things happened with Wakka and I now feel full-back is my best position.

Jack Walker only played a handful of games at Bulls all year, due to injuries and his mid-season move to Hull KR. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

“I want to sit and chat with (incoming head coach) Eamon O’Carroll and say that’s where I’d like to play next year and get a full pre-season to practice in there.

“I dropped back in to half-back against York the other week and I actually felt a bit lost, as I’d not been in there for a while.

“Part of the problem was I didn’t even get to train there leading up to the game because I was looking after my wife, who wasn’t well.”

Holmes admitted he was comfortable enough as emergency hooker though in the win over Sheffield last time out, having played there for the South Yorkshire side last season.

Asked how much he enjoyed getting one over his old club, he said: “I’m always excited playing against an old team and I’ve still got a lot of mates at Sheffield.

“What a game it was to be a part of, a really good one, and it’s always satisfying to get one over your old side.”