Bulls coach Francis Cummins stated earlier this week that his squad is the smallest in Super League.

The same could perhaps also be said of his backroom team.

But the good news is that it will increase in the coming weeks, with Cummins set to make a number of new appointments.

Lee St Hilaire is expected to sign a new deal and a second assistant coach is also due to be appointed to assist Cummins.

Furthermore, improvements are being made to the Bulls’ training headquarters at Tong with the underlying aim of giving the club a greater chance of success on the pitch.

“We’re aiming to add to and improve what we’ve already got,” said the Bulls coach.

“What my staff have delivered this year has been terrific in all departments. But it’s meant they have had a workload of twice and three times their normal job.

“We are now looking to invest in the future so we can do it properly. That shows you the progress the club is making.”

The other appointments will be based around supporting physio Dam Ramsden and head of strength and conditioning Tom Clough.

Both men are rated highly by Cummins and his players but will now receive greater support.

Clough said: “We’ve gone to the board and said ‘this is what a team of support staff will look like’. The board have backed that by creating the funds to get these new positions in place.

“We’re looking to push through a big change in the physio and performance department.

“Dan is going to take on two physios who will cover the Academy and the scholarship but in the main will assist the first team.

“One of those will assist Dan in terms of treating players and then we are going to put in a specialist rehabilitator who will be a physio. He or she will work directly one on one with the injured players.

“From my point of view, we are looking at putting a sports scientist in place and we’re advertising for an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

“He or she will assist me and the first team but they will also lead the new ACER programme, where you go to college part-time and train with us part-time. Basically they will get the provision that the first team get.

“The likes of Wigan, Leeds and St Helens have had this in place for years. This is the first time we’re getting to that stage.

“It’s going to be a massive change in the physical development of the younger players that we take on board. We’re going to look to set a physical pathway from the scholarship.

“You look at how the game is changing and there is more emphasis on developing your own players.”

Clough landed his post on a three-year deal following the departure of Australian conditioner Geoff Evans at the end of last season.

A graduate of Leeds Metropolitan University, he previously worked with Bradford’s under-20 and under-18 Academy players and under-16 and under-15 scholars.

“The more staff we’ve got means we can work directly one on one with players, rather than just a general programme,” said Clough.

“We’ve never had that at this club before. The two things we are focusing on are player development and player optimisation.”

Improvements to facilities at Tong are underway as Clough explains: “We’ve got great facilities there but the gym is in need of modernisation and updating in terms of equipment.

“It’s a two-phase plan. We’ve just had some money made available to fund the new strength and power equipment in the gym to make it more specialised.

“It’ll be a big change for us and it’ll mimic what’s going on at other top clubs.”

Performance nutritionist David Dunne will also remain on board next season. He works at QPR but visits the Bulls once a fortnight to advise players on diet and nutrition.

Clough said: “David is making great inroads in working one on one with players in terms of their diet and lifestyles. It’s a holistic approach and no stone will be left unturned.”