AFTER last season’s agonising defeat to Wakefield in the Million Pound Game, the Bulls came up with the slogan ‘We Don’t Quit’.

For a club striving hard to return to Super League, such a belligerent philosophy is to be applauded.

Players and supporters shed tears at Belle Vue when the realisation dawned that Bradford, once the standard-bearers of Super League, would spend a second season in the Championship.

Adam O’Brien, the Bulls’ best player last year, recently admitted the pain of that day will only be erased when the club returns to the top flight.

There was irony in the fact that Brian Smith had played a pivotal role in making Bradford the force they once were at the advent of Super League.

Now here he was, two decades on, masterminding a result that kept his old club out of the elite for another year at least.

The Super League sides have all strengthened, not least Wakefield, and Leigh have signed half a dozen star names.

But it hard not to feel that Jimmy Lowes’ side are well placed to make a stronger challenge this time around.

The Bulls now know the demands of the Championship and the Qualifiers.

In their own words, they do not quit.

Nor do the club’s supporters, who will turn out in force again this year at home and away.

Chairman Marc Green stated 12 months ago that if the Bulls did not go up in 2015, he would try again the following year.

And the year after that if necessary.

Actions speak far louder than words, and Green has again backed Lowes with a raft of new signings that have encouraged genuine hopes of winning promotion.

Last year the Bulls placed emphasis on quantity rather than quality in their recruitment.

Several of those signings have since been shown the door.

Recruitment this time around appears more focused and the squad has greater depth in the right areas.

Jake Mullaney has gone, but the Bulls have signed the vastly-experienced Richard Mathers to replace him.

The former Leeds man has spent virtually his entire career in Super League, winning trophies at Leeds and Warrington, and should prove an astute signing at full back.

Oscar Thomas and Johnny Campbell can also play there, as can James Clare, so the Bulls have plenty of cover in that position.

Clare and young Ethan Ryan will compete with Danny Williams and Omari Caro for a wing spot.

In the centres, Lowes has skipper Adrian Purtell, Matty Blythe and new recruit Kris Welham at his disposal.

Welham’s debut in Carl Ablett’s testimonial at Leeds proved nothing that was not known: the former Hull KR man can unlock Super League defences and score tries.

He should be a big player this year.

Harry Siejka has not yet been replaced but Lee Gaskell, Danny Addy, Adrian Purtell and Thomas can all play half-back.

Lowes overplayed men such as O’Brien, Paul Clough and Adam Sidlow last season but appears to have learned from his mistakes.

The acquisition of Jonathan Walker, Mitch Clark and Ben Kavanagh offers Lowes considerably more options up front.

Their arrival has also given Epalahame Lauaki, Steve Crossley and Dan Fleming plenty to think about.

“We’ve got a few new faces in and I believe the squad is stronger than last season,” said Lowes.

“I felt I put a lot of pressure particularly on our front row Adam Sidlow and Paul Clough to play a lot of game-time last season.

“I didn’t feel I could rest them and we paid for that really in the middle eights.

“We have recruited quite strongly through the middle, which will allow me to roll those two in particular around a little bit more this year.

“As the competition showed last year, you only have to play well for seven games.”

That is not quite true as the Bulls must still look to finish in the top two at the end of the regular 23 rounds if they are to secure four home games in the Qualifiers.

But in essence what Lowes says is right.

The problem for Bradford is that the current system does not lend itself to Championship sides being promoted.

How can it when Super League sides are able to spend twice as much on the salary cap and have a far greater central distribution from the RFL?

Last season, 29 matches were played in the middle eight Qualifiers, including the Million Pound Game.

Only two of those saw Championship sides beat Super League opposition (Bulls v Salford and Sheffield v Wakefield).

That tells you something.

It suggests the new structure, with all its disparities, does not work.

It remains to be seen if it will ever work.

If the status quo remains, will the system be scrapped and a more traditional form of promotion and relegation reintroduced?

For all the desire and ambition of clubs such as Leigh and Bradford, it is a different ball game when facing Super League sides.

Especially when you have played part-time teams such as Workington and Whitehaven all year.

The Bulls’ first-half display at Wakefield and second-half showings against Hull KR and Widnes in last season’s Qualifiers illustrated that.

Yet it also has to be remembered that Bradford still have the core of a Super League side with players such as Gaskell, Addy and O’Brien.

When the Bulls massacred Salford at Odsal last August, it was one of the club’s finest performances in recent times.

O’Brien should be rested at times this season and homegrown hooker Joe Lumb will compete with Vila Halafihi for the right to deputise for him.

The back row looks particularly strong with Kurt Haggerty showing up well against Leeds last month.

Addy, Dale Ferguson, Tom Olbison, Jay Pitts, Lucas Walshaw and Alex Mellor offer further options.

Bradford’s recent performance at Headingley suggested they are ready to move on from the trauma of last season’s defeat in the Million Pound Game.

Lowes added: “The boys drowned their sorrows for a week in Magaluf after the Wakefield game.

“We spoke about it and reflected on the game when we first went back into camp for pre-season.

“We got that out of systems as there were some things we needed to talk about and get rid of.

“We’ve put that aside now, so it’s done and dusted. It’s a new season now.”

Lowes remains on the look-out for further additions, with the search for a scrum half ongoing ahead of the all-important Qualifiers.

The Bulls boss said: “The Super League sides know what we’re about in the middle eights, so I think they will be a lot stronger too.

“Leigh have recruited extremely well too, so I reckon they will be the team to beat in the Championship this year.”

Yet Leigh were plunged into turmoil last Thursday following the shock resignation of head coach Paul Rowley.

Two hours later, the Bulls announced the signing of Mathers amid a sense of stability and calm.

This sleeping giant, it seems, is not ready to throw in the towel.

In their own words, they don’t quit.