ROHAN Smith admitted the Bulls underperformed as they crashed to a disastrous defeat at rivals Featherstone.

Smith’s men were second-best throughout as Rovers won 20-0 to condemn Bradford to a fifth-placed finish and a third season in the Championship.

Jon Sharp’s part-timers were 18-0 up at half-time and the Bulls struggled badly throughout to create genuine try-scoring opportunities.

Head coach Smith said: “It wasn't the performance we were looking for.

“Rovers started really strongly and it was hard to stop their momentum.

“Ethan (Ryan) nearly scored in the corner early on and Welly (Kris Welham) got ankle-tapped.

“Things could have been different had we taken an opportunity but once Featherstone took theirs they were very difficult to stop.

“That's the way sport goes at times and Featherstone were a well-oiled machine today but we went away from what we do in attack during the second half.

“The boys are shattered because they have put a lot of work in over a long period of time and not come up with a performance.

“There is disappointment in that we haven't got where we want to be and also disappointed because we didn't play very well.

“We weren't able to wrest the momentum that Featherstone had.

“Even when it was 18-0, we didn't do what we set out to do to get some points and make it interesting.”

Smith was appointed at the start of May after Jimmy Lowes quit for personal reasons.

The Australian added: “To be fair, a lot of things have changed during my time here.

“I'm building for the long-term and you saw today with Featherstone the benefits of being together for a long period of time and they really gave us a schooling in how to play.

“I came here with a longer-term vision and it wasn't about trying to get a home run next year.

“What I have tried to do is implement some things which will help us in the long-term.

“That hasn't quite helped us in the short-term, but I love rugby league and it's about having some time off now and then coming back to put in some strong performances in the Championship Shield.

“It isn't quite the same carrot as playing Super League sides, but it's about finding out what you're about as a person – a test of character.

“It's about improvement and if anything it's about trying to build some structures which are going to help us in the long-term.”

Smith axed homegrown hooker Adam O’Brien and started Danny Addy at dummy half with loanee Stuart Howarth on the bench.

Smith admitted the tactic backfired, saying: “It was a huge call and I thought going with a bigger body in Danny Addy was the best thing for us.

“It didn't work out how we wanted it to but I always try and make the best decisions for the club.

“It was really tough on Adam but he took it as well as he could and kept on being a positive influence on the group.

“I've got even more respect for him as a man for the way he took the news.”

Rovers counterpart Sharp can now look ahead to battles against Leeds, Hull KR, Salford and Huddersfield.

Sharp said: “I’m a Featherstone lad and supported the club since I was a boy and seen the great teams come through so I stood at Post Office Road.

“I was actually born there so I know the enormity of being back to playing against Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants.

“It’s something that the club has always wanted to do and had aspirations for. We’ve achieved that.”