BULLS head coach Rohan Smith believes he will be significantly better prepared for the rigours of the Championship next season.

The Australian quit his job as Gold Coast Titans assistant coach to take the reins at Odsal in early May after Jimmy Lowes resigned.

Smith had 11 regular-season matches to guide the Bulls into the Qualifiers but a final-day loss at Featherstone condemned them to fifth spot.

Yet the Bradford boss is confident that, with the benefit of a full pre-season behind him, his side will make a stronger challenge for promotion in 2017.

"I think I'll be better prepared next season," said Smith.

"It's not easy coming over to a new country and trying to work out and understand your own players, let alone those from other clubs.

"It was difficult to have to deal with contracts and planning for the future without knowing the competition.

"But Marc Green made the choice to appoint me and build for the future for a longer-term plan.

"If he was looking for a quick fix, as opposed to a longer-term plan, he would have gone with someone who was more familiar with the Championship.

"But Marc is committed to the long-term and both John Bastian and I are working very closely together to build the foundations for the future."

Smith's squad is nearing completion and the Bulls boss has signed a number of new players, while six players are stepping up from the academy to become full-time members of the senior team.

The Bradford boss said: "The roster is always an evolving process but I'm very excited by the group we are going to have. We need to gel a new group of players together."