ACTING coach Leigh Beattie suggested that the Bulls need to stop relying on "young kids" if they are to survive in the Championship.

Bradford were down to the bare bones as they lost 44-18 against promotion-chasing Featherstone Rovers.

Captain Leon Pryce (knee), loose forward Colton Roche (broken wrist) and centre Lee Smith (ankle) were all ruled out by injury, while Joe Keyes limped off with a suspected broken ankle.

With loanees Jordan Lilley (Leeds) and Daniel Murray (Salford) recalled by their parent clubs for the Easter programme, the Bulls lost for the second time in four days and remain four points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Beattie said: "We have loads of injuries and losing loan players kills us. We just haven't got that experience – fact!

"We need to be better, we all know that, but they are young kids. That's it. We have got no 'middles' whatsoever.

"They are young kids battling against some experienced players and big, strong, tough forwards. We can't do it. That's a fact."

Beattie, who is still on media duties amid delays in the full employment of Australian coach Geoff Toovey, praised Featherstone, who led 38-0 at the interval.

But he took positives from his side's second-half performance, which at least reduced the margin of defeat.

"Featherstone are a good side and when they got a roll on, there was no way we could get control," said Beattie.

"The game was practically finished at half-time. We needed to improve and we went out and won the second half.

"You can't fault the effort but, at the end of the day, we lacked it in the middle. If we don't get any of these loan players back, I don't know what is going to happen."

Asked whether the performance would send a message to the club's owners about the urgent need for team strengthening, Beattie added: "That may be a question you need to ask them."