Mick Potter is favourite to be named Bulls boss, contrary to reports in the national press suggesting Brian McDermott will be unveiled this week.

The club are still locked in negotiations with their preferred choice as successor to Steve McNamara and an announcement now looks likely to be made early next week.

St Helens chief Potter emerged as the top candidate after it became clear he would consider remaining in Super League at the end of his current contract, rather than seek a return to Australia’s NRL.

But the club themselves remain tight-lipped, despite confirming discussions on an appointment were at an advanced stage.

“We will have it finalised within the next two weeks,” said chairman Peter Hood. “At this late stage of the proceedings, I don’t want to talk about any individual by name at all. It wouldn’t be right for me to do that.”

Potter is already familiar with Bradford, having already spent time at the club as an assistant to Matthew Elliott between 1996 and 1998.

Had the former New South Wales full back not chosen to head back to Australia at the end of that spell, he would have been Elliott’s long-term successor – a mantle that eventually fell to Bulls legend Brian Noble. Since then, Potter has enjoyed success as a coach at both Catalans Dragons and St Helens.

After leading the Frenchmen to a shock Challenge Cup final berth in 2007, he guided them to third in Super League the following year, earning recognition as domestic coach of the year.

Meanwhile, the ongoing situation will add extra spice to Friday’s clash between the Bulls and McDermott’s Harlequins at The Stoop.

Both sides have endured difficult runs of late and all eyes will be on McDermott, who will be keen to prove a point while aiming to halt his side’s current four-game losing run.

The Odsal legend has made undoubted progress on a tight budget with the Londoners since his appointment in 2006 but he has come under criticism for recent results – last Friday’s defeat at Salford further opening the possibility of a bottom-place finish for the first time in the club’s Super League history.

But McDermott remains a popular figure at Bradford, where he spent ten glittering years as a player, forming one quarter of the famed ‘awesome foursome’.