Bradford Bulls: Burgess pack with a vengeance! (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford Bulls: Tom Burgess pack with a vengeance!

9:30am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Bulls By Ross Heppenstall

Tom Burgess says the Bulls' camaraderie bodes well for the big test against Wigan on Sunday

Much was made of the paucity of Bradford’s performance against Catalan Dragons, and understandably so, but their response against Castleford could hardly have been more emphatic.

Spirit, guts and determination were pretty much everywhere you looked at the PROBIZ Coliseum.

Few players symbolised the vast improvement more than Tom Burgess.

The 19-year-old prop was a member of the Bulls pack which came off a distinct second best against Catalan.

Seven days later, he rediscovered the kind of form which saw him rise to prominence last year.

Burgess said: “It was just great to get that first win and know within ourselves that we can compete.

Playing prop isn’t a complicated job but it’s probably one of the hardest jobs on the field

Tom Burgess

“From one to 17, we performed and worked well together, so it has given our confidence a big boost.

“There was a real togetherness among the lads last weekend.

“You could see that whenever anyone did something positive, we were all running in and congratulating them.

“That was a good sign. I think that will hold us in good stead going into this week against Wigan.”

Burgess did not take a backward step last week, using his huge frame to great effect and crashing over the line for a vital try to put the Bulls 12-0 up at the break.

It was an advantage they rarely looked like surrendering, even after Castleford pulled a try back.

Burgess said: “It was a great pass from Jamie Langley and obviously a good time to score, right before half-time.

“Hopefully from close range I can keep on getting a few chances.

“The week before against Catalan our boys up the middle didn’t perform to the sort of standards that we set ourselves.

“It was a forward-dominated game at Cas with the conditions that we were playing in.

“It was basically won up the middle to be honest.”

With Manase Manuokafoa approaching full fitness, and Phil Joseph pushing for inclusion, Potter has plenty of options in the forwards.

Yet Burgess reasoned: “If we keep performing it’s going to be hard for anyone to come in.

“There’s massive competition now for front-rowers; I think we’ve got about eight, maybe nine.

“Playing prop isn’t a complicated job but it’s probably one of the hardest jobs on the field.

“If you’re not performing you will be out. I was nearly out after the first week against Catalan to be honest.

“You’ve just got to keep performing and doing your job.

“I think Mick said to us all after the Catalan game ‘I’m going to give you one more shot’, and it worked.”

Burgess looks certain to feature in the 17 against Wigan this weekend and sees no reason why Wigan cannot be toppled.

“We know what they can do and they have some very good individuals, such as Sam Tomkins.

“We just see them as another team and believe we can win.

“There’s no reason why we can’t to be honest.

“As a team we can go out at Odsal on Sunday and win.

“We just need to make a few less errors and keep improving. If we do that then I think we can beat any team in the league.”

Burgess trimmed down during the close-season and says he is reaping the benefit.

He explained: “I’m feeling really good this year and have lost a few pounds.

“I felt better in the first two games and in the trials, I’ve felt a big difference.

“The target was not to lose any muscle but to shed a few extra pounds of fat.”

Burgess is also working hard to eradicate his handling errors, adding: “They’re always a big thing for me to work on – I always try to make no errors.

“If I do make some, I’m always really disappointed if it’s one error or five.”