Sammut: Bradford Bulls will come out fighting in round two after early blow (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Jarrod Sammut: Bradford Bulls will come out fighting in round two after early blow

7:50am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Sport By Ross Heppenstall

Jarrod Sammut, pictured, and Luke Gale will be hoping the Bulls win the pack battle with Cas to enable the half-backs to show off their creative flair

Jarrod Sammut has declared the Bulls ready to prove the doubters wrong as they bid to bounce back at Castleford tomorrow.

Catalan Dragons claimed an emphatic 34-12 victory at Odsal last weekend to condemn Mick Potter’s side to an awful start to their Super League campaign.

Sammut was one of Bradford’s better performers, showing some promising signs alongside half-back partner and fellow debutant Luke Gale.

After a week of reflection and hard work on the training field, Sammut believes his side can find the right response at the PROBIZ Coliseum.

The Australian, 24, said: “Last week against Catalan definitely wasn’t the start we wanted or needed and it was disappointing and frustrating. But it was only round one and fortunately we have over 20 rounds to put that performance right and peak in time for the finals.

“A lot of the players have taken ownership of the situation upon ourselves because that’s not the standard we know we are capable of.

It was only round one and fortunately we have over 20 rounds to put that performance right

Jarrod Sammut

“We are our worst critics, so we’re definitely looking at correcting that this week at Castleford.

“It’s about making a point, not only to ourselves but to the competition.

“We’re not the easy roll-over team that we have been.

“We’re trying to make a stand and be the dominant club that we used to be.”

Sammut cut a livewire figure at stand-off against Catalan, despite playing behind a Bulls pack who were a distinct second-best to the French side, and was unfortunate not to claim an early try.

The officials deemed that he had lost control of the ball after he looked to have legitimately finished off a fine handling sequence.

The former Penrith and Crusaders man said: “It was one of those sloppy, messy ones but I thought I’d got it down.

“It would have helped if we’d had a video referee but I just need to make sure of them in the future.”

Potter chose to start Sammut against Catalan ahead of Ben Jeffries and Kyle Briggs, who has been sent to Featherstone on a season-long loan.

Sammut and Gale will get another chance to develop their burgeoning partnership further against Ian Millward’s side tomorrow.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster when a coach shows faith in you as a player like that, “ said Sammut.

“There were definitely a few positives that we can take, both from Luke and myself.

“Luke is a dominant half and directs the play well.

“To get outside him just allows me to put my ability on show.

“It’s either have a crack or just feed my outside men and give them early ball.

“We’re still working on combinations and hopefully things will come off for us.”

Sammut admitted, however, that the Bulls must pose a far stronger physical threat up front.

Potter himself said that he was concerned at how comfortably Catalan’s pack dominated the Bradford forwards, thus making it difficult for the creative talents of Sammut and Gale to shine.

Sammut is looking for an improvement all over the park, and added: “As a team, we need to make sure that we’re going forward first.

“We need to be on the front foot and get quick play-the-balls.

“It always helps when your pack is going forward and making the yards, but it also comes down to your halves and hookers to get that roll on.

“We are the players who are supposed to control the team around the park and we also need to do our job in order to get the forwards the best opportunities to get us on a roll as well.”