BULLS head coach Kurt Haggerty has openly admitted to trying to avoid loan deals for players this season.
But he has never been as vehement about the topic as Wigan boss Matt Peet, whose incendiary quotes about their defeated Challenge Cup semi-final opponents St Helens last weekend spread like wildfire.
Saints had beaten Wigan in the league earlier this season after a comeback inspired by two-try hero Bill Leyland.
Peet insisted that the fact Saints, who loaned in Leyland from Hull KR instead of using an academy product, celebrated those scores as a “fantastic moment in their history”, shows they have “lost their identity”.
While the injury crisis at Bulls has forced them to dip into the loan market a little, Haggerty has preferred to either permanently sign players he knows well, like Chris Atkin, or promote from within, as he has done with Jamie Gill.
Both he and Peet are fiercely proud of their ‘own talent’, but Haggerty had no interest in criticising Saints’ approach, saying: “I think it depends on your situation that week and how long you’ve got bodies out for.
“I’ve tried my best to stay away from the loan market and use our own lads, especially for our squad, where we’ve got players who’ve never played in Super League before, and some who’ve been out of the top-flight for so long.
“To give them the opportunity to play and learn at this level will only help us at the back end of the year when we’re in the grind and looking to kick on.
“The game time we’ve given the lads the chance to have after injuries, I’d just rather play our own than bring people in.”
A rare example of a short-term loan for Bulls this season was half back Ben McNamara.
But he has now returned to his parent club Leigh, with Luke Hooley and Jayden Nikorima, as well as Waqa Blake, Jayden Okunbor and Eribe Doro, all in contention to play against Hull FC on Sunday.
Only three players have a better goalkicking record than Hooley in Super League this season, despite Rowan Milnes being seen as first-choice.
Asked if that could be reconsidered, Haggerty said: “It depends when Rowan is back, because he’s got a pretty severe adductor injury right now.
“That’s hindering him in every department, including walking, let alone playing rugby, so he could potentially be out for a while.
“With Luke, knowing he has the ability to kick goals, it’s certainly a string to his bow.
“That goes for both him and for the team.”
While Hooley is set to play on Sunday at Odsal, Mitch Souter will be missing, sitting out the final game of his two-match ban following a poor tackle on Wigan’s Jack Farrimond last time out.
A controversial loophole meant the hooker served the first game of his ban in Bulls’ reserves clash with London last weekend, but Haggerty said: “The thing is, if the option is there, you’re going to use it.
“We’re certainly no different in that regard.”
Souter’s indiscretion was just the tip of the iceberg for a side that was running it tough at Wigan, but one that looks a lot healthier now.
Asked what this 15-day gap between games has done for his side, Haggerty said: “It’s given us the opportunity to get back on the training field.
“We’ve practised some things that needed working on after those first 10 weeks of Super League and it’s helped us getting some bodies back.
“We’ve used this time well and been able to prepare for this game with Hull in particular.”
