JOHN Kear admits winning is the most important thing for Bradford Bulls and that defensive solidity provides the foundations for creativity.

The Odsal outfit finally got back to winning ways when beating Batley Bulldogs 16-0 at home at the weekend.

After a torrid May in the league, Bulls got their first clean sheet of the season to swing the play-off pendulum back in their favour.

Kear's men have been impressive defensively throughout the campaign, boasting the fifth-best points against total (300).

Conversely, they're one of the lowest scorers in the division (315) with only five other clubs posting a worse tally.

That may suggest a lack of flair and invention, but Kear believes otherwise.

He said: "I think we are a creative team, to tell you the truth.

"We scored three times at the weekend.

"Part of our review was the errors that we made in collision, which we can tidy up.

"But the other part was the half-chances that we missed.

"We felt that we could have, and maybe should have, converted another five half-chances.

"Now, if you do that, if you're as clinical in that, you come up with a comprehensive victory.

"So it's not the creativity really, I think it's the execution in certain parts.

"But I'm a big believer in, if they don't score, you need to score once.

"I couldn't give a toss if we win by 1-0 or 101-0, I just want to win."

Kear's will to win and confidence in his philosophy has seen the coach secure double Challenge Cup success.

First with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and then with Hull in 2005.

He said: "I've always based my coaching, throughout a very long career, on defence.

"I think you've got to be defensively solid, because you're in the game, all the time you're in a game then.

"There's times when you're attacking's fluid and there's a time when it's flowing and it becomes a good win.

"But there's other times when you might be scratchy but you can still win."

That was the case against Batley, where neither side could really get going, thanks in part to the weather.

Kear said: "Twenty minutes beforehand, I thought we were going to be whisked away in a river of torrential rain.

"It made both ourselves and Batley perhaps a little more conservative than we may well have been.

"The conditions are a factor in any performance."

During that game, Ross Peltier came on to make his 100th career appearance.

Kear said the milestone is something his charge should be proud of and that he hopes Peltier can rack up another 100.

The coach declared the prop as an important element of the Bulls side, but outlined another facet of his managing mentality.

Kear said: "My coaching philosophy about players is that they're one cog in a machine.

"So yes, his contribution is very valued, but he wouldn't be able to do that without the other 16 players.

"Obviously, they wouldn't be able to benefit without his input.

"It's very much working for each other."