WHILE admitting that the problems with Bradford Bulls players in 2019 were “between the ears”, Jake Webster called on the club’s supporters to keep the faith ahead of the final six games of the regular Betfred Championship season.

Former New Zealand international winger Webster was part of the Bulls team that could only draw 34-34 with Swinton Lions on Sunday at Odsal – a performance that left head coach John Kear spitting feathers.

Now the Bulls travel to second-placed York City Knights this Sunday, and 35-year-old Webster admitted: “It is a massive game for us but every game is a cup final from now.”

The Bulls, who are a point outside the top five, also have current leaders Toronto Wolfpack (August 4) and play-off rivals Sheffield Eagles (September 1) to host, while visiting Barrow Raiders (August 11), Dewsbury Rams (August 18) and Rochdale Hornets (September 8), who are respectively second from bottom, third from bottom and bottom.

However, former Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans player Webster, who also has plenty of Super League experience with Hull KR and Castleford Tigers, both issued a warning and gave a vote of confidence to the Bulls ahead of the play-off run-in.

He said: “If we put in the performance that we know we can we can beat anyone.

“It is between the ears. It is going to be tough physically and mentally, and it is like a final every week so it is going to be draining, but if we want to be in the competition at the end of the year we have to be better and make sure that we turn up to games like this.

“But we will be all right. We will get what we need out of the season.”

However, Webster, who played a game on dual reg for York in 2014, knows that displays like that against the Lions will not cut it and said that the Bulls only had themselves to blame.

He admitted: “It was not good enough. We started slow, they got the jump and it was chasing uphill from there on.

“When we got back in front we probably should have put the nail in the coffin, but credit to them. They forced our hand.

“We didn’t turn up, we didn’t execute what we planned so it was a tough day but they are a great side, they showed some great shapes and they defended fantastically at times. They seemed to shut us down when it counted.”

Webster added: “We have no-one to blame but ourselves. We probably didn’t prepare the best week and John (Kear) said it.

“Maybe people just turned up expecting us to get the two points and that is the wrong way to go about it.

“They (Swinton) have turned over some good teams in the last few weeks and we need to turn up with a better attitude.”

A last-ditch Joe Keyes goal from the touchline would have seen the Bulls home 36-34, but Webster admitted: “A win for us would have been a bit harsh but sometimes you need that luck.

“The comeback was a positive from 16-0 down to be only four points behind at half-time (18-22) was great but we just need to be better all across the park.

“A point still keeps us in the hunt for the top five but we have to prepare better this week.

“York have got one up on us this year (they won 24-14 at Odsal in February) and are a fantastic side. They just don’t go away and we have to be better.”

Kear has said that all of the Bulls players’ positions are up for grabs, and Webster admitted: “That is the coach’s call and whoever we put out there we have to put our best foot forward and get back to our standards.”