THE Swinton match review was, in John Kear’s words, “quite brutal”.

There was no soft-soaping last week’s sloppy performance; no sugar-coating the mistakes to make it easier on the players.

No, the team got it both barrels from the coaching staff as the sloppy 34-34 draw was dissected in painfully sharp detail.

Now Kear and those who carried out the inquest will wait for the response.

Tomorrow’s stage will show how their words have hit home and what lessons have been learned.

The answer has to be just as powerful – the Bulls cannot afford to slip up if they are to stay in the play-off mix.

“There’s hardly any leeway because we’re the chasers,” admitted Kear.

“We’ve got to keep our foot right down on the pedal to the end of the season and pick up every point we can to put (the top five) under pressure.

“Obviously we are relying on others to slip up. We know that.

“That’s the nature of the beast and we can’t have days like we had last Sunday.”

The other message from the debrief was to stress the “here and now”. With only six games to go, there are precious few second chances.

A fortnight ago, the Bulls went to second place and won. If they can emulate that Toulouse triumph at York tomorrow, Kear’s side will be right back in the thick of it.

Anything less and the odds lengthen – especially with top dogs Toronto coming to Odsal.

After the highs of the Widnes and Toulouse wins, last week came as a bump back down to earth.

Kear believes it is the sign of a young team and insists they must develop that steely consistency that the Wolfpack have mastered.

“I do think being young had an effect,” he added. “After the heights of Toulouse when it was a magnificent win against the odds, we flattened out after that.

“We can’t afford to do that. Champion players and champion teams maintain intensity.

“That’s one thing I feel Toronto have developed this year with Brian McDermott and then Jon Wilkin signing.

“They’ve got this week in, week out intensity and that’s what we need to learn as our young team develops.”

Bootham Crescent will be no place for the faint-hearted. With a bumper crowd right on top of the players, the atmosphere will be bouncing as the League One promotion rivals lock horns once more at the top end of the Championship.

James Ford’s side might be too far away to catch Toronto but a win would further strengthen their grip on a play-off berth.

Defeat would hurt but not hugely impact their top-five ambitions.

The Bulls don’t enjoy the same safety net as they continue to chase. That’s why Kear is not underplaying the contest.

“You can call it what you like – a Grand Final, a four-pointer, chose any cliché.

“It’s a hell of a game, it’s massive for us and we need to play well.”

Kear is also urging the Bulls faithful to roll up in their numbers and roar the players towards a crucial victory.

"It will be hostile in parts but hopefully there will be plenty of Bulls fans to make it difficult for York.

"I appeal for the fans to get along there and let’s get behind the fellas and help them for one final push over this last six games."