As far as sporting reunions go, Saturday is likely to evoke more than a few memories for the Wakefield coach, Brian Smith. Almost 20 years on from his solitary season in charge of Bradford, in 1996, Smith will meet his former club for the first time looking not only to put a dent in their promotion hopes but also to get one over on the man he signed for the club all those years ago.
Smith brought the Leeds hooker James Lowes to the Bulls, a move that led to Lowes winning every domestic honour in the game during an eight-year spell at the club. After coaching at Warrington, Leeds and union’s Leeds Carnegie he returned as head coach last year.
As the two men prepare to meet for the first time as coaches the Australian still holds his former player and club in high regard. “He was great to coach,” Smith said. “Jimmy is passionate about rugby league and it shone out of him from the first meeting I had with him while he was at Leeds and I was trying to get him to come to Bradford
“He’s done a lot with his life in rugby league since then and I’m not surprised by any of it given his passion and enthusiasm. I wouldn’t say I ever knew he was going to be a coach but you can never really see that in anyone while they’re playing.
“He was everything you want from a player when you’re a coach and he committed to the game. I hope he does well as a coach but not when we meet because this game is vital for us.”
Smith took charge of Bradford at the beginning of the Super League era. They would go on to become one of the most successful names in the sport on and off the field and he fondly remembers his time at the club. “It was a magical period, the first season of Super League and the most exhilarating 13 months of my life,” he said. “Professionally, it was just something else. I met some unbelievable guys and Jimmy Lowes is probably near the top of that list.
“I don’t really know anybody else from that crew who are there now because the makeup of the club is completely different. But I feel strongly about what everyone achieved at the Bulls in those days. I still think it’s a model for every other sporting organisation to show what can happen when everyone is pulling in the same direction all at once.”
After contrasting results in the opening weekend of the Qualifiers, Bradford – bidding for promotion back to Super League at the first attempt – would open a four-point gap on Wakefield with a victory at Belle Vue. After defeat to Salford last Sunday, Smith is in no doubt about the importance of a game in the seven-game league that will determine the four remaining places in Super League next year.
“They’ve got two points on the board so they need three or four wins out of their remaining six,” he said. “That early win puts them and all the teams in a much better position than us who lost. It’s simply vital and an opportunity to get our best performance together from the beginning.
“Bradford were way too good for Sheffield [they won 42-10]. I’ve seen a video of that game and they did what we need to do – start enthusiastically, execute plays very well and then be dominant for most of the game. But I’m confident we can put some real pressure on Bradford – then we’ll see how they deal with that.”
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