Purtell keeping calm

Bradford captain Adrian Purtell says he and his teammates are not worried about matters off the field at the Bulls.

Speculation is growing after the Yorkshire side missing the Middle 8s and were handed a winding up order from HMRC.

Purtell has been at Odsal since 2012 and has experienced previous financial difficulties at Bradford.

But the Australian said he and the others players don’t concern themselves with it.

“Well for us it’s a lot of speculation with a lot of business matter which has nothing to do with us,” he told Love Rugby League.

“All we can do is play footy and train and fulfil our role as professional sportsmen.

“We’ve been told things are going to be OK, and if that’s all we have to go on, then the boys are going to do that.

“For us, playing a game of footie is a good release; you don’t have to think about too much. You can enjoy it and not worry about all those things.

“The club have been good, everyone’s been paid and I’ve not missed a payment since Mark has taken over. I don’t think there are too many issues off the pitch.”

On the field, it was a disappointing year for Bradford after failing to make the top four, and a chance for promotion, after making the Million Pound Game last year.

Purtell admitted he and the club were frustrated, saying: ““Yeah I’m sure everyone at the club is frustrated.

“We wanted to give ourselves an opportunity to play in the Super League.

“It was tough to take last year the defeat to Wakefield.

“But we still set out that same goal this year, to play in the Super League but it didn’t work out like that and we’ve just got to focus on the Championship Shield, get the most out of that competition and go again next season.”

The centre is set to make his return to action, after being sidelined since April with a shoulder injury, tomorrow against Halifax.