Lynch: It's time to toughen up

6:30am Thursday 4th December 2008

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Straight-talking player of the year Andy Lynch says the Bulls must get tough with each other before even thinking about the opposition.

The England prop led from the front last season with consistently high-level displays but the club’s overall performance was a let-down.

Promising signs failed to materialise into success and they exited the play-offs at the first hurdle.

Lynch hasn’t been able to bring himself to watch that Wigan disappointment and accepts the entire squad has to buck up to ensure there is no repeat in the new Super League campaign.

Even if it means harsh words are spoken, the former Castleford front-rower believes it is the only way forward if Bradford are to end their three-year barren run without a major trophy.

“We’ve got to be more professional in everything we do,” he said.

“From turning up to training on a morning to whatever, every day has to be with real intensity.

“If people aren’t pulling their weight then, whether it’s senior players or younger players, we need to get on at them and give them a real wake-up call.”

Lynch is one of just three surviving members – current skipper Paul Deacon and England team-mate Jamie Langley are the others – of the last Bulls’ squad to taste Super League glory in 2005.

He knows what is needed for the club to re-discover that champion mentality and is confident it can be attained.

But Lynch, currently recovering from the neck injury that kept him out of the World Cup, warned: “We have to be cruel to be kind and it’s for all our benefit.

“We need to be hard on each other to be better and in order to reach our best.

“If we do everything right, spot on and with intensity then we can be successful.

“But that’s all 25 players from Monday to Friday and then one to 17 performing on game day.

“We can’t afford to have even one person being slack.”

The 29-year-old has been impressed by the attitude of new prop signing Nick Scruton, who has just won the title with Leeds Rhinos.

“He’s a good, fit bloke and a real strong player,” said Lynch.

“Scrutes showed that at the end of last season with what Leeds did and he’ll bring a lot of quality to our side.

“He’ll also take some of the weight off mine and Sam’s (Burgess) shoulders and I’m looking forward to playing alongside him.”