STEVE Merrick believes Singleton are "three or four players" off being a semi-final side but the former Wallaby won't be pulling the strings to get the Bulls there.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
After two years at the helm, Merrick will take a step back next season.
"I am not going to be as heavily involved," he said. "I will still be around and hopefully do some one-on-one stuff but I want to get out and travel a bit. There is interest in the position. They have received applications from people outside the town for the first time in the history of the club, which is good."
Beefed up by the arrival of Kiwi front-rowers Tuaine-Whanua, Kemble Frost and Keanu Kaa, the signs were promising early for the Bulls.
They lost by a point to Hamilton, pushed Merewether and Lake Maquarie and had wins over University (29-9) and Southern Beaches (45-29) before falling away in the second half of the campaign to finish ninth.
"At the start of the year we were very competitive," Merrick said. "Then all the injuries came and they happened to be to all our top shelf players. The injuries resulted in a couple of big losses. Then the feel went out of the club and numbers dropped off at training. We ended the season like we have been playing the last half a dozen years."
"Kemble and a couple of the other front-rowers are staying. If we could be a little picky with the next four recruits and throw them in with the four we had this year, we would be close to the finals. We need second-rowers and outside backs."
