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By Liam Claffey - Batley Bulldogs coach John Kear is thoroughly enjoying life in the Championship, after taking a step down from Super League following his exit from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Kear, formerly with Sheffield Eagles and Hull FC, as well as the Wildcats, decided to leave Wakefield at the end of the 2011 season to join Batley and coach in the Championship.
"Obviously the big difference is you can devote your whole life to rugby league at Super League level," Kear told Code13.
"You have to acknowledge at Championship and Championship One level the players are part time and those players have to go out and earn their corn elsewhere.
"What it does reflect is the fact that they love the game and their not playing rugby league for financial rewards, they're playing rugby league because they enjoy playing it and for me it's a very pure part of the sport.
"It's something I've thoroughly enjoyed since foraying into the Championship and I'll certainly enjoy even more when the action is week in week out."
Ahead of the Northern Rail Cup this weekend, Kear has lost his biggest signing since joining the club, hooker Ben Fisher.
Fisher, 30, has joined Catalan Dragons club on a two month loan after they lost Frédéric Vaccari, Cyril Stacul and Greg Mounis to injury along with Eloi Pelissier. Kear however isn't looking to bring in any replacements.
"We have Kris Lythe, Tom Henderson and Paul Mennell who can play hooker so we are well covered for that position," he said.
"We are obviously hoping that Ben returns from a purely selfish, Batley point of view but we are wishing him well, it's a great chance for him to return to Super League, he is a Super League standard player."
Batley take on Keighley at Cougar Park, in the opening round of the Northern Rail Cup group stage this Sunday (kick off 2pm), and after winning the cup in 2010, Kear is hoping he can lead his team back to Blackpool this year.
"Under Karl Harrison the club underwent a drastic improvement and we just have to maintain that," Kear added.
"To do that we have to advance further in the play-offs and in the NRC we'll want to progress past the quarter finals where the squad got knocked out by Dewsbury last year." |