Potter pinpoints lack of water

Bradford coach Mick Potter believes dehydration may have been partly to blame for Adrian Purtell's heart attack.

Purtell was released on Thursday from Leeds General Infirmary, where he spent three days undergoing surgery for a blocked artery after being taken ill on the way home from Sunday's Stobart Super League derby with Leeds.

The match was played in soaring temperatures at Manchester's Etihad Stadium and Potter has revealed his concerns his players received an inadequate supply of water during play.

"No I wasn't happy," he said. "I think they needed more water.

"I think the other team showed the way. They just rested on the ground and waited for some people to come out to get water to them. Probably in hindsight that was the way to go.

"I think all the officials were hydrated up on the sideline enough. The people out there performing in those conditions I don't think were getting enough."

Potter revealed that some of his players vomited after the match, while Purtell complained of a pain in his chest before leaving the ground which got worse on the team bus back to Yorkshire.

The driver pulled over to the side of the motorway to enable the medical staff to administer oxygen and Purtell was later admitted to hospital.

The club are still waiting for the full results of tests, but Potter believes dehydration had a debilitating effect on the player.

"I think it was one of the factors," he said. "It probably wasn't the primary reason.

"I'm not a medical person, but you're putting yourself in the extremes of testing your body out.

"Some people vomitted, some might have needed a drip, some people just needed a drink of electrolyte or more water. It affects different people different ways. For Adrian it was a pretty bad outcome.

"In those extreme conditions you need to keep your fluid intake regular and it's hard to do.

"There's opportunities at scrums if you are allowed to go on to get some hydration without spoiling the so-called spectacle. I think it can be managed a bit better when conditions are like that.

"I don't think it was adequate on the weekend for players that were playing in the sun."

Purtell, 27, who is in his first season in Super League after joining Bradford from Penrith Panthers, spent three days in coronary care but was well enough to be allowed home today.

Bradford say it will be at least two months before Purtell knows if he will be able to play again.

"He's in good spirits," added Potter. "His parents have flown across and he seems fine from the outside.

"He knows the seriousness of the situation but he has a sense of humour.

"I don't know what it means for him long term, hopefully he can get back playing rugby league.

"We'll get all the specialist reports and find out what the situation is. Hopefully it won't be too long before he's back on the field but we won't know that for at least two months."

Meanwhile, Bradford forwards Matt Diskin and Craig Kopczak may not play again this year after picking up serious injuries in the defeat by Leeds.

Diskin, who dislocated an shoulder, and prop Craig Kopczak, who sustained ankle ligament damage, will undergo surgery on Friday and have been ruled out for 12 weeks.

Bradford also lost winger Elliott Kear with a broken wrist and centre Chev Walker with a broken rib. They are expected to be sidelined for eight weeks.

"We were saying a week ago that we were starting to get players back and we lose five in one match so we're back to where we started," said Potter.

"It's the nature of a contact sport but it's happening to us just a little too much at the moment.

"It puts a bit of a dent in us but we'll fill the void."