Bull's Eye

In this week's Bulls Eye, Brian Noble and Stuart Reardon look ahead to Sunday's Tetley's Super League Round 4 clash at Odsal when the Salford Reds are in town to take on the Bulls.

BRIAN NOBLE;

SALFORD HAVE BEEN COMPETITIVE IN EVERY GAME THEY HAVE PLAYED THIS SEASON

They have. We watched them against Wigan and they could have come away from the JJB with the points. They beat Widnes at home but they have been a little slow to start in some games. They have a good Coach and they will be putting that right and what better opportunity is there than for them to come to Bradford and embarrass us.

I have been very impressed with what Karl Harrison has achieved at Salford. He has toiled really heard and there is also an element of skill in there. He has added considerably to the squad he inherited and he understands the task that lies ahead and what he needs to pick up but he is a great thinker and will do well.

ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE HAD A WHILE BETWEEN FIXTURES. HAS THIS HINDERED YOUR PREPARATION?

It has and it hasn?t. At this stage of the season you would ideally like to get some rhythm and momentum and when you are trying to get things flowing properly and we haven?t had that. It has, however given us an opportunity to get some of the injuries cleared up and rest a few people who have had some niggling injuries, so it has had its benefits as well as its downside.

STUART REARDON:

SALFORD HAVE NOT HAD THE BEST START TO THE SEASON.

They haven?t but they are a very good side. Everyone is saying how much every team has improved and that?s a fact. There are no easy games and Salford will be looking for the points from here. Karl Harrison is a good Coach and I spent sometime on loan there, so I know how he operates and he will have them well fired up for the game. I haven?t seen him since I was there on loan so I am looking forward to that as well as catching up with the players who are left from my time there.

I am reasonably happy with my own form this season but I am glad that the cup has reached its final stages and we can get back into the week to week routine on playing Super League.

TEAM NEWS:

Brian Noble has named an 18 man squad for the game including Michael Withers who missed the last game through injury. Withers, Reardon, Bridge, Vaikona, Vainikolo, Aaron Smith, Andy Smith, Vagana, Anderson, Fielden, Peacock, Parker, Radford, Langley, L Pryce, Deacon, Paul, Johnson.

MILESTONES:

LEON PRYCE needs 8 points for a total of 300 for the Bulls. He has scored 73 tries in his 146 games for the club he joined as a 16 year old

TEVITA VAIKONA needs 8 points for a total of 400 for the Bulls. He has scored 98 tries in 162 appearances since joining from Hull in 1998.

MICHAEL WITHERS needs 6 points for a total of 400 for the Bulls. He has scored 91 tries, 14 goals and 2 drop goals in his 114 appearances for the club.

ROBBIE PAUL will make his 250th appearances for the Bulls today. He has scored 138 tries and 1 goal in a career spanning 10 years.

PAUL DEACON needs only 5 points for a career total of 1100. He has scored 44 tries, 453 goals and 13 drop goals in 188 appearances.

BULLS EYE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MEDIA DEPARTMENT OF BRADFORD BULLS RUGBY CLUB.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT STUART DUFFY OR SIMON COLLINSON ON 01274 762315