Bulls and Saints
announce squads

Bulls and Saints announce squads

Steve McNamara has experienced a tough start to his head coaching career with Bradford and is not expecting things to get any easier on Friday night.

The task is daunting for Bradford as engage Super League leaders St Helens visit Odsal.

Saints lost their unbeaten home record a week ago at the hands of Hull, enabling Leeds to cut their lead to just four points, but McNamara laughs off any suggestions that the title favourites might be on the slide.

?I thought they played very well against Hull but they just got edged out on the night,? he said.

?Hull showed a lot of tenacity and showed a lot of desire to keep their line intact. They got off the line and closed Saints down but Saints played very well.

?There are a thousand things you have to do against Saints. You have to put pressure on them both offensively and defensively and show real guts and desire because they are going to break your line. They are going to create chances.?

Bradford?s fortunes hit a low when they crashed to a record 66-4 Super League defeat against Saints at Odsal last June and they have already lost twice to their Roses rivals this year.

But St Helens? leading try-scorer Ade Gardner is warning his side to underestimate the reigning champions at their peril.

?Everybody is saying they are going through a bit of rough patch but at Odsal it?s a completely different story,? he said.

?They still have world-class players in their side and we are going to have to be really on the button.?

Bradford Bulls v St Helens, Odsal, Friday June 16 2006

Bradford 18-man squad: Hape, Deacon, Vagana, Fielden, I. Harris, McKenna, Newton, Lynch, Meyers, Gene, Pryce, Ferres, Vainikolo, Henderson, Langley, B. Harris, St Hilaire, Withers.

St Helens 18-man squad: Wellens, Gardner, Lyon, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Gilmour, Wilkin, Sculthorpe, Roby, Hooper, P. Anderson, V. Anderson, Graham.

Referee: R Silverwood