Weekly Bulls Eye

IN THIS WEEK?S EDITION OF BULLS EYE, COACH BRIAN NOBLE AND FORWARD BRIAN McDERMOTT LOOK AT FRIDAY?S SUPER LEAGUE VII ROUND 21 CLASH AT VALLEY PARADE WHEN THE BIGGEST DERBY IN RUGBY LEAGUE TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE BULLS AND THE RHINOS.

BRIAN NOBLE

IT?S A MASSIVE GAME THIS WEEK.

It is a massive game. It is without doubt now the biggest derby game in Rugby League and it should be fantastic tonight. There will be a big crowd and a tremendous atmosphere. I?d like to think that the players would not treat this any differently to any other game and that they prepare just as well every week but the reality is that the biggest games bring out the most competition in the best players. They like the big games and the big occasions and there is nothing bigger than this fixture! I am excited about it and there is an element of that in the players as well. It is what the game is all about and it will be fantastic event.

DOES THE SAINTS V WIGAN RESULT EASE THE PRESSURE ON YOU A LITTLE?

Not at all. It is all about ourselves and we still prepare the same way whether other teams win or lose. It?s all in our own destiny and we have all talked, as a group of people, about improving as we get towards the end of the season and I think we have taken steps towards that.

DO YOU FEEL THERE IS A SCORE TO SETTLE WITH LEEDS?

No I don?t. I have said all along that the better team beat us on the day in both those encounters and we need to make sure we are the better team on Friday or we won?t win again. We have to do things against them that will trouble them and by the same equation, we have to negate some of their offensive prowess, and they have plenty of that! They are a tremendous side, who have shown they can score a lot of points. They have had a sticky patch in the last few weeks but they have now started to put it together and have some good wins under their belt.

BRIAN McDERMOTT

HAVING LOST TWICE AGAINST THEM, DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE A SCORE TO SETTLE?

We maybe have something to prove to ourselves, but not to the rest of the competition. We are at the top fair and square but there is the feeling that we didn?t do ourselves justice in the first two encounters but that?s just for us as a squad.

They are going through a bit of a sticky patch at the moment and they probably have quite a bit more to prove to their supporters than us. There is no bigger game for the fans than this and it would be a big boost for them if they could turn us over, particularly at Valley Parade because the players will certainly feel they have something to prove to their coach and to their fans, who haven't been too happy with their team recently.

THE BULLS HAVEN?T BEEN FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS OF LATE.

We haven?t and it is certainly going to be an interesting match because of that. We haven't been playing well and have been getting the results, and Leeds haven't been playing well and haven't been getting the results but you can?t go from being a good side to a bad side overnight and they have some very dangerous players in their side.

Friday?s game is always special. It is what we all play Rugby League for and I can?t wait for Game day!

TEAM NEWS

The Bulls have added fit again Richard Moore and Rob Parker to the squad that defeated Castleford last week. Brandon Costin who has a broken hand and Paul Anderson are the only absentees.

MILESTONES

Jamie Peacock needs 4 points for a total of 100 for the Bulls. He has scored 24 tries.

Scott Naylor needs 1 try, and Nathan McAvoy 2 tries for a total of 50 for the Bulls.

Nathan McAvoy needs two tries for a career total of 500 points.

Robbie Paul needs 10 points for 500 for the Bulls. He has scored 122 tries and kicked 1 goal in 218 appearances for the club.

Paul Deacon has kicked 110 goals from 134 attempts this season giving him an average success rate of 82.08% for the Bulls. He has also kicked 6 goals from 6 attempts for Lancashire giving him an overall percentage of 82.85%.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT STUART DUFFY OR SIMON COLLINSON ON 01274 744250