Bulls Eye: Bradford v Widnes

by NRL

In Bulls Eye this week, Bradford coach Mick Potter looks ahead to Sunday's Stobart Super League Rd 23 game at Odsal Stadium when Widnes Vikings are the visitors.

MICK POTTER

HOW TOUGH HAS IT BEEN TO PREPARE BOTH THE PLAYERS AND YOURSELF FOR THIS GAME?

"At time you have those little dips in motivation, given where the Coaching Staff are and you can understand that but when the players come to training ? and we are probably running a bit of a modified training regime to what we would normally do at this stage of the season- but once they get out there on the field their preparation is a professional and as intense as it's ever been. We still go hard when we need to and take the foot off when we need to. The players acquit themselves well; they like going to training, getting the job done, feeling strong and quick. They like playing Rugby League and let's face it; it's a good way to earn a living if you are good at it."

WITH THE POINTS DEDUCTION AND LOOKING AT THE TABLE THIS WEEK'S GAME IS A MUST WIN FOR YOU?

"It is. There's no two ways about it. If we lose this one then we are pretty much gone for the season. We need to win this one and then the one after that!!"

WITH WHAT'S GONE ON CAN THE PLAYERS GET UP AGAIN FOR THIS GAME?

"Well I'm glad it's at Odsal. Widnes are an improving team. They are playing with a lot of confidence and they have some dangerous player with a lot of speed on the edges. It's a tricky one because it's a game we must win but they have their own motivation. They will want to keep that confidence going and will look to get away from the bottom of the table. It should make for a good game and yes; the players can get up for this game!"

WHAT DO THEY DO WELL?

"They find the balance in getting down the field well, they get forward with some numbers and they come up with some unorthodox plays. For instance they'll kick the ball on play two or three and not many teams are prepared to do that. They chance their hand a bit and teams are difficult to stop when they play differently to what usually happens week after week."

SQUAD NEWS

Mick Potter has named the same 19-man squad for Sunday's game against Widnes Vikings at Odsal.

Brett Kearney and Ben Jeffries, who were late withdrawals last week at Warrington, are both fit and included.

The Squad is: Ainscough, Kopczak, Lulia, Whitehead, Addy, Burgess, Jeffries, Walker, Hargreaves, Olbison, L'Estrange, Pryce, Platt, Sammut, Gale, Langley, Kearney, Scruton, Manuokafoa.

MILESTONES

CHEV WALKER needs 2 Tries for a career total of 100. He has scored 98 Tries for Leeds, Hull KR, Gt Britain, England and Bradford Bulls.

BEN JEFFRIES, needs 1 try to reach 100 club touchdowns whilst in England. Jeffries is in his second spell (2008-2009 & 2011-2012) with the Bulls and has scored 22 tries for the club. He has also touched down 77 times for Wakefield (2003-2007 & 2010-2011).

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