Bulls v Saints: Teams
Both Bradford and St Helens will be looking to bounce back from tough losses when they do battle on Sunday.
Last Updated: 12/02/10 8:06pm
Both Bradford and St Helens will be looking to bounce back from tough losses when they do battle on Sunday.
The Bulls were beaten 24-12 away at Huddersfield last Friday, while Saints were stunned 32-12 by new-look Hull the following day.
Despite failing to topple the Giants, Bradford boss Steve McNamara believes there were plenty of positives to take out of the game.
They scored three tries on their travels but failed to land a single conversion, both Paul Sykes and debutant Matt Orford missing the target.
Home comforts
Orford will make his first appearance at the Grattan Odsal Stadium, with McNamara keen to make the Bulls' home a real fortress in 2010.
"Well we are really looking forward to it," he said. "We have not been able to play a home trial game and our first league game was away so we are really looking forward to it and hopefully there will be a big crowd and we play well and perform well and in the minds of the players that will happen.
"We are looking forward to the comforts that being at home brings and making the Grattan Stadium a very tough place for opposition sides to come to."
As if the defeat to an Airlie Birds side captained by Sean Long wasn't bad enough, Saints saw Sia Soliola and Ade Gardner both pick up injuries.
The duo will miss the game this weekend but Francis Meli returns from compassionate leave to take Gardner's place on the wing.
Second-rower Matty Ashurst is also included in coach Mick Potter's 19-man party, while prop James Graham is set to play despite a bruised sternum.
The match will mark a special milestone for captain Keiron Cunningham, with the hooker making his 500th career appearance.
Bradford squad: Sykes, Langley, Sheriffe, Kopczak, Donaldson, Scruton, Menzies, Kearney, Godwin, L'Estrange, Halley, Nero, Lynch, Reardon, Hall, Crookes, Worrincy, Whitehead, Orford.
St. Helens squad: Wellens, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Moore, Clough, Ashurst, Wheeler, Fa'asavalu, Lomax.