BRADFORD BULLS coach Brian Noble is relishing a crack at Castleford on Sunday in what is one of the picks of the Challenge Cup third round.
The showdown with an old-school feel comes after the Bulls bettered second-tier rivals Doncaster in conditions the legendary coach said reminded him of when he was playing for the club back in the days of winter rugby.
Noble, 63, took the hot seat for a second time after Eamon O’Carroll left for an assistant coaching role at St Helens after leading Bradford to last year’s play-off semi-finals.
With the squad strengthened since then, the Bulls are now the second-tier favourites.
Their 30-4 victory over Doncaster supported that view, and Noble said: “It was cold, wet and windy – it reminded me of the old Northern days.
“But you have to play in all sorts of conditions and we were pleased to do that.
“The game got a bit scruffy in parts, but Doncaster are a good team – just look at their roster.
“In and around the halves (new signings James Meadows from London Broncos and Joe Keyes from Halifax) and in and around the effort areas, we were just a bit better than them.”
Noble continued: “Some of our willingness to play early in the game probably cost us field position. But we were chancing our arm, which we wanted to do.
“In these conditions, it gets down to fundamentals, which we also did better than Doncaster, but credit to them for challenging us in certain areas.
“We learned some lessons and I am really pleased with some of the things we are doing.
“Rugby League is as much about field position in these kind of conditions as it is about looking flash around the fringes.
“I am delighted they are keeping in their heads the fact that they have to defend well in any conditions and the commitment we have made to each other.”
Bradford have agreed a dual-registration partnership with League One neighbours Dewsbury.
