MATTY Blythe reckons Bulls fans will see the best of him in 2016 after putting his injury nightmares firmly behind him.

The versatile centre spent several months on the sidelines last season with an infection he picked up while battling a long-standing back problem.

An injection was supposed to aid Blythe’s back injury but that led to the infection which left him hospitalised and receiving antibiotics through his blood for six weeks.

He had been set for an operation which would have sidelined him until July but he was cleared to play in April and went on to re-establish himself in Jimmy Lowes’ side in the second half of the season.

Blythe said: “This time last year I was in a pretty bad way, so it’s great to be around the boys and training fully in pre-season.

“I was hitting form for probably the last ten games of the season.

“I felt like I was back to myself and was playing with a lot of enthusiasm, so I felt really strong.

“I’m feeling good now, I’m feeling fit, and I’ve done a bit on my own during the off-season.

“I actually still feel a bit fresh from last year because I only played for half a season due to my injury problems.

“I’m going to do my best this year and see where it takes me.”

Reflecting on the Million Pound Game defeat to Wakefield, Blythe added: “It’s your life at the end of the day.

“You’re playing for yourself, your family, your friends and for the fans.

“You’re playing for everyone and it’s a tough game, but you want to do well.

“It was tough for Wakefield as well because they were in the same boat as we were.

“Indeed, it wasn’t easy for any team in that bottom eight, but it’s part and parcel of the sport and the new structure is in place.

“It was tough for a couple of weeks after that game, but we need to lick our wounds now and get back on to it.

“The emotion that we went through at the end of last season, losing to Wakefield, will stay with us throughout the year.

“We’ll take that into our games and we know where we should be.

“We just didn’t finish it off last year, but that’s stuck with the boys and we want to make a difference now. We’re all looking forward to the new season.”

Lowes actually picked Blythe on the wing in the promotion decider at Belle Vue and the former Warrington man is happy to continue to be versatile.

He added: “Wherever Jimmy puts me, I always try my best.

“I’d not played wing in the previous 12 months but I was happy to do a job there, just like I am at centre, second row or loose forward.

“I had actually played on the wing at Warrington in Jimmy’s first game in charge of Bradford.

“I signed as a centre/second rower and it’s up to Jimmy where he puts me because, like I’ve always said, I like having that utility value behind me.

“We’ve got a few lads like that here – the likes of Danny Addy, Pittsy (Jay Pitts) and it does help throughout the year, and fingers crossed we get no injuries.”