OF ALL the ways to make a statement about your promotion pedigree, beating Leigh in front of the television cameras is right up there.

Bradford face the Championship leaders at the Summer Bash on Saturday evening in a fixture that will not be for the faint hearted.

The Bulls will be out to bash their big rivals and make Blackpool rock.

This will be the fifth meeting between the sides in the past two seasons and another close, high-scoring encounter at Bloomfield Road is likely.

Since Leigh beat Bradford in a tumultuous opening-day clash in February 2015, there have been two memorable draws at Odsal, with the Bulls winning at the Leigh Sports Village in last season's Qualifiers.

During the four meetings in the past 15 months, Bradford have scored 124 points against Leigh's 120, highlighting how closely matched the sides are.

Bulls star Jay Pitts said: "I can't wait for Saturday. I've actually been looking forward to this game ever since coming off the field against Sheffield last week.

"I think it will be a phenomenal game, especially with it being at the Summer Bash.

"It's not like we have built this rivalry up with Leigh. It has just built itself up.

"They are top of the league and we'll take that on the chin – but we've just got to beat them now and beat them convincingly.

"It's more about the performance from the lads in terms of sticking together and showing what we can do. It's probably our biggest test for a while."

Saturday's trip to Blackpool is the Championship's moment in the sun, with all 12 teams playing over the Bank Holiday weekend.

It is not quite the Magic Weekend, where an attendance over the two days of 68,276 at St James' Park in Newcastle set a new record for the event.

Still, the Bulls are likely to again have easily the biggest following of the Championship clubs in Blackpool, with over 2,000 from Bradford expected to descend on the seaside resort.

"It's a change of scenery," said Pitts. 

"It was a bit of a downer when we got relegated and couldn't play in the Magic Weekend any more – but the Summer Bash at least gives us a taste of it."

The 26-year-old forward speaks from the heart during media interviews and was typically forthright after last Friday's win at Sheffield Hallam University's Sports Park.

Although the Bulls marked Rohan Smith's first game in charge with a 25-14 win, it was a victory for spirit rather than skill.

Pitts admitted: "It wasn't pretty and there was lots that needs fixing up, especially in attack during the first half.

"But the intent and effort was there, which was important because that hadn't been there for a few weeks.

"We have lacked it quite a bit, so that collective desire is something you cannot teach."

The arrival of Smith has put the whole squad on their toes and the future of several players – Pitts included – will become clearer in the coming weeks.

"Rohan coming in has been good and brought a spark out of the people who had maybe just dropped off a little bit," said Pitts.

"You could see that in the performances we have been putting in, so Rohan has obviously given us a kick up the backside.

"We ground it out at Sheffield when maybe a few weeks ago that could have been a bad score against us.

"Nobody wants to be in Super League with Bradford more than all the boys here at the club – and that's what we are striving for.

"There is external pressure to get there and rightly so because this is a club who should be in Super League.

"You've got to have that pressure because if it's not there, then what are you playing for?

"But no-one is going to give us that Super League status – we are the ones who have go out and do it.

"We've got people who can play in every position and you've got to fight for your spot.

"If you don't play well then you will be out and Rohan has made that clear.

"That's what you need in a squad which is trying to get into Super League. I think we have turned a tiny corner but it's still a big corner to turn yet."

Pitts is among a large group of players whose contracts expire at the end of the season.

He is a proven Super League performer following his previous spells in the top flight with Wakefield, Leeds, Hull and indeed Bradford, where he emerged with more credit than most during the disastrous 2014 relegation season.

Pitts said: "I'm up at the end of the year and have got nothing sorted at the moment. I'm just enjoying my rugby and will see what happens.

"I like it at Bradford and it will be interesting to see if Rohan would like to keep me.

"I'll work my backside off for Bradford and will hopefully get my rewards.

"We had a good one-to-one when Rohan first arrived and he asked me about my game and things like that.

"He's a very approachable person and that's good to have in a coach, so I'm looking forward to working with him.

"I'm not really worrying about my future right now, I'm just focusing on my rugby."