AHEAD of this Sunday's home game against Hunslet, Luke Hopkins spoke to Bradford Bulls prop Sam Hallas.

How are you and the team preparing for the game this weekend?

"We're preparing very well.

"We've trained not just as a team but as a unit because we're understanding the areas of our game that we need to work on every week in order to maintain our good start to the season.

"Watching highlights on them as a team is very important because we can see how they move when they attack and how they set up when they're defending.

"So overall, we're positive going into the game. There's absolutely no chance that we'll be taking them likely."

What have John and the rest of the coaching staff done to help improve your game at the Bulls?

"Well for me it was all about getting game time under the belt. Players say that sometimes like it's an excuse for them not reaching the level that they can play at but for me it truly was about getting on the pitch and getting minutes under my belt.

"I just needed to play and John and all associated with Bulls have given me that freedom to play. Even if I make mistakes in games, they're there to help me improve and get rid of those errors.

"If you want to improve as a player, you've got to make mistakes at some point."

How would you describe the team's chemistry on and off the pitch?

"We're a very close knit of people, whether that's on or off the pitch. There's not one bad egg in the whole of the squad.

"I think it comes from our shared goal of wanting to not only improve as players but to help Bradford get back to where they belong, which is the Championship and eventually the Super League."

Does the split of some clubs being part time and others being full time change preparation for some games of the season?

"The full time and part time split doesn't really bother us that much to be honest. Those clubs have decided what they need to do for themselves and likewise, we know what we need to do to improve the club's standings in the league.

"Everyone has the same goal and everyone knows their role goes forward to achieve that. I know it sounds very cliché and something that'd expect from a voiceover but I've no doubt that we'll get back to where we once were."

Finally, how do you feel the squad will cope with the long season?

"Obviously we've got to be professional in our approach to every team we play. It's going to be very cut-throat and no-one is going to give us two points without grafting week in and week out, not just on the pitch but during training.

"We can’t fall in love with themselves, as we know that every team goes through a sticky period where we'll play below our usual standard but even during this we’ll stick together and we'll be even stronger than we were before."