It’s an exciting time this week as it’s the fourth round of the Coral Challenge Cup and we are playing a team in Keighley Cougars who will be well up for the task.

I have watched a couple of their games and they are a very enthusiastic and hard-working side with plenty of spirit and they have dealt with their adversity very well.

I have spoken to Craig Lingard, a friend of mine, only 48 hours ago and I remarked on the spirit they were generating. He said that all the players there really wanted to play for Keighley.

So, if you are playing a group of lads who all want to play for that team then you expect to be challenged and we will be, and we are preparing accordingly.

It is always spoken of as ‘the magic of the cup’ but that usually means the underdog triumphing over the favourites. I am hoping this week the favourites do the job, it’s business as usual and I hope we bring the bacon home.

It’s going to be a good game and I am really chuffed that we are going there because we have a great following.

Our fans are marvellous and give us great support and I hope they travel this week in great numbers, firstly to support us and help us get the result and secondly to boost the coffers of our local neighbours, who have struggled in the off-season and have regrouped magnificently under Craig. They are progressing on the field and off it.

I thought the performance last week against Leigh Centurions was the best we have played this season. I think we have shown signs of getting to where we wanted to be in the last three games against Batley, Widnes and Leigh. We have shown how good we can be and the potential within the group.

I think the fact we had a couple of recognised half-backs on field made a big difference and Jordan Lilley, while he won’t be ready this week, coming back next week will make a big difference to us.

I believe then we can kick on further. We have had some adversity with injuries and while we are not completely over them yet, they are not half as severe as they were.

I think we can look to the immediate future and the long term future of the season in a really good frame of mind.

I was really pleased last week too with a couple of Bradford youngsters who came into the team. Rowan Milnes and Matty Storton have been great for us.

I thought Rowan was the man of the match and it was great to have him back. He was deemed fit to play by the medical team but not considered to be conditioned.

With the situation with the halves, I wanted him back as soon as possible. If he’s injury free, then he needed to be back on the field. He did that and he paid us back by the bucket load.