Paul Sykes opens his second Bulls Super League career at the same place as the first but almost nine years later.

After joining from Harlequins, the Great Britain centre showcases his talents against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in Sunday's big kick-off at Belle Vue.

In a bizarre coincidence, it is the same ground where he originally made his Bradford bow as a nervous teenager back in 1999.

Sykes recalled: "I don't remember much about that day. It's a long time ago now!

"I do remember being on the bench and coming on on the wing.

"It wasn't the position I preferred but that's where everyone starts off when you're a back.

"I was pretty much buzzing though. I was only 17 and for any young lad getting moved up to the first team is massive; it was head-in-the-clouds time for me."

He lined up alongside the likes of Stuart Spruce, Scott Naylor, Henry Paul, Paul Anderson and Jimmy Lowes as Bradford won 36-8, while current boss Steve McNamara was at loose forward.

Only scrum half Paul Deacon remains in the side that heads to Wakefield this weekend.

"I was nervous right up until the actual match but once I got out there I didn't do too bad," recalled Sykes, who later departed for London in 2001.

"I don't think I made any mistakes and everything just kicked off from there.

"I'm now really looking forward to Sunday but I'll be nervous again.

"It's my first game for Bradford and just like starting out all over again."

Sykes, meanwhile, immediately goes head-to-head against a former team-mate - Australian hardman Tony Martin.

"I know Tony from my time at London," Sykes said. "He's a great player with plenty of experience. When he was at London, I played on his wing. He does a lot of talking in matches. He's really vocal, a fit bloke with a good work ethic and he's been a top centre.

"Wakefield have signed pretty well this year by getting him in from New Zealand Warriors and have a good mix of experience and youth, having also brought in Danny Brough.

"He's from my neck of the woods - Thornhill - and has a top kicking game.

"Wakefield have a lot of players who have good single attributes to their game and if they play it right, they can finish teams. We'll be wary of what they can do but if we carry out what we've been doing in practice, we should have no problems.

"I still think it might take time for us to gel in some places but we've done as much as we can so far and now we're just excited about getting the season under way."

Sykes was also in the youthful Bulls side that headed to Belle Vue for a friendly last month, losing out 44-0.

"It will definitely be different this time around," he said.

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