Godwin is hoping for swift rise back to Bulls' big time

4:12pm Friday 3rd July 2009

By Bill Marshall

Wayne Godwin has been wearing the broadest smile around the Bulls’ training ground at Apperley Bridge this week.

After 15 weeks out with a broken leg, the 27-year-old made his comeback last Friday for the Reserve Grade in their 24-20 victory over Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.

And now the former KC Stadium favourite is in line for the first team’s match against another of his clubs, Castleford Tigers, on Sunday.

“It went well,” said the sparky Godwin of last weekend, “and it was good fun to be involved with some of the youngsters.

“My leg has been better in training this week but it was very sore after the game.”

Godwin fractured his tibia in a televised match at Wigan – yet another former club – in March and has many people to thank for getting him back into the fray so quickly.

He said: “There’s been the specialist, Dr Harris down at Leeds, our strength conditioner Martin Clawson, our physiotherapist Martin Higgins and our masseur Andy Senior, among others.”

Godwin takes the place of second-rower Elliott Whitehead in the 19-man squad, the teenager missing out due to an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Bulls’ head coach Steve McNamara is only too conscious of the attacking threat that the Tigers have – particularly as they scored three tries in the final ten minutes to snatch the points 28-26 at The Jungle earlier this season.

Prior to that, McNamara had been watching one of the Bulls’ most accomplished displays of the campaign.

“They have a great blend of youth and experience and they have certainly got some speed in their ranks – players like Rangi Chase, Ryan McGoldrick, Richard Owen and Michael Shenton.

“Castleford have some players who can break tackles and score points. We are certainly aware of the threats they pose.

“Sunday is a game we need to win, and if you look at our remaining fixtures you will see that we play all the sides around us in the table.

"We are not in the top eight yet and we have some work to do to get there and we need to start attacking it from now on in.”

Having reviewed the video from last Friday’s defeat against Leeds Rhinos, McNamara reflected: “It was an opportunity missed.

“We have looked at the match from a coaches’ and players’ point of view and we cannot afford to miss opportunities like that any more this season.”

* Bradford Bulls, in partnership with Link Telecom, are hoping their fans do more than phone a friend at Odsal on Sunday.

Supporters are being asked to donate their old mobile phones in aid of both the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and the Bulls Foundation.

There will be collection points around the stadium in which to deposit phones and for each phone donated the supporter will receive a raffle ticket to win either a brand new phone or a signed Bulls home shirt.