MUCH has been made of the amount of game-time that Adam O’Brien has enjoyed this season.

The Bulls hooker has played in every single match and 80 minutes in the majority of them.

There is a view that he could have been rested at times and Vila Halafihi or Nathan Conroy given more of an opportunity to shine.

But Jimmy Lowes, who knows a thing or two about the pivotal hooking role, made it clear when he took over last June that his number nine should be capable of playing the full game.

O’Brien thrived on that new-found responsibility at the back end of last season and has been similarly outstanding throughout 2015.

The 22-year-old is particularly keen to maintain his ever-present record this weekend when the Bulls face derby rivals Halifax.

“It’s my hometown club and a game I don’t want to miss,” said the Halifax-born player.

“It will be a good local derby for me, especially coming from Halifax as a hometown lad.

“Running out at The Shay will be a massive buzz for me.

“Hopefully we can finish the regular season by getting the two points. It would be nice to complete the league campaign on a high.”

Many of O’Brien’s friends support Halifax and he has been bombarded with ticket requests this week.

“A lot of my mates have texted me asking me to sort out tickets, so I’ll see what I can do there,” explained O’Brien.

“I’ll have a load of friends and family behind me who also support Halifax, so it will be massive to be out there playing against them for Bradford.

“As a kid growing up I supported Wigan because I was there through my scholarship. But if I ever get the chance to play for Halifax at the back end of my career then you never know.”

O’Brien, whose performances have attracted admiring glances from a number of Super League clubs, admits to feeling the strain at times during games.

Few hookers play as many minutes as him and he has been targeted by the opposition on countless occasions this season.

Leigh forward Sam Barlow was fortunate to escape a yellow card for his late shot on O’Brien last weekend.

O’Brien said: “Yes, I feel tired during the games in parts but I’ve got a massive team around me.

“The effort is unbelievable and the fans don’t always see what the team does around me to keep me on the field.

“That’s the sort of team and players we’ve got and they’re a massive boost for me.

“When I’m struggling, they cover for me and that’s why I’m playing big minutes – because I’ve got a team around me who are willing to work hard and make a massive effort for me.

“When Vila has come on, I’ve gone to loose forward, so I’ve not really had a rest because I’m still on the field.

“It’s a change in position for me and gives Vila a chance to play and show what he can do.”