LEEDS stalwart Carl Ablett faces the Bulls in his testimonial tomorrow with the admission: I’d love to see them back in Super League.

The match-up between the West Yorkshire rivals will be the second since Bradford were relegated to the Championship.

Ablett says the Bulls were the ideal opposition for the Rhinos to face in a match that will honour his fine career.

The 30-year-old worked under Jimmy Lowes at Headingley when the Bulls boss was on Leeds’ coaching staff and is delighted to bring the clubs together again.

Ablett told the T&A: “When the testimonial came around and the teams we could face, I just thought Bradford would be great.

“I’ve got some good connections there with Jimmy having coached me at Leeds and this will be great preparation for both teams going into the new season.

“I’d love to see the Bulls back in Super League and I think most people would say the same because of their tradition, history and fanbase.

“We need as many big clubs in Super League as we can and, while Bradford have had their troubles, they seem to be over that now and they have a great coach in Jimmy.

“They came so close last year and just fell at the final hurdle, but I don’t think they will be too far away this time around.”

Ablett’s fondest memories of Leeds-Bradford derbies were as a youngster stood on the terraces.

The boyhood Rhinos fan from Middleton remembered: “I went to Odsal for a game and there were 24,000 people there, with Jamie Peacock and Stuart Fielden playing for Bradford.

“The atmosphere was electric and I remember thinking ‘these are the games you want to play in’.

“There was another time I played in an academy game before the main Super League game and towards the end of our match the crowd really started to fill up.

“Leeds-Bradford derbies were the ones you looked forward to because of the amount of fans who attended and the ferocity of the games.”

Ablett made his debut for Leeds in 2004 and a loan spell at London Broncos the following year saw him cross swords with the Bulls.

He said: “I played against the Bulls in the play-offs that year and what a great experience that was – playing opposite JP (Jamie Peacock) in the second row.

“I remember coming back from there and thinking ‘I need to kick on now with Leeds and make the most of the opportunity’.

“I’ve not looked back since and, being a Leeds lad who grew up watching the Rhinos, I still have to pinch myself now when I think about how many trophies we have won.

“I probably would have been happy to play 10 games, but to be part of a team that has won so much and play a small role has been pretty remarkable.”

Leeds are at full strength for tomorrow’s clash while new signings Kurt Haggerty, Ben Kavanagh, Oscar Thomas, Johnny Walker and Kris Welham will all play for Bradford.

Rhys Jacks will feature but fellow trialist Dan Caprice is not included, having only begun training with the club this week.

Bulls’ 25-man squad: Addy, Baile, Blythe, Caro, Clare, Ferguson, Fleming, Gaskell, Haggerty, Halafihi, Jacks, Kavanagh, Lauaki, Lumb, Mellor, O’Brien, Olbison, Pitts, Ryan, Sidlow, Thomas, Walker, Walshaw, Welham, Williams.