ADAM O'Brien has urged the Bulls to get off to a winning start tomorrow and lay down an immediate marker of their promotion credentials.

Jimmy Lowes' side host Featherstone Rovers at Odsal as they begin their second year in the Championship.

This time last year Bradford lost to Leigh in a stormy opening-day clash and eventually finished six points behind the Centurions at the end of the weekly 23 rounds.

O'Brien, such an influential performer during the 2015 campaign, acknowledges the importance of the Bulls claiming victory in the first round.

The homegrown hooker said: "Last year we began with a loss at Leigh and I think that sparked us to kick on for the rest of the year. But hopefully we can start with a win tomorrow and push on for the season ahead.

"We've got a tough opening few games so I'm looking forward to the challenge. It has been a long three months in pre-season, with early starts and long days, but this is it now.

"We've had two useful friendlies against Leeds and Castleford, which have been good tests and given the forwards and backs the chance to play together.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge that Featherstone will bring now. It's a massive game."

The Bulls slumped to defeat at home to Featherstone last season in a rearranged midweek fixture.

Rovers coach Jon Sharp has brought in 11 new players in a major overhaul during the off-season – including Michael Channing, Danny Craven, Darrell Griffin, Misi Taulapapa and former Bulls half back Kyle Briggs.

O'Brien said: "It was a midweek game against them last season, and there were a lot of tired bodies, but we gave Featherstone far too much ball. If you do that in any game you will get punished and Featherstone came away with the win that night.

"We've got to be focused on Sunday and be ready to play for 80 minutes every week.

"A lot of people have gone and they have brought new players in, so it's all about how they gel in pre-season. They have been going okay in their friendlies, so it's going to be a tough, tough challenge."

O'Brien swept the board at the Bulls' player of the year awards last season after a fine campaign which saw him play 80 minutes in virtually every game.

Lowes was loathe to rest the 22-year-old but the Bulls boss has since said he will now look to pull the player out of the firing line more often.

That could see Vila Halafihi, academy graduate Joe Lumb and Jean-Philippe Baile handed the opportunity to deputise for O'Brien at times.

"This year I've got Joe Lumb, Vila and JP Baile behind me – three hookers pushing me and chasing my spot," said O'Brien.

"I've got to be on it performance-wise every week and be on that teamsheet for Jimmy – I've got to be on my game.

"There are a few bits to clean up in my game but it has been a long three months and you have to dust off the cobwebs. I've been going okay in the trial games but I want to push on and do better."

O'Brien is encouraged by the Bulls' close-season recruitment as a number of new signings prepare to make their debut tomorrow.

"Kris Welham made his mark against Leeds and Ben Kavanagh has made his mark in both friendlies, so it bodes well for the year ahead," he said.

"With the young lads that are coming through, it's looking promising for the future. They are only young and still academy players, so if they can play at first-team level at such a young age, then it's looking great."

O'Brien admitted he was stunned by developments at rivals Leigh, whose head coach Paul Rowley recently quit his home-town club.

"It's strange – ten days before the season starts and your head coach walks out," he said.

"You don't know what has gone on behind closed doors but all we can do is concentrate on our game and our squad. But our main focus is beating Featherstone this weekend to get the season off to the best start possible."

Meanwhile, the Bulls' trip to Swinton in a fortnight's time is set to be brought forward from Sunday, February 21 to the previous day and is likely to be played at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes, with a possible 7pm kick-off.

Swinton have had problems staging games at Sedgley Park and have been forced to move tomorrow's clash with Dewsbury to the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford.