STUART Howarth has revealed he instigated his one-month loan to Bradford as he looks for the regular game-time that he struggled for at Wakefield.

The Super League hooker has, by his own admission, been “in and out” of the team at Belle Vue and boss Chris Chester was happy to send him to Odsal.

Howarth, who began his career at his hometown club Wigan and has also had spells at Salford, St Helens and Hull, will make his debut for Rohan Smith’s men in Sunday’s crunch visit of top-four rivals Halifax.

Howarth’s arrival follows a knee injury to Joe Lumb which will sideline the homegrown hooker for several weeks.

That means 26-year-old Howarth will share the number nine role with Adam O’Brien for the next month at least.

Howarth said: “The loan was initiated by myself because I just want to play rugby.

“I’ve been around for a long time now and am well established, so I don’t want to become a bit-part player.

“At the weekend, Scott Moore’s ban ended and I found myself out of the team again despite a good performance against Huddersfield.

“Rugby can be very fickle, players come and go, and Brian Smith leaving Wakefield was quite a big thing for me.

“I couldn’t get any continuity there this season, so hopefully Rohan will give me at least four quality games here at Bradford.

“Is coming here a calculated gamble? I wouldn’t say so.

“It’s about coming to one of the biggest clubs ever to have been in Super League.

“I find myself alongside Adam O’Brien and hopefully we can bounce off each other.

“He’s a lot younger than me but hopefully I can learn from him and he can learn from me in these next four weeks.”

With his contract at Wakefield due to expire later this year, Howarth was asked whether he was effectively playing for a permanent deal at Odsal.

He said: “I’m just focusing on these next four games, which are really big for the club.

“If I play some good stuff then my future will look after itself, I’m sure.

“I’ve been in and out of Wakefield, so going on loan to Bradford is about coming to a big club and playing a lot of minutes.

“Even though I was building some good form at Wakefield recently, I just thought I would get more of an opportunity and more game-time at Bradford.

“I’m just looking to build some good form in these next four weeks and stay on board here. Things like contracts will look after themselves.”

Fellow loanee Joe Philbin will also make his debut against Halifax, who are missing key forward Dane Manning this weekend, while Oscar Thomas is also poised to return and Danny Addy could also feature.

But a number of other players remain sidelined through injury, with head coach Smith happy to have bolstered his squad with Howarth and Philbin.

He said: “Stuart brings great experience and real quality and composure, so when the opportunity came to sign him we took it.

“Joe is a young lad trying to prove himself playing for a big club, so it’s good to work with Warrington to progress his career.

“What I have said with the loan situations is that is benefits all parties, then it’s all good.

“People are looking over their shoulders now and realise they have to produce a little bit more. I’ve said that from the day I came in here.”

The Bulls, meanwhile, are hoping to extend Lewis Charnock’s initial one-month loan spell until the end of the season.