ROHAN Smith admits he has "goosebumps" ahead of the excitement of the Bulls' all-important top-four decider at Featherstone next weekend.

As the Omari Caro-inspired Bulls were seeing off Oldham 44-12 at Odsal, top-four rivals Halifax were losing to Rovers – results which saw Bradford jump into the fourth and final spot for the Super 8s Qualifiers ahead of the final game of the Championship's regular season.

Although they must still get a result at Post Office Road against a side level on points with them, it means their destiny is now in their own hands for the first time in over a month as they seek a route back to Super League.

Head coach Smith said: "We performed quite strongly and in patches we showed what we're really about and we got the job done. Now it's important to us next week to find our best performance and see how that takes us.

"These are the games you play sport for. I'm buzzing and I can't wait. It's what professional sport is about. It's why you get involved, for these kind of occasions.

"I've got goosebumps just thinking about the week and the occasion next Sunday. We now have to dust ourselves off, recover and build ourselves up for it."

Asked if there is extra pressure, given a top-four spot is now theirs to lose, Smith explained: "It's just taken a bit of doubt away in my own head.

"I've said before I didn't know the mathematical implications, other than we needed to win our last two games to give ourselves a chance to be where we want to be.

"It removes doubt. We can't look outside anywhere else, only at what we can control ourselves."

Smith added: "Fans follow sport for these occasions and it's why we're involved. It's a big game for the club – but every game is a big game for me personally and I'm looking for a positive performance.

"It's about everyone at the club doing their part to have a good week and get excited about what's ahead."

Smith insisted that at no point had he looked further ahead than Oldham, despite the significance of the final fortnight of the regular campaign.

He said: "There was no eye on next week. We prepared hard and trained hard. We couldn't afford to look further forward.

"Oldham took it to us. It was a battle for large periods of the game and it was only in the last 20 or 25 minutes that it was out of reach.

"I took a few players off who looked a bit tired and generally did what I thought was best for this game."

Caro was the undoubted star of the show – bagging a five-try haul for the first time in his senior career, including four in 25 minutes of a one-sided second half.

But Smith was just as impressed with his all-round display, not just his finishing, and had high praise for the entire back line, which notched seven of the nine tries.

"He found some great positional plays," said the coach of Caro. "He had a couple of easy finishes but a couple of really good ones too – but I looked at other parts of his game as well and all-round he was good, not just his tries."

On the other backs, Smith added: "They have been outstanding week in, week out.

"Kieren Moss has probably been our best player for a good period of time and he could have had bagful if a few people had found a few more passes.

"Kris Welham is quality and Ethan Ryan is growing in confidence. I had a look at James Clare at centre and he performed well in there as well."

Half-back Dane Chisholm, meanwhile, had a hit-and-miss performance, following his show-stopping debut in the rout of Whitehaven, but Smith insisted he would still be allowed off the leash.

"Dane probably forced his hand a little bit and probably tried a bit too hard to impress the crowd, rather than do what he does best," said the head coach.

"He's here to play his game. He's going to have games when he makes an error or two but I want him to have a crack.

"Despite a few errors, he came up with some exceptional plays as well. There's nothing about reining him in at all."