Brian Noble admitted today he may have to dip into the Academy side to get through this weekend's clash with Widnes.

The Bulls head to the Halton Stadium on Saturday for the Challenge Cup quarter-final without as many as ten first-team players.

The injury list for Bradford reads like a who's who of international rugby league with Joe Vagana, Tevita Vaikona, Paul Anderson, Robbie Paul, Lesley Vainikolo, Karl Pratt, Leon Pryce and Paul Deacon all missing training earlier in the week.

Jamie Peacock and Mick Withers are on the long-term casualty list while Great Britain hooker Jimmy Lowes is suspended.

A number of the senior academy side are in the Bulls first-team squad, but there still may not be enough to fill the bench in just two day's time.

Stuart Reardon made an impressive debut in the Odsal Homecoming victory on Sunday while Jamie Langley, Aaron Smith, Chris Bridge and Richard Moore could all find themselves making their opening appearances of the season sooner than expected.

Winger Alex Wilkinson is currently on-loan at Huddersfield Giants and would be unavailable.

Although Noble is hopeful some of the injured players will pull through, he may be forced to go outside his 25-man squad.

But despite the injury crisis that has hit side so early in the season, Noble remains defiant.

"It may be that we pull another couple of kids in as well but we're practising okay and I am hoping that some of those people will come through," he said.

"But it is not all gloom and despondency. We are very positive about what we could achieve.

"We've got some good kids. Stuart Reardon showed last week that he is ready for the challenge. And Jamie Langley, Richard Moore and Chris Bridge will be practising with the team over the next few days."

Noble's assistant and under-21 coach Phil Veivers, however, is confident that the youth at the club can meet the challenge if called upon.

"We have some very talented young players here," said Veivers, whose under-21 side have won their opening two games of the academy season comfortably.

"I think they are all ready to make the step up if need be. Some of them are in the first-team squad and train with them so they work on the same skills and at the same intensity.

"I wouldn't have thought we would have to go beyond them, but if we do I think the lads could cope."

Reardon, normally a centre, had no trouble making the transition to Bulls Super League standard on Sunday even in the alien position of full back - a source of great pride for Veivers.

"It is gratifying to see the under-21 players come through and perform in the first-team," he added. "A few of them will get their chance this weekend and I have no doubt they will perform as well as Stuart did."