St Helens coach Ian Millward is already stoking up the heat ahead of Super League VIII's opening night clash with Bradford Bulls.

The Bulls are set to face champions Saints on Friday, February 21 in front of the Sky TV cameras at Knowsley Road in a repeat of last season's controversial Grand Final.

That will come just seven days after Saints face Australian champions Sydney Roosters in a bid to claim the World Club Championship crown won by Bradford against Newcastle Knights last February.

Recent games between the two clubs - including when Saints fielded a team missing several regulars at Valley Parade ahead of the Challenge Cup final - suggest that there will be no lack of spice during the build-up.

And the Saints boss told Rugby League World magazine: "All they'll do is talk for weeks and weeks about revenge.

"I'll just block my ears and not really worry. Their chairman will come out with some stupid comments and we'll just sit back and go about our business.

"They'll definitely keep talking about the Grand Final, but that is history now. We won't focus on that game at all. It should be a sell-out and one hell of a match. Even this far away, you can say it's going to be a 50-50 proposition."

Meanwhile, Millward would like to see the World Club Championship expanded in coming years to include eight teams from both sides of the world.

"I think this is just the start of what could become a big annual event involving four teams coming here. We could have it at the start of the year, with three clubs from Australia involved, the New Zealand Warriors and four clubs from here. We could play over a number of weeks and then have a final."