Bradford Bulls have been boosted by the appointment of former Huddersfield hooker Lee St Hilaire as their assistant coach.

St Hilaire, who cut his coaching teeth with the Giants, was assistant coach to Tony Smith at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats until last Monday.

However, because the Engage Super League champions are facing the Wildcats tonight at Belle Vue, St Hilaire won't start work at the Grattan Stadium until Monday.

Bulls head coach Steve McNamara said: "It wouldn't have been right to Wakefield, ourselves or Lee if he had started work before then.

"Lee was always my main priority for the job and to be able to get him now is a big boost for the club at this stage of the season.

"He has a tremendous work ethic and is a high-quality coach who will fit in well with what we are trying to achieve at the club."

St Hilaire, pictured, brother of Bulls player Marcus, says that a move to Odsal feels right.

He said: "I am very happy to be given this opportunity. I am a great believer in that if you work hard you will get your rewards and I like to think I have worked very hard at my last two clubs.

"I have known Steve McNamara for a long time and jumped at the chance to work with him and test my coaching ability with international-quality players.

"I am sorry things didn't work out at Wakefield but I am thankful for the opportunity they gave me and I wish them every success."

The Bulls will be without both full back Mick Withers (groin) and centre Ben Harris (hamstring) tonight but they welcome back Marcus Bai after severe knee ligament damage.

Karl Pryce is also likely to return to the 17 after knee problems.

McNamara said: "We are a little bit light on numbers again but we will overcome it and we are confident going into the game."

However, he knows that Wakefield's perilous situation makes them very worthy opponents.

McNamara said: "It will be tough and it is a dangerous game for us.

"I think they have got some outstanding individuals in the side and some really good offensive plays and when they click they are a difficult side to handle.

"The results haven't really gone their way lately but particularly with what has happened to them this week, with their coach leaving we are certainly viewing them as a dangerous side to play against.

"We are a bit surprised at the position they find themselves in, given the personnel they have got, but sometimes there are reasons and things that can happen at a club as to why sides don't perform at their best week in and week out.

"However, I am sure they will have a bit of a purple patch before the end of the season and hopefully it won't start tonight."

McNamara watched Wakefield's game at Huddersfield last Sunday, where they led 20-0 only to go down 26-20.

"For 50 minutes Wakefield were in control but they conceded four back-to-back tries in about five minutes which effectively cost them the game," he said. "They will have been stung by the criticism they have received this week and will be out to prove their critics wrong tonight.

"Certainly we won't be treating them like a 40-minute team. We have been very focused this week and our preparation has been good."

Meanwhile, New Zealand international David Solomona insists Wakefield can string together enough wins to avoid the drop, starting with the visit of the Bulls tonight.

Six defeats from their last seven matches, coupled with Wigan's run of five straight wins, have left the Wildcats deep in trouble and without a coach following the departure this week of Tony Smith.

With Smith's successor unlikely to be appointed until next week, the club's chief executive Steve Ferres has picked the team for tonight.

Solomona, who insists the players are determined to do their bit for the cause, said: "If the players wanted an excuse to lose this week, then they've got one, but no one is looking for excuses this week."