JOHN Kear says he is looking forward to Bulls battling it out for pre-season bragging rights in the Yorkshire Cup.

The new eight-team tournament is set to offer a more competitive edge to Bradford's winter preparations for their forthcoming Championship campaign.

Bulls will be competing against York City Knights, Hunslet Parkside, Dewsbury Rams, Featherstone, Batley Bulldogs, Hunslet and Halifax to become the first winners of the new competition.

The action gets under way on the weekend of January 5-6, with matches at Odsal on Sunday, January 6 featuring Batley Bulldogs against Hunslet (1pm) followed by Bulls entertaining Halifax (3pm).

The semi-final draw will be made immediately following the Bulls' clash, with the ties being played on January 12 and 13.

The Yorkshire Cup final will take place on Sunday, January 20, while those that lost their first fixture will play two further games in the schedule.

Kear said the event will be a great occasion for the fans, who will see Bulls in action for the first time during pre-season in the friendly clash against York at Odsal on Boxing Day.

The Bulls coach said: "The Yorkshire Cup will give players a chance to further develop. We will get to give people game time.

"The cup also gives a meaningful edge to pre-season. I feel it would be good for our preparation.

"It will be good for our fans because they will get to see some of our new signings.

"We have a Boxing Day game with York. It will be good as people like to get out on that day and watch a bit of sport."

Receipts from the new competition will be shared out among the participating clubs.

Kevin Nicholas, chairman of Batley Bulldogs, said: "As part of a show of solidarity and to encourage supporters of all clubs to attend as many games as possible, the clubs have agreed to share equally all gate receipts from every game over the three-week period.

"In addition, we are expecting that the games in week three will all be played on a different day to the Yorkshire Cup final to encourage everybody to attend the final, whether their team is in it or not, in the full knowledge that their support at that game will benefit their club financially as well as hopefully witnessing everything that a Yorkshire Cup final will bring as a rugby league spectacle.

"We are all proud Yorkshire people and this enables us to show our love of our sport and our county for all to see and become part of history as the Yorkshire Cup comes alive again."

Bulls chairman Andrew Chalmers added: “We are delighted to reignite the Yorkshire Cup - a competition which resonates loudly within the rugby league community in the county.

"We ourselves last won the Cup in the 1989/90 season against Featherstone. Now wouldn’t that be a great throwback final!”

The old Yorkshire Cup - which included clubs from the top flight - folded at the end of the 1992-93 season.

A new trophy supplied by Berry’s Jewellers has been made for next month's event.

The Yorkshire Cup will also give Bulls fans a chance to see their collection of new signings in action, including former Warrington Wolves ace Rhys Evans, who joined last week.

Meanwhile, Bulls' new-look home and away kits for next season were officially unveiled at an event held at the Broadway shopping centre yesterday.