BRADFORD Bulls prop Anthony Walker has admitted the middles are sticking together, and he is confident he is ready to step up and play more minutes.

His workload may increase with Levy Nzoungou set for a long spell out, and he has been doing everything he can to prepare for this moment.

He said: “My body’s been alright, but the big thing for me is still my weight and fitness. I don’t think you lose your carrying the ball and your skill set.

“But I found the friendlies and Featherstone tough and John had a word and said I was probably heavier than the club wanted me to be.

“I missed the Sheffield game and had four weeks without one to lose four or five kilos. I did that, and I am feeling the benefit.

“I’m still trying to drop another two or three and if I can do that, I can comfortably do 40 minutes.

“My ultimate goal is to get comfortable playing at this standard, where I’m one of the better middles on the field. I think I can show it in glimpses but I want to do it for 40, 50, 60 minutes.

“When I can get to that, hopefully in two or three games, then I can say I’m back to where I want to be.”

Asked if he and captain Steve Crossley bounce off each other, playing at prop together, Walker said: “In training we’ll go 13 on 13, so it’s often the team that’s starting the game, against the subs and everyone else.

“It’s good to have competitive sessions and friendly rivalries because you get the best out of each other.

“We’ve also brought in Ben Evans, another experienced middle who I’ve grown up playing with and against.

“I think as a middle unit now, unfortunately we’ve lost Levy, but with Ebon (Scurr), myself, (Dan) Flem(ing), Bevans and Steve, we all push each other in training.

“We have a bit of a joke too, so if Steve’s team wins they take the mick, and vice-versa, so it is good, because you’re driving each other to perform better.”

On Sunday’s narrow win over Swinton, Walker said: “We keep saying it every week, we’re doing 50 or 60 minute performances and there’s always 20 minutes somewhere where we invite teams to build pressure.

“We played Swinton pre-season and we knew it would be tough but they are bottom of the league, and players might just think they’ll turn up and have an easier day against a team that have had some big blowouts.

“When we’re playing those bigger teams, we have to play for 80 minutes not 60.”

And with Walker spending the majority of games as substitute for now, he has become an astute observer, saying: “It’s good on the bench because you can see what the other team are doing.

“I like playing with Ebon and us two and Dan Fleming have talked on the bench and you can see where you can find your joy and what kind of carries they’ll take.

“But obviously they might bring their subs on at the same time as you so they might slightly change it up.

“I’ve always been a starter all my career and it’s a bit different coming off the bench but if that’s what it means to play here that’s what I’ll do.”