Throughout the Bulls’ recent run of form, few games have held quite so much importance as Sunday’s clash with Hull KR.

It did not exactly stand out as a date to keep in mind when the fixtures were announced late last year but it could prove crucial to Bradford’s progress.

Despite being unbeaten in their last four games, those results have all come against teams in the bottom half of the table – even if Leeds Rhinos’ current position is vastly misleading.

But the visit of Justin Morgan’s Rovers represents the perfect yardstick to ambitions for the campaign as a whole.

If the Bulls are to harbour serious thoughts of a top-four finish, a home game against the seventh-placed Robins is one they should win. If not, they will be right back in the mid-table mix.

With only three points separating fourth and ninth, Steve McNamara’s side – currently fifth – must knock off the teams around them if they are to stick with the pace. Defeat this weekend could see them drop as low as ninth.

The visitors arrive at Odsal on the back of a 40-12 Challenge Cup thrashing at the hands of Huddersfield but knock-out cup games are a strange animal and recent league results have been good.

Rovers have won their last two games, including a comfortable victory against high-flying Warrington, and have no new injury problems.

Granted, they do not pose quite the same threat level as last year but Michael Dobson expertly pulls the strings and there is plenty of pace throughout the back-line, while their pack is unpredictable yet capable of the odd special moment.

It is exactly the kind of test Bradford need.