Pride is the key to victory for the Bulls in Sunday’s penultimate Super League match of the season.

Many pundits will say that neither battle-weary Bradford nor the soon to be disbanded Crusaders players have anything to play for – but try telling that to Mick Potter or Iestyn Harris.

The Odsal boss is adamant that, after three successive losses against teams higher in the table, his side must put joint-bottom Crusaders and Wakefield – who Bradford play next week – to the sword.

Potter said: “It’s pride that’s at stake. We want to play well in front of our home crowd and make the best we can of ourselves.

“The players will all want to do their best and won’t want to go into the next pre-season on the back of another two losses.

“There will be some new combinations out there and we will have to see how they work.

“I will be looking for a win but we need to tighten our defence and work harder on our communication skills.”

The Bulls coach acknowledges that his opposite number – former Bulls stand-off Harris – will have many of the same motivating factors, despite the fact that neither himself nor many of his players will be at the Wrexham-based club when they begin a new chapter in their life in the Co-operative Championship next season.

Potter said: “They are professional players and they are going to be giving their all. They will put themselves out to finish on a high note.

“They will all want to continue their careers and give a good account of themselves by having a good game, so it’s going to be tough.

“They have a good set of forwards and some backs that can cause you trouble – Vince Mellars and Michael Witt are very good tactically.”

The Bulls’ attacking options are expected to be strengthened by the return from long-term injuries of Kyle Briggs and Chev Walker.

Briggs has not played for Bradford since a two-try scoring display in the 28-14 defeat of Salford on May 29, after breaking his wrist three games into a month loan at Harlequins.

Walker has been missing since breaking his foot in the Challenge Cup tie at Halifax three weeks earlier.