STEVE Crossley knows his career is in its twilight years, and he wants to turn all the big Super League talk into reality.

The Bulls skipper is one of the few men in the current squad who have played top-flight rugby league for Bradford, having done so in the first of his three spells at the club.

But while Bulls showed signs of real quality last season, they lagged well behind Toulouse and Featherstone when it came to being realistic contenders to go up.

But with the French side now in Super League, and Fev losing their inspirational head coach James Webster in the off-season, can Bulls mount a proper Championship promotion challenge in 2022?

Crossley said: “For a club like Bradford, we can’t just be happy with where we are now.

“We have to push to get back into Super League, which is where we belong, and it’s time to put those words into actions next season.

“We’ve made a real push in the off-season with all the signings and retentions we’ve made, and from a personal point of view, I’m desperate to have one more go in Super League with Bulls before I retire.

“So I can assure you that myself, and others, will be scrapping and fighting to try and make sure that happens.”

There are some high-profile names in the Bulls squad, but head coach John Kear has always been happy to name Crossley as captain, ever since the pair linked up in 2018.

Asked about that, the skipper said: “It’s something I’ve always been proud of, to have been captain ever since our League 1 season.

“There are some top pros and great guys that I’m leading out on to the field, and being a Bradford lad, it means a lot to be the skipper.

“There’s been quite a big turnaround of players in the off-season, so I’ll do my best to stamp my authority in pre-season, making sure everyone buys into what it means to play for Bulls.”

Someone who always ‘got it’ was Crossley’s fellow Bradfordian Brandon Pickersgill, but the full-back left last month, after five seasons in the Bulls first team, to join Featherstone.

Crossley said: “It was a real shame to lose Brandon, as well as some of the other lads, but that happens every year, losing some of your better, homegrown players.

“But we’ve signed up some good players for next year too, so it will be good to see how we all gel together.”