BULLS head coach Mark Dunning insists he is not jealous of today’s opponents Halifax having Joe Keyes in their ranks, as the former Bradford half-back continues to have an excellent season.

Having left for Hull KR at the end of 2019, Keyes returned to Bulls on loan last summer and looked a cut above in the three games he played.

Many fans were hoping he would sign permanently for 2022, but instead he joined Bradford’s great rivals Fax.

Dunning, who worked closely with Keyes, said: “There’s no jealousy, I don’t like that word at all.

“Listen, there are many good players at Halifax and Joe is just one of them.

“We’re under no illusions about the size of the task facing us this weekend, and with them having come up short against London last time out, they’ll be looking for a reaction.

“It’s a big task, but it’s on TV, it’s the Summer Bash, so we hope the players can go about their task well and enjoy it.

“It is a derby but we’re just looking at ourselves, showing attitude and commitment, and putting the work we’ve been doing in training into practice.”

On the Bash moving from Bloomfield Road to Headingley this year, Dunning said: “The trip to Blackpool is something we all enjoy, and the fans love it in particular, so I understand the tinge of disappointment for them.

“But Headingley is a very good rugby league stadium, and the move is what it is, I certainly won’t be getting het up about it.”

Fans are getting het up about recent results though, with Bulls having lost four games in a row.

Dunning said: “We all have to contribute to making things better, including culture changes. From top to bottom at this club, everyone is responsible.

“I value the tea lady here as much as I do the CEO and chairman and we all have a responsibility in our own roles.”

Bulls won five of Dunning’s first seven games in interim charge, but asked how it has gone so wrong so quickly, he said: “Sport goes that way.

“You get confidence from winning and that becomes a habit, but so can losing.

“With the predicament we’re in, you see players trying too hard, and wanting to solve things themselves, so they end up doing things we’ve not asked of them and that’ll lead to errors and penalties.

“It happens in Super League too, and you’ve seen Warrington, Leeds and Hull all go on long losing runs this season.

“It’s something we have to change and we know there were times in the last four games where we weren’t good enough, even though I did see improvement against Barrow last week.

“It’s our responsibility to the club and our spectators to make things right.”