Returning Stuart Fielden believes the Bulls are still dangerous for any Super League opponent.

The former Great Britain prop is back at Odsal again with Wigan Warriors tomorrow, three years on after his world record transfer across the Pennines.

Fielden left in a £450,000 deal when Bradford were Super League champions but there has been no success since and the club are currently on their worst losing run yet, with the play-offs a distant dream.

They have come under fire from all angles but Fielden feels they are still just one win from turning it all around – and he needs to make sure it isn’t Wigan that find that out.

“When your backs are against the wall that’s when things can kick-start,” he said, ahead of the crucial showdown.

“I think Bradford will believe this is the week they must start.

“They’ve shown when they beat Leeds and Saints how they can play and it’s just a matter of performing and getting it right every week.

“Getting into the top eight isn’t un-doable for them but they have to put a run together and need to start doing it now.”

Fielden saw five back-to-back Grand Finals in his time with the Bulls but he refutes claims the club can’t return to those heady days.

“I don’t think they are on the slide,” he added. “I think they will come back around and I hope they do.

“Outside of Wigan, the one team I always want to succeed is Bradford. I just hope it’s not tomorrow.

“There’s been a big transition since 2005 when Bradford last played in a Grand Final. I think there’s only Deacs and Langers left there but it’s unavoidable – players leave, players stay and that happens everywhere.

“But I feel they are strengthening well for next year and it’s just about building again.”

And after more than a decade in Super League, the experienced prop reckons the whole picture of the domestic game has changed.

“It’s not only Bradford,” said Fielden.

“There’s been a lot of surprising results this year. Who’d have thought Huddersfield would be up to third in the table?

“People talk about Bradford but ourselves at Wigan have been up and down.

“We beat Saints but then lost at Celtic. Super League is a lot different now.”

Wigan’s narrow win over Catalans last week saw them hurtle from eighth up to fifth in the table but heading into round 21 they were still level on points with five teams going down to ninth-placed Castleford.

That shows how tight the competition is and Fielden is well aware his side must earn another success tomorrow.

“We’re doing all right,” he said. “We had one setback when we lost away at Celtic but we’ve won three on the bounce since and have picked up but I suppose we need to be getting on a roll ourselves with the play-offs coming up.

“We have to get the best spot we can and we’ve got some tough games with Bradford, Leeds and Saints on the bounce.”

Wigan have injuries, with skipper Sean O’Loughlin (knee) and hooker Mike McIlorum (knee) both out and Aussie stand-off Tim Smith crocked for the season.

With England second row Gareth Hock also suspended due to a positive drug test, Brian Noble had to recall Lee Mossop and Darrell Goulding from loan spells at Super League rivals last week to face Catalans.

Fielden admitted: “We’ve got a bunch of key players missing and have a lot of injuries but the lads who have come in have done well.”

Meanwhile, Bulls boss Steve McNamara is contemplating giving 19-year-old second-rower Elliott Whitehead his first senior start.

The West Bowling product is back from a foot injury and could be in from the off after four replacement outings so far. Loose forward James Donaldson, 17, is also on the bench.