Brian Noble today declared: I want Odsal to be a horrible place to visit.
The Bulls take on Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on Sunday in what is set to be an emotional Homecoming encounter and Noble wants his side to make their spiritual home a fortress.
Noble, who played many times for Bradford Northern at the historic ground, is hoping to stop the Wildcats spoiling the Odsal party and see the Bulls pick up their first points of the Super League campaign. "I have played in some horrible fog-bound, snow-bound games at Odsal in the past," said Noble, who will be without Michael Withers and Jamie Peacock for the clash.
"But I want to make Odsal a horrible place to come for opposition teams.
"I want all the other clubs to come here and think it is a horrible place to visit because of all the noise the fans make and the reception waiting on the field.
"We have had a great record in the past at the stadium and the players will be looking to continue that now we are back home.
"We know the crowd is going to be very passionate and there is a lot of expectation.
"We are expecting a sell-out and all good players want to play in front of big crowds.
"They are professional enough not to let the emotion of the occasion affect the way they perform. They want to play in these type of games."
After two years at Valley Parade, the Bulls are expected a return to the highly-charged atmosphere and big crowds that Odsal used to provide and no one at the club would be surprised if 20,000 were to turn out for the Homecoming game.
A feast of game-day entertainment is being promised by the club who hope to put on "the greatest show on earth" back at the club's spiritual home.
Second-rower Lee Radford, a try-scorer in the Bulls' last two games, is aware of the expectation on the players' shoulders.
"Unlike a lot of people I was quite a big fan of Valley Parade," said Radford, whose rugby league shop in Hull has taken out a section in the Bull Ring Store at Odsal selling replica NRL, Great Britain and Yorkshire kit.
"The facilities down there were first class but I understand how much the return to Odsal means to fans of the club.
"We have moved back here by popular demand and the fans will want to see us put in a good performance against the Wildcats.
"No offence to them, but they are not the best supported team in Super League, so we can expect a good 16,000-plus fans all screaming for us.
"And we don't want to let them down."
Sunday's clash with the Wildcats kicks off at 3pm with gates opening at 12.30pm.
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