Chris Caisley today confirmed the Bulls could swoop for unsettled Henry Paul - but only if he quits rugby union soon.

The Kiwi league international, who helped the Bulls win the Grand Final last October, is in the first year of a reported £1million four-year contract with Premiership union club Gloucester.

But, apart from shining for England in helping them to win the Hong Kong Sevens recently, it has been a difficult transition for the 28-year-old at Kingsholm.

Bulls chairman Caisley admitted: "If he ever wanted to come back to league then we would be interested. We have always said we are interested in quality players, and Henry is a quality player, but it would have to be in the short term rather than the long term.

"If he left it until his contract finished at Gloucester and he was 31, then I would doubt that there would be any interest in him from league.

"It basically depends on two things. Does Henry want to come back to league? And can he obtain his release?

"Henry is very astute - he knows what he wants, whether that be in union or league. But if he did come back to league, I would hope ours would be the first door he would come knocking at."

Caisley added that he did not think there would be any financial stumbling block to the move, despite Henry's lucrative contract.

"I don't think any players that move from union to league now are involved in compensation," he said.

Bulls coach Brian Noble agreed with Caisley that the former Odsal and Valley Parade favourite might be past his sell by date for league were he to stay with Gloucester until October, 2005.

The Yorkshire rugby league coach said: "As far as I know Henry is very happy in union - he might just be making mistakes because of the 'first-year syndrome'".

Noble added: "I can understand people seeing the stories about him being unhappy in union and they would think he might want to come back to league. But I know Henry extremely well and I reckon he will stick things out in union at least for a while longer - if not with Gloucester then with another club."

l Bradford Bulls winger Tevita Vaikona, scorer of a hat-trick of tries in the Super League champions' 54-22 win over St Helens, has been named Opta Player of the Week.