Paul Deacon makes his seasonal bow at the Willows tomorrow as Matthew Elliott uses the chance to take some heat off the Paul brothers in the build-up to the Challenge Cup final.

The Bulls coach has not finalised his side for the visit to improving Salford City Reds but insists: "Paul Deacon will start the game. I am glad to have him back.

"I have given a lot of thought to the situation with Robbie and Henry and I am aware they have a heavy schedule ahead. We have a game to win though, and that has to be the number one concern."

The Pauls are in the New Zealand squad for the Anzac Day Test against Australia on Good Friday.

Elliott would not disclose who will make way for England scrum-half Deacon but has a number of options.

There may also still be a place for Leon Pryce who was having a run-out with the Alliance side in the re-arranged clash with Salford at Odsal this afternoon.

Pryce dislocated a shoulder a fortnight ago against Huddersfield-Sheffield and missed the clash with Castleford last week.

But Elliott says: "We will see how he goes today but it would be beneficial for him to get out there with Paul Deacon ahead of the London game when Henry and Robbie are away."

The Reds have problems at half-back with first-choice pair Graham Holroyd and Martin Crompton both expected to miss out through injury.

Back-rower Darren Brown and John Duffy are tipped to take over but Elliott believes overall they are still a much tougher proposition than last year.

He said: "Their coach John Harvey has recruited well and in Martin Offiah and Nick Pinkney they have players who can finish from 80 metres.

"Darren Brown is a very clever operator for them and we know we have a job on our hands.

"We cannot afford to let our standards slip.

"From what I have seen of them so far they look a side that are prepared to play a really positive style of rugby.

"They have gone about their work very quietly and not shouted the odds but they are the sort of side that if they click are probably capable of beating any team in the competition."

The match is given added spice by the return of Bulls trio Scott Naylor, Nathan McAvoy and Hudson Smith to their former club.

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