Kiwi ace Robbie Paul will again lead Bradford Bulls in their quest for honours in the forthcoming season.

Paul has said he would like to stay at Odsal despite being linked with a move Down Under when his contract runs out at the end of the 2000 campaign. But he was today re-appointed skipper by coach Matthew Elliott.

A change of structure will see the scrapping of the club-skipper role held last season by Steve McNamara, who has since moved to Wakefield Trinity.

"Robbie will lead the team on the field again and I am very happy with that," said Elliott. "He does an excellent job and has the respect and backing of the players which is a big thing.

"I am hoping too that his bad luck with injuries is behind him and we can see him back to his best again."

McNamara had some additional off-the-field responsibilities as club captain last season but Elliott says: "I will not be replacing him.

"I have a group of senior players who I regularly confide in and who offer suggestions on a whole range of things.

"I don't always necessarily agree with them but I think it is a healthy way to operate and feel there is no need for another appointment other than Robbie's."

One man with a big input is sure to be new Aussie capture Brad Mackay who has already made a big impression, according to Elliott.

The 30-year-old former Kang-aroo tourist and State of Origin star has been in the country only a week but Elliott says: "To be honest he had settled in within a couple of hours. Despite his vast experience he is genuinely excited about being here and it shows in his training.

"He has been used to high quality preparation in Australia but has said how impressed he has been with the way the Bulls go about things."

Elliott reports that his squad are all progressing nicely ahead of the new season and only full-back Stuart Spruce is a doubt for the pre-season warm-up clash with Wakefield at Odsal on Sunday, February 6.

Spruce has had surgery on the shoulder which troubled him towards the end of last season.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.