Bradford Bulls boss Matthew Elliott has opened negotiations aimed at topping up his overseas quota following the retirement of Aussie centre Danny Peacock.

Movement of players from Australia in mid-season has been very limited in recent years but Elliott believes the Bulls would prove a big draw.

Quality Aussies like North Sydney's former Australian forward Gary Larsen and Brisbane Broncos utility man John Plath have already been linked with London and Gateshead but Elliott says the restrictions of the salary cap could represent a stumbling block.

"Of course we want the best player we can possibly get for the money but finding a player of Danny's quality is going to be difficult. What we are really after is someone who is looking for an opportunity to build a career over here.

"We have made some enquiries but it is a complex matter because once the player has secured his release from a club you then have to agree terms with them.

"We obviously have a financial commitment to Danny which we are only too willing to meet but it leaves us with not a great deal of room for manoeuvre.

"A move for a back would seem logical but we were pretty well blessed in the three-quarters with Danny in the squad and we also have David Boyle around who played much of his career with Canberra in the backs.

"Really the target has to be the best quality player available for the money, regardless of his position."

Meanwhile the Bulls are confidently predicting their best crowd of the season for Saturday's visit of Wigan Warriors.

"Advanced ticket sales are very encouraging," said Bulls Chief Executive Gary Tasker. "The fans have been great so far this season and if the weather stays fine we are very optimistic of attracting a big crowd.

"It is a crunch game for us and certainly our biggest and most important Super League match so far this season. It should be a great night."

Wigan captain Andy Farrell is in danger of losing the only ever-present record in Super League.

The Great Britain loose forward, who is the only player to have appeared in all 77 rounds since the start of summer rugby in 1996, is battling to overcome an ankle problem.

Farrell, who sustained the injury during his 100th successive appearance for the club in Sunday's 36-2 win over Huddersfield, is having round-the-clock physiotherapy as he seeks to extend the longest scoring run in the game.

He has amassed 599 points from 13 tries and 275 goals in a run of 58 consecutive League, Cup and play-off matches stretching back to June 1997. The sequence includes a Super League record of scoring in 47 successive rounds.

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