The Bulls must overcome life without the Paul brothers as they set out on their revenge mission against Halifax at Odsal tonight.

Popular skipper Robbie is on international duty with brother Henry, playing for New Zealand in today's Anzac Test in Sydney.

And they will be sorely missed as Bulls aim to avenge another of last season's disappointments.

Already they have reversed 1998 defeats by Sheffield (home), Leeds (home) and Warrington (away) and now coach Matthew Elliott and his men are targeting the Blue Sox who completed a Super League double over their neighbours last season.

"We lost in the last minute to them at home last season and it affected our whole season," said Elliott. "We will have to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

"There have been a few games so far this season in which we have managed to turn around last season's result and I intend this to be another."

But he has to plot Halifax's downfall without two of his major strike players in the Pauls and with a new pairing David Boyle and Paul Deacon in the pivotal roles.

Boyle stepped into the stand-off role against Wakefield Trinity and Elliott admits: "People didn't see the best of him in that position but I know that he will do a job for me. I am fully confident that, even without the Paul brothers, we have a side that will win the game."

Halifax are set to field the same side that produced their best display of the season in defeating Wigan 19-8 at the Shay last week.

Ex-Odsal prop Kelvin Skerrett (broken thumb) and Chris Chester (ankle ligament) both made their comebacks against the Warriors and suffered no ill effects.

The only long term absentees are Kiwi duo Gary Mercer and Martin Moana

A dispute over win bonuses clouded the build-up to the Wigan game but Halifax skipper and former Odsal prop Skerrett insists that the problem was down to a misunderstanding.

"The win bonus story was blown up out of all proportion. The club hadn't explained everything but they have now."

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