Derby encounters with the Blue Sox have produced some of the real highlights since the formation of Super League.

And everything points to another all-action tussle after the last round of matches at the weekend.

By the high standards they set last season Halifax made a pretty low start to the campaign - at least that was the case before Friday night's visit of champions Wigan to The Shay.

But it call came right for John Pendlebury and his men on the night and that will not have gone unnoticed at the Bulls' Rawdon Meadows training camp.

And at the hub of the performance were half-backs Graham Holroyd and Gavin Clinch who controlled matters from start to finish with their probing and excellent kicking games.

The richly-deserved 19-8 victory also saw the return of former Odsal favourite Kelvin Skerrett and his influence should not be underestimated.

Two days later the Bulls were back on track too with a fine effort to take the points at Warrington and put them in the mood for tomorrow night's tussle after a couple of shaky performances.

So the stage is set perfectly and for the victors it will be a massive shot in the arm.

The Blue Sox have made a habit of spoiling the party with two wins out of three on the previous visits to Odsal in Super League.

The good news for Bulls fans is that Brian Noble was in optimistic mood at the start of the week.

"We will be ready for Thrum Hall, sorry The Shay," Noble told the assembled press at Warrington last week.

"No we won't Nobby," laughed prop Paul Anderson, who was sat beside him, "we're at home!"

All those years in the front-row have clearly taken their toll on the Bulls' assistant coach.

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