Aussie Mick Withers is ready to inflict a record third World Club Challenge defeat on his fellow countrymen as the Bulls gear up for 2006.

The long-serving full back cannot wait to tackle the remnants of his former club when Wests Tigers line up at Huddersfield next month.

The Bulls' opponents materialised from the merger between Withers' old employers Balmain Tigers and fellow Sydney outfit Western Suburbs.

They lifted the NRL title last season to set up the fast-approaching showdown but he admits there will be few recognisable faces.

Withers departed Balmain for Bradford seven years ago and laughed: "I played there with Paul Sironen but he is now on the club's board!

"I went to school with Paul Whatuira, I know Brett Hodgson well and I did play with Mark O'Neill, who has left to come over here with Leeds - although he's gutted now after getting that injury on Boxing Day."

The second-rower is crocked for three months after busting his shoulder during his debut.

Withers has had his own fair share of bad luck with injuries in England but has overcome them to become a mainstay of the Bulls revolution.

He is a survivor of the side that defeated Newcastle Knights in 2002 and then his home-town club Penrith - who rejected him as a kid - two years later.

"Penrith was sweet," he admitted. "It was one of the nicest feelings I've had playing rugby. I knew a few of them there still and when you don't get picked for your home team you always want to do something about it.

"I haven't lost one final yet and this will be my third.

"To play in one World Club Challenge is special, three is great and it'd be nice to make it three victories.

"We've had a long, hard pre-season and this has been the goal - to perform well in the World Club Challenge."

Withers is currently in Lanzarote with the Bulls as they step up their training ahead of the February 3 clash and a potential record-breaking third triumph.

And the 29-year-old feels this meeting will be the hardest

yet, given their opponents' unpredictability.

Unlikely heroes Wests were 150-1 outsiders at the start of the year but came from nowhere with some exhilarating rugby before destroying North Queens-land Cowboys to lift their first-ever trophy in October.

"It's going to be tougher than any," Withers conceded.

"People I speak to back home who have played Wests say they don't know what they're going to do next.

"They may be behind but can stick in there and score points very easily. They are one of the best attacking teams in the competition. We're going to have to make sure our defence is strong."