HARRY Siejka insists the Bulls are not a one-man team as the returning scrum half prepares to fill the creative void left by Lee Gaskell.
Stand-off Gaskell, rated by Siejka as the best player in the Championship, is set for several weeks on the sidelines after breaking his jaw against Doncaster on June 7.
But Siejka is fit and available again after ankle surgery and could make his first appearance for over two months at Workington tomorrow.
The 23-year-old Australian is hoping to get the nod from head coach Jimmy Lowes to step back into the side and show that Bradford can perform without Gaskell.
"It's obviously not nice to lose someone like Gasky because he was in good form and I think he's definitely the stand-out player in our competition," said Siejka.
"I think it will give me a bit more with the ball in my hands and obviously Jake Mullaney is back as well. But we've got other players who can step in and prove just as capable of producing the goods.
"I think as a team we've got to step up and not worry too much about Gasky's absence and just get on with what we've got to do. At the end of the day, we're a team of 13 players and it's not just down to one individual."
Siejka does not sees his role changing in the absence of Gaskell, although it remains to be seen which player he will be paired with in the coming weeks.
Mullaney and Danny Addy formed the half-back partnership in last weekend's win over Dewsbury but Siejka is keen to re-establish himself in the team.
"I've had a couple of training runs this week and my ankle is holding up pretty well, so I'll just wait and see what Jimmy does with the team," he said.
"It was probably a bit too early for me against Dewsbury but I've been getting through training a lot better this week.
"My role isn't going to change too much from when Gasky was playing. What Jimmy wants me to do is pretty much lead the boys around the park.
"That's no different to before; it will just be who is wearing the number six jersey beside me."
Siejka was sidelined for ten weeks after being cruelly struck down by injury during the home win over London Broncos on April 12.
He twisted his right ankle, suffering ligament damage and a fractured tibia, which reduced him to the sidelines at a time when he was beginning to look comfortable in a Bulls jersey.
Siejka said: "It's been more frustrating than anything else. When you're doing your rehab' for six or seven weeks and watching all the lads train, it's not a nice place to be.
"I'm itching to get back and even though it's a long trip up to Workington, I'm still looking forward to getting back. I've been coming to the games but I think that makes it worse.
"The boys have been playing well, though, and we've only lost once this season, so I'm sure we'll be ready to roll when the middle eights come around.
"I've been doing a fair bit of fitness work with our trainer, Gary Dempsey, and I shouldn't be too bad – but I haven't played for over two months, so I won't know until I get out there."
The Bulls have confirmed that Adam Brook and Nathan Conroy will spend the rest of the season on loan at Keighley and Dewsbury respectively.
Conroy is ineligible to face his parent club should Bradford meet the Rams in the middle eights later this year.
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