Plain-speaking Steve McNamara admits the Bulls might have to win ugly on Sunday.

Both teams have been hampered with injuries recently, the hosts in particular, but the need for points is relentless and there is no time to find excuses.

The Bulls enter the clash on the back of successive Super League defeats against Leeds and Huddersfield and McNamara knows they can ill-afford to fall short again, even if it does mean scrapping style for substance.

"After the last couple of league results it's important we get some more points back on the board," he insisted.

"We'll have to fight, battle, scratch and do whatever's needed to get past Quins. They're coming here on the back of a good win at Warrington.

"Quins put in a really strong performance over there and didn't concede many points at all. They gave nothing away against a tough side so they'll be confident."

Bradford, who should be bolstered by the return of skipper Paul Deacon and joint-top try-scorer Michael Platt, sit in third spot at the halfway point of the campaign.

McNamara has been "reasonably happy" with his squad's performance so far.

"If you'd have asked that two weeks back I'd have been real pleased but since then we've had a couple of performances that haven't been as good," he said.

"Injuries have hit us pretty hard but we've got plenty of blokes out there ready to roll their sleeves up and that's what we have to do on Sunday."

Quins are bidding for a fourth successive win, having seen off Catalans, Oldham (Challenge Cup) and the Wolves.

Under Bradford old boy Brian McDermott's stewardship they have risen to sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Wigan and knowing victory tomorrow will take them to within two of the Bulls.

They have been hit with injuries of their own though. Influential skipper Rob Purdham went down in training this week and misses Sunday's clash.

The workaholic England man, hotly tipped for Great Britain honours this summer, will be sorely missed by the Londoners, who are also without crocked former Bulls favourite Henry Paul and star Aussie stand-off Scott Hill.

Fellow countryman Mark McLinden has moved to the No 6 role to compensate for Hill's absence and he is a player who traditionally causes Bradford problems with his pace and trickery.

Former Castleford scrum-half Danny Orr is also one of Harlequins' form players, proving a big hit since his winter switch from Wigan They do welcome back forward Joe Mbu into the fold though after he re-signed for the club on Monday following Doncaster Lakers' financial strife and have Joe Walsh - who featured with the Bulls Senior Academy last season - operating in their back-row.

Meanwhile, the clubs will also clash at Senior Academy level in the game to be played as a curtain-raiser at 12.40pm on Sunday.

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