Straight-talking skipper Paul Deacon has told his Bulls side: We must prove our class - now.

They head into a tumultuous clash with Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Carnegie on Friday night, still just two points behind their opponents and leaders St Helens.

But the Bulls have beaten neither front-runner so far, something Deacon reckons they need to put right to show they are serious about winning Super League.

Improving Wigan and Saints follow hot on the heels of the Leeds fixture and the confident Bulls have a genuine chance to make their move at the top.

"It's getting very interesting over these next few games," Deacon said.

"Leeds play Saints next week, we play Wigan and we're looking at this as a very, very important month.

"We're playing teams at the top and we need to win these big games as it's something we've not managed to do this season.

"I think Friday will show us where we are actually at. We've had some great results, we're playing well as a team but we need to win against Leeds."

Arch-rivals Rhinos are chasing a record-equalling fifth successive victory over Bradford but Deacon is undeterred and fired: "We know we can beat Leeds.

"We know we can beat any team in the competition but we've got to bring it to the table on Friday night.

"It's as simple as that. I remember in 2003 we beat them five times on the trot but nobody's talking about that this year.

"All the players are raring to go. With us having last week off, we've missed out on playing and we're ready to get straight back into it."

The influential scrum-half and Super League's leading points-scorer admits what happened at Millennium Magic won't affect anything that goes on Friday night.

"That's all been shoved under the carpet," Deacon said about the controversial last-second defeat against Tony Smith's men.

"At the end of the day, we play rugby, we don't officiate the game. It wasn't Leeds' fault, it wasn't our fault and it was out of our control.

"It could have happened in any game but it was a massive story as it happened in the last minute of Bradford v Leeds at the Millennium Stadium.

"It happened and was one of those things but Friday night is just another Leeds/Bradford derby... if there's such a thing!"

Meanwhile, the Headingley pitch is in fine condition despite nearly seven centimetres of rain falling on the surface earlier this week.

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