Wayne Godwin’s entire pre-season prepared him for this exact moment.
After spending the whole winter at Odsal, he knows Mick Potter’s Bulls better than most and is aiming to give Salford the inside track.
Godwin made the switch across the Pennines last December, bringing to an end three happy years in Bradford, and will come face-to-face with his old team-mates for the first time tomorrow.
“I’m really looking forward to it because I still live in Yorkshire and still see the boys quite a lot,” he said.
“I know quite a bit of what’s going on at Bradford and know the players.
“It’ll be tough to listen to all the calls when I’m out there but I know what the lads are all about and I know their strengths and weaknesses.
“I know a bit extra because I had a few years there and because I spent ten weeks of pre-season with them so maybe I can use some of that.
“I’m still friends with all the boys but all that will be put to one side when we get onto the pitch. Scrutsy (Nick Scruton) is injured at the moment but I’m sure he’ll still try and run out anyway and knock me out.”
The decision to swap Bradford for Salford proved gut-wrenching for Godwin but still, he has no regrets.
Having spent much of the past three years as an impact hooker, consigned to a bench spot, his position at Odsal was put under further threat by the signing of Matt Diskin. So the opportunity to join the City Reds proved too good to refuse, and the 29-year-old is intent on proving a point.
He said: “I’m loving starting games. I didn’t start that many at Bradford, or even at Hull and Wigan, so I got turned into an impact player.
“But I always knew I could do more than that. It’s added pressure to take the side round the park and you touch the ball more than anyone else but I’m loving that.
“I’m enjoying working with the lads and I’m enjoying my rugby so the move has worked out great for me. It’s even better that I left Bradford on good terms because I still have a lot of friends there.”
Godwin’s Salford have struggled of late, suffering back-to-back defeats, while playing under a cloud created by off-field wranglings.
Uncertainty surrounds the futures of head coach Shaun McRae and assistant Malcolm Alker, with both currently on leave from the club, but Godwin believes there is enough playing talent to make those matters irrelevant.
“I’ve got no comment on that,” he said. “As players, we just need to get on with our rugby.
“One win could change everything because we know we have talented players. When we clicked in the wins against Catalans and Hull KR we showed we could play some good football.
“But we know it’s going to be tough to get the win this week because Bradford are a quality side with some good young players.
“It’s up to us as players to put smiles back on faces, not just for us but for everyone at the club.”
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