Bradford v Leeds

ENGAGE SUPER LEAGUE
Venue: Odsal Date: Thursday, 21 April Kick-off: 2000 BST
Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio Leeds and BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, updates on BBC Radio 5 Live & the BBC Sport website, highlights on the Super League Show. Live on Sky Sports 2.

Bradford coach Mick Potter has dropped England international Paul Sykes for the second time this season in favour of the fit-again Michael Platt.

Goalkicking winger Patrick Ah Van returns after missing last weekend’s defeat at Salford with a knee injury.

Leeds are without experienced prop Ryan Bailey, who serves a one-match ban, while second row Carl Ablett is back from his own one-game suspension.

Jamie Peacock, Danny McGuire, and Ben Jones-Bishop remain sidelined.

It is the first time in the Super League era that the two West Yorkshire rivals meet for their customary Maundy Thursday derby with both clubs outside the top six in the table.

Bradford, heavily beaten at Salford last weekend, are seeking their first win against Leeds since the equivalent fixture in 2009, when the Bulls won 10-6.

But that remains the Rhinos’ only defeat at Odsal in eight meetings, including a 16-16 draw in 2007.

It is their second meeting between the two sides this season, Leeds having edged the first at the Millennium Stadium in February.

In Brian McDermott’s first game in charge, the Rhinos ran in four late Magic Weekend tries in the final quarter to win 32-28.

Bradford Bulls coach Mick Potter told BBC Radio Leeds:

“It’s a home game so I’m looking for a much improved performance and I’m sure we’ll get it from the players.

“We want to do the right things all the time, and we didn’t do it (at Salford) so it’s a case of us making amends.

“It’s a fantastic game to have at home after a defeat – to be able to bounce back against Leeds would be fantastic and we understand how tough that will be.”

Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott told BBC Radio Leeds:

“We’ve got some things we need to get on top of, and it’s not just a case of getting done in the last minute, clearly there is some defensive stuff we need to get on top of.

“At the same time in certain periods of the game, even against Huddersfield, we looked very strong, so sporadically we’re good and sporadically we’re not great at all.

“(Derbies) are normally very tight games and big spectacles, but at the same time we’re in a position here where whoever is opposite us this Thursday, we’ll hopefully turn things around and get some things right.”

Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield:
“It has been tough patch for us. We’re not playing great and there’s quite a lot to fix up.

“We’ve got to remain positive and we’re working very hard to turn it around. In fact, this group is working as hard as I can remember.”

Bradford (from): Ainscough, Ah Van, Bateman, Burgess, Diskin, Donaldson, Elima, Hargreaves, Herbert, Kearney, Kopczak, L’Estrange, Lynch, Olbison, Platt, Raynor, Walker, Royston, Whitehead.

Leeds (from): Webb, Smith, Delaney, Senior, Hall, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Cross, Bailey, Kirke, Burgess, Watkins, Hauraki, Clarkson, McShane.