Old Pals on Collision Course As Play-offs Begin

Trent Barrett and Glenn Morrison share an agent and plenty of memories from their experiences as team-mates for the New South Wales Country XIII, but tonight they will clash head-on for the first time in a heavyweight first fixture of the Super League play-offs between Bradford and Wigan.

Bradford confirmed yesterday that Morrison, normally a second-row forward, will start at stand-off in the sudden-death match to cover the absence of Paul Deacon, who has failed a fitness test on his hamstring problem.

That will make him a key figure in the Bulls' attempt to close down Barrett, the outstanding stand-off of the Super League season who has dragged Wigan to their first play-off appearance for three years.

Barrett's form has also led to speculation that a number of Sydney clubs are trying to lure him back to the National Rugby League, although reassuringly for Wigan supporters the 29-year-old confirmed this week that he is happy to stay for the remaining two years of his three-year deal.

"He's their number one man that's for sure, most of their play is around him, and of course we're going to try to do a bit of work on him," said Morrison, who was this week named Bradford's player of the season and joined Barrett in the Engage Dream Team.

"He's been a quality player his whole career and it's been no different over here. But they have other guys like [Thomas] Leuluai as well, and some big front-rowers, so we can't afford to just focus on Trent."

Bradford would be entitled to feel peeved that their achievement in finishing third in the final table despite the loss of so many senior
players over the last two years has been overshadowed since Wigan pinched the sixth place in the play-offs by beating St Helens last Friday.

Many are even talking of Wigan as more likely challengers to Saints or Leeds in the grand final than the Bulls, largely because of Barrett and the outstanding play-off record that their coach Brian Noble forged in his five years in charge at Bradford, never failing to reach the grand final.

"There is a big buzz around them but we don't mind that," added Morrison, who will captain the Bulls tonight in Deacon's absence. "We're confident in what we've been doing all season and the players have talked about the record Bradford have of lifting at this time of year.

"I've been one game short of the grand final with three different clubs in Australia and that was a major goal for me when I came over here. Trent never managed to win the competition at home either, so I'm sure it will be the same for him."