Beating Bulls would be just Magic - Craig

NEWCASTLE Thunder play in front of their largest crowd in four years at Kingston Park tonight, Bradford Bulls providing the opposition as the club kicks off this weekend’s Magic Weekend.

Billed as Magic Friday to align with the Super League event at St James Park, more than 2,200 tickets have been issued for the 7.45 kick-off .

It sees Newcastle aiming to record a first-ever win over the former world club champions.

The club will also be celebrating diversity, playing in a special one-off of kit in support of Northern Pride which will be auctioned to raise fund for the festival afterwards.

For full-back Craig Mullen, these factors are all combining to give the game a special atmosphere as he and his teammates aim to make it back-toback home wins after June’s 66-22 demolition of Workington Town.

He said: “There is a special feel around Friday, especially in training with everything going on around the game.

“We have the special jersey, we have quality people coming back into the squad from injury and it also feels a bit of a redemption game, particularly after what we served up in the first 40 minutes of that Bradford game away.

“There was quite some fight in the second half and if we had had another 10 minutes maybe we would have had caught them.

“I am looking back to that game and wanting to right some wrongs.”

Bradford head to Tyneside seventh in the Betfred Championship table and looking to maintain their 100% record over their hosts.

Mullen, though, says Thunder’s tough experiences throughout this season can stand them in good stead tonight.

He added: “Bradford have quality and they play their pitch very well and we have learned a few hard lessons since then.

“That was a big one for us and it hurt because we know what we could have served up.

“We will take all that into what is hopefully an 80-minute performance and a win for us.”

After Thunder’s match, St James’ Park becomes the focus of the weekend with six top-flight games over two days as the city hosts Super League’s annual jamboree for the sixth time.