I saw them lose to the Catalans last Sunday and they were really poor, with far too many players well below their best. The departing Shontayne Hape (pictured), in particular, looks like he has already left.

There was a certain logic in going for the Bulls before the season started.

If this was going to be a season of attrition on the injury front - which it has been - they looked to have a little more depth than their rivals. Neither Leeds nor Saints had recuited a new player and the theory was that they would be found wanting if they had a few injuries.

Well, Saints may yet be. With Jason Cayless and Chris Flasnnery missing much of the rest of the season, their forward resources could be strained. Leeds, though, have come through their worst injury crisis for years, uncomplaining and largely unscathed.

They turn out to have more than adequate back-up, sometimes in the shape of players we had hardly heard of at the start of the year, like Simon Worrall and Ben Jones-Bishop.

It's that, as much as the quality of their best 13, that makes them the benchmark for the rest at the moment - and means that I won't be dining out on any winnings from Bradford.

(Picture: Getty Images)