As Brian Noble strolls around Headingley as a welcome guest of the club, it's hard not to wonder how it sits with him. As proud a Bradfordian you will find, his entire life has seen him programmed to hate Leeds Rhinos.
Yet on a bitterly cold January afternoon, Noble takes a stroll with Gary Hetherington around a stadium that has given him anything but warm welcomes. As both a player and coach, Noble is synonymous with Bradford Northern and the Bulls. He is also a love-to-hate figure across West Yorkshire's border having had more than his fair share of run-ins with Leeds both on the pitch and in the stands.
The Leeds and Bradford rivalry isn't what it was. The Bulls' decline has meant these great enemies haven't played in the same division for eight seasons. In that time, Bradford have played in the third division while the Rhinos have won another two Super League titles. Once upon a time, you wouldn't dare move between the clubs. Nowadays, the pair have a dual-registration agreement that will see the Rhinos provide them with players week-to-week. These two clubs are now allies.
