JOHN Kear reckons the Bulls’ table-topping tussle with Doncaster would be fit for the Championship.

League One’s top two go head-to-head at the Keepmoat Stadium tomorrow and the coach is convinced the clash will live up to its billing.

Kear sees the showdown with Richard Horne’s leaders as proof that this year’s division is stronger than ever – just as he predicted it would be.

“I think League One is a success story this year,” he said. “It has vastly improved.

“You only have to look at the players who are strutting their stuff in it week in, week out.

“There are some outstanding players and some really good coaches and clubs.

“I’ve said it before, I’m convinced the top eight in League One would compete with the bottom six in the Championship.

“I see this as a Championship-standard game that we’re going to have to be very good in.”

The two sides are locked at the League One summit on ten points with York City Knights. Another four are currently two points behind including Workington, the only team to have beaten the Bulls since they dropped into the third tier.

Kear is not remotely surprised by the fierce competition which is putting the division back on the map.

He added: “It is a tough old league and I’ve been singing from the same hymn sheet since I first got the (Bulls) job. It’s what I expected.

“It is going to be difficult to achieve promotion and this is one of the major obstacles that’s going to stand in our way tomorrow.

“When I was saying how difficult it was going to be, people were disbelieving me because it was Bradford.

“I think they are believing me now. It doesn’t surprise me one iota.

“I watch a lot of rugby league, one for my job and two because I like to, and I’ve seen lots of League One. There are some good teams in there.

“I’m obviously close friends with (Keighley coach) Craig Lingard and he’d also tipped me off.

“It’s not come as a shock to me – but it might have done to some others.”

Doncaster, whose only league loss came against York, ran Featherstone close in last week’s Challenge Cup tie. They currently edge the Bulls for top spot on points difference.

Kear is full of praise for the job that Hull FC legend Richard Horne is doing in South Yorkshire.

“They’ve recruited very astutely,” he added.

“In the three quarters, they’ve got Aaron Jones-Bishop, who is a heck of a handful, Richie Owen and Jason Tali.

“They’ve a couple of good half backs including Liam Harris and the French international (Hakim) Miloudi at full back.

“Up front, they’ve got Ryan Boyle and Kyle Kesik and Charlie Martin in the back row, as well as other Hull dual-reg players. It’s a very high quality team of individuals.”

Doncaster finished fourth in the Championship in 2014 and are looking to rekindle those former glories with Horne at the helm.

Kear said: “They had a really good year when Paul Cooke was in charge but never quite kicked on from there and ultimately ended up getting relegated to League One.

“Now you sense they are on the up again and they are rebuilding.

“Because he still works at Hull, Richard’s a dual-reg employee, shall we say.

“He knows exactly what he’s getting from Hull week in, week out and it has worked very well for them.

“But all we can do is prepare for what they throw at us and hopefully we can throw some good things at them.”