JIMMY Lowes hailed the performance of four-try Jake Mullaney after he inspired yesterday’s 68-6 demolition of struggling Hunslet.

The Australian played half-back alongside Danny Addy and was instrumental throughout as the Bulls produced the perfect response to their midweek defeat to Featherstone.

The thumping win guarantees them a top-two finish and a subsequent four home games in the Super Eights.

With Lee Gaskell and Harry Siejka both missing through injury, Mullaney emerged as the creative fulcrum but Lowes revealed he was not even supposed to be in the starting line-up.

Adrian Purtell was set to continue in the halves but pulled out in training on Saturday with a quad problem, opening the door for Mullaney to start.

Even so, the former Salford man required a painkilling injection after tearing a rib cartilage during the Bulls’ recent golf day, which forced him to miss the Featherstone match.

Head coach Lowes said: “Jake played on the back of some quality go-forward, which helped massively, and he’s a good rugby player.

“He slotted into that half-back role, which to be fair he wasn’t down to play from the start.

“He was due to start on the bench but Purts pulled out with a sore quad and Jake stepped up because he’s a quality player.

“Jake can play half-back or full back but his attacking threats are not much different in either position. It’s very similar.

“He’s like a little rat scurrying up a drainpipe! You’ve got to give Danny Addy some credit as well because I thought he controlled the second half quite well.

“His mentality was bang on and he complemented Jake’s running game.”

Lowes said Siejka missed out because he wanted to ease him back following his recent return from ankle surgery.

“Harry has been out for a number of weeks, so we’re drip-feeding him back in as best we can,” said Lowes.

“It was a major injury and so we’re wrapping him in cotton wool.

“I’m delighted with the response but I wasn’t overly concerned after the Featherstone game and I wasn’t pressing the panic button.

“We had a poor day at the office but people have just got to accept that it happens.

“We made 16 unforced errors on Wednesday and eradicated that today, with the result being that we had more energy and less defending to do.”

Lowes said Tom Olbison had suffered concussion following a knock to the head but the Bulls suffered no other major injury worries.