ASHLEY Gibson is putting a brave face on a Bulls campaign that is over before it really began.

The centre faces ten weeks out after surgery on a ruptured right bicep yesterday – ruling him out of any participation in the club's Bottom Eights scrap to stay in the Championship.

Gibson suffered the injury early on in the Hull KR defeat, only his second appearance after a move from Wakefield.

Ethan Ryan's broken jaw in the same game compounded the agony for the Bulls after the pair had shown signs of building a promising partnership the previous week at Halifax.

Gibson, who only a fortnight ago signed a deal with the Bulls until the end of next season, admitted: "I'm absolutely gutted. It was a bit of a mad one.

"Justin Carney handed me off and he's pretty powerful – I've seen him knock some people out with that.

"I felt pretty good the week before and found a routine, even though I'd only had one training session.

"I'm enjoying it at Bradford. All the lads have been welcoming and it's a good set-up here but it's just unfortunate I can't do anything now."

Gibson is remaining philosophical about being reduced to a watching role for the season's finale, starting with tomorrow's trip to Batley.

He said: "I cope with it pretty well. I hide stuff and just get on with it.

"It is frustrating watching the boys. You miss that feeling after the game being with the lads when you've had a win.

"That's the most difficult bit for me. It's not the right timing.

"It was straight at the start of my second game and I really wanted to play well, being at home for the first time.

"I'd had quite a lot of welcoming messages from fans on social media and Twitter and wanted to put in a good performance. Obviously it ended pretty early but that couldn't be helped."

The injury is not uncommon among players and there are others in the Bulls' changing room happy to compare notes with 30-year-old Gibson during his absence.

He said: "There are quite a few lads here who have had theirs done, like Willie Tonga and Scott Moore. I know he's done his three times from being at Wakefield.

"They have reassured me about it, which does help. I know they've all used the same surgeon and he's pretty successful.

"It doesn't feel too bad at the minute but obviously I can't use it because I wouldn't have the strength for the job that we do.

"I've been ticking over on the bike and it has just got to let it heal itself. Hopefully I'll be fine."