JOHN Kear has heaped praise on three of his young guns following Bradford Bulls' victory over Whitehaven.

After the Betfred League One leaders defeated the Cumbrians 46-0 at Odsal on Saturday, the Bulls' head coach gave big raps to man of the match Brandon Pickersgill, prolific try-scoring winger Ethan Ryan and the versatile Ross Oakes.

Pickersgill gave an accomplished display at full back, and Kear said: "He is good isn't he?

"You can visibly see him getting better week on week and it is really rewarding to see a young player seize his opportunity and develop as a player and grow in confidence and self belief.

"He is highly skilled and a real good defensive full back as well, as he demonstrated here, and I couldn't argue with him being nominated and getting the man of the match.

"He can be pretty pleased with his 80-minute contribution."

Ryan bagged his sixth hat-trick of the season, including finishing off a sublime move involving Matty Garside and Pickersgill and scoring after the subtlest of kicks forward, to take his tally to 28.

Kear said: "Ethan is a great player isn't he? You expect him to finish. In fact he was a bit disappointed that he didn't score four so I might take that up with him!

"He is a really skilful kid and a clever kid as well and, just like young Pick, he is developing, growing and getting better."

Kear then gave some praise and a warning for left centre Oakes.

Head coach Kear said: "I thought that Ross Oakes did well when we shoved him into the second row.

"I don't think that he has ever worked as hard as that in a rugby league game but if he wants to stay in the 17 he had better get used to that, and he did pretty well also."

As for Jonny Pownall, the Bulls' latest signing from Toronto Wolfpack, Kear said: "Jonny was really good in the ruck and getting a quick play-the-ball when you think you have lost the ruck."