Enthusiastic Kearney cannot wait for Boxing Day challenge at Castleford (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Enthusiastic Kearney cannot wait for Boxing Day challenge at Castleford

7:40am Wednesday 23rd December 2009 in

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Brett Kearney turns into an excited child when he thinks about his first Christmas with Bradford Bulls.

A Boxing Day trip to Castleford is not everyone’s idea of the perfect gift but the Aussie star couldn’t ask for any more.

Throughout a frustrating nine-month injury lay-off, which forced the 26-year-old stand-off to miss all but 26 minutes of last season, his only wish has been to get back out on the pitch.

That wish has been granted much earlier than expected and Kearney will get his first taste of the English game when the Bulls travel to The Jungle for their first trial game on Saturday.

“For the first couple of weeks after I got here I was running on excitement, just being back in a team environment,” said the signing from Cronulla Sharks.

“The first couple of days I felt like I wanted to get back on the field then but I’ve had time to settle in and now I’ll get my chance.

“When you are injured you feel like you’re separated from the team, especially during the season that Cronulla had. I was just desperate to get out there and try and help out.

“Being back with the team, I feel I’m ready to contribute and I can’t wait to get out there.”

Getting stuck into competitive action on Boxing Day will be a strange feeling for Kearney.

At this time of year, weights and fitness would usually be the main concern, with no thought of even taking the field for another two months.

Kearney said: “It’s a bit different because I’m not used to getting prepared for a game at this time of year.

“In Australia, you’re looking at a 12-week off-season but it will be five weeks here from the time I arrived in the country to the first game. You are getting half the time to prepare but, at the same time, I enjoy that because I’m glad to get out and play some footy.

“That’s when you can see what’s actually happening. Until you are on the field under pressure, you don’t know exactly how the team are going to perform.”

The prospect of playing in a winter wonderland is even more foreign to Kearney and the novelty of the recent Arctic weather is beginning to wear off.

He said: “It was exciting at first because I’ve not really even seen snow before but I just want it to go away now!

“I definitely underestimated the cold over here and I didn’t bring enough warm clothes so I’ve had to go out and buy some big coats.”