THE Bulls' chronic lack of squad depth was well documented last season.

They infamously faced Huddersfield at Odsal in March with only one recognised prop in Manase Manuokafoa.

Chev Walker also started in the front row that day, although the visitors' huge pack saw the Giants power to a 66-18 win.

If it made for painful viewing, then goodness knows how it felt to be colliding with the likes of Antonio Kaufusi, Ukuma Ta'ai and Eorl Crabtree.

Walker, who made his debut as a 16-year-old for Leeds in 1999, was deployed as a prop on numerous occasions last season.

It was that willingness to put his body on the line at a time of crisis which prompted Jimmy Lowes to hand Walker the captaincy for 2015.

Not that he is likely to be used there again any time soon.

"Jimmy doesn't like me playing prop and said there is no point in me doing it," said Walker.

"He said he respected me for putting my hand up to play there and that's probably gone a long way towards him picking me as captain – him knowing I'll do anything for the team.

"I'll play wherever Jimmy needs me but as things stand I'm going to be playing a bit wider.

"I'm very honoured that Jimmy picked me as captain. I was actually captain of the Great Britain academy but I pulled out of the tour to play for England.

"I was captain of my amateur club, Hunslet Warriors, and we went five years unbeaten, so if I can do that here I'll be pretty pleased!"

Walker's professionalism has rubbed off on the Bulls' younger players and he has certainly come a long way since a street brawl in Leeds over a decade ago saw him spend time in a young offenders' institution.

The 32-year-old, a married father-of-two, said: "I'm not guaranteed to play every game but Jimmy has given me a role to lead by example and lead the boys around.

"That's in everything we do, not just on the field.

"I don't know if the younger lads look up to me, I stand beside them and I don't put myself up there.

"Whether there is a lad who has played one game or someone who has played 100, we're all in it together, the whole squad.

"We all respect Jimmy as a new coach and he came in last year and made us enjoy ourselves.

"He gave us self-belief and that's the thing in the team now – encouraging people to believe in themselves.

"For me, I can now actually say that it works. By believing in myself and investing a bit of time into myself, it has paid off.

"But the job is not done; not by a long shot. It's a massive season for us next year."

Walker's appointment as captain raised eyebrows among some fans but, from listening to him speak, it is clear that it made much sense.

Although he has had more than his fair share of injury problems in recent years – most notably that horrific leg break at Headingley when playing for Hull KR in 2009 – his fitness levels are impressive.

"For me, it's about enjoying myself and I actually played in the centres at the back end of last year," said Walker, who rose to prominence at Leeds in that position before a high-profile, cross-code switch to Bath in 2006.

"If you had asked me two years ago, I don't think I would have had the confidence to play there.

"But last season I played in the centres and had probably one of my best games in a long while. I really enjoyed it."

Walker has no plans to retire any time soon and is keen to move into coaching when he finally hangs up his boots.

He is assisting under-16s coach Leigh Beattie and wants to stay in the game for as long as possible.

"The club had been on the decline for a good few years and the final nail was the relegation," said Walker.

"But the gloom is now over and, as long as we all believe in what we're setting out to do in this pre-season, it could be a momentous year and we could be back in Super League.

"That's our plan. It's exciting, not daunting, and a new challenge."

Walker added: "Any player wants more security and I would love to stay at the club. At my age and with the injuries I've had down the years, it's all about how the body is at the end of the season.

"For me, if I can keep playing and the coach wants me to continue, then I'd love to play on because I still have a passion for training and for playing.

"As long as that's the case, then I feel like I can carry on playing.

"Anything can happen and you can't look too far ahead. But as long as in my own mind I'm giving what I know I can, and training hard and looking after myself away from the game, then we will see what's what.

"The plan is to keep myself as fit as possible and be able to get out there and play."

Walker sustained a nasty hand injury towards the end of last season and is due to have a trapped nerve removed.

But the small procedure will not affect his availability for the start of the season, unlike last year when he underwent minor knee surgery.

"Last year I had the micro-fracture and it put me behind the other boys," said Walker.

"I felt I never really got going until probably after Easter, so I'm getting some more power in the legs this year.

"There are no dramas for me this off-season and I'm ready for a big year."