Opening friendly offers encouraging signs for Bulls

It was the Bulls’ opening game of 2016 but you would not have known it from their vibrant first-half display.

Adam Sidlow and Ben Kavanagh laid a particularly impressive platform in the front row while Adam O’Brien, Danny Addy and Lee Gaskell knitted the team together superbly.

Both teams fielded strong sides and 2015 treble winners Leeds were not far off full strength.

Yet Bradford took the game to their hosts and led 12-10 at the break with well-crafted tries from debutant Kris Welham and O’Brien.

Kavanagh, who has arrived from Widnes, said: “I was pretty impressed with what we did in our first hit-out.

“We showed some signs that we can perform at a high level against one of the top teams in Super League.

“I thought we matched their front row in the first half and we didn’t look out of place against what is pretty much their starting thirteen.

“I was impressed with our middles and outside backs and the likes of Addy, Gaskell and O’Brien should still be playing in Super League.

“Hopefully we can kick on now for the start of the season.”

Oscar Thomas, Welham, Kurt Haggerty and Kavanagh were handed starting roles while Jonathan Walker made his mark off the bench along with trialist Rhys Jacks.

Thomas, who showed some promising touches at full back, said: “I absolutely loved it out there on Sunday.

“Obviously after doing a whole pre-season and a couple of months of really hard slog it’s good to get back playing again.

“I don’t mind where I play, it could be full back or half-back and I’ve also played centre before.

“But I will certainly take that for my first appearance in a Bradford jersey.

“There were some areas where I was rusty and can certainly work on, but it’s stuff to work on in training.

“To play against the champions, you expect a tough game, but we definitely fronted up and gave them a contest.

“I’d like to become a regular and nail down a regular spot in the side this year.”

The game ran away from the Bulls in the second half as Leeds showed their class to score four unanswered tries and win 26-12.

The raft of replacements saw promising youngsters Ethan Ryan and Joe Lumb enter the fray.

Alex Mellor, another homegrown product, underlined his potential with a typically hard-working display, particularly his opening stint in the first half.

“I really enjoyed it,” said the strapping back-rower, who will look to make the loose forward spot his own this year.

“It’s a real honour to play against a side like Leeds and I think we matched them for long periods.

“That’s all credit to us because we’ve had a good pre-season and it showed on Sunday.

“When you look at the players in our team, I think we are a Super League side.

“We can perform at that level because we have talent throughout the side.

“We obviously want to be playing at that level on a weekly basis and competing the way we did against Leeds showed that.”

When the Bulls were relegated during the disastrous 2014 campaign, Mellor helped the team to a memorable win over Leeds at Headingley.

“That’s probably one of the best games I’ve ever played in and I want that back again,” said Mellor.

“I thought we played really well as a team on Sunday, which shows how well the new lads have bonded with the group and bought into what we do.

“I was really impressed with everybody. The competition is healthy and so it’s all about working hard and pushing on.

“I’ll take whatever comes my way and will keep working hard for it.”

On the evidence of last weekend’s match, Kavanagh could prove one of the Bulls’ shrewdest signings.

Kavanagh said: “Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, I just want to be playing week in and week out, taking the boys forward and setting the platform.

“You want competition for places and we’ve got Paul Clough and Mitch Clark to come back in yet.

“That’s only good and it keeps you on your toes.

“Jimmy spoke about a few things we can work on and we will push on in the Cas game now ahead of the start of the new season.”