GEOFF Toovey feels the battle-hardened Bulls can ride the latest blow of missing two key men at Halifax tomorrow.

Scott Moore starts a two-game ban for dangerous contact against Rochdale and Jordan Lilley is missing after playing for parent club Leeds Rhinos in Thursday's win over St Helens.

It means another rejig for Toovey, who will give new signing Ashley Gibson an immediate debut at centre for the injured Ross Oakes.

The Bulls coach admitted: "Every time we take a step forward, we seem to get pulled back. It is frustrating but the players are very used to the setbacks now.

"A lot of things are out of our hands and we can only play with the tools that we've got. Hopefully they'll be good enough to get a victory this weekend."

The Bulls have had to rely heavily on loan players this season as Toovey gets his head round a system that does not operate in his native NRL.

Yet the sight of Salford prop Daniel Murray lining up against his team at the Shay has left the Aussie mystified.

Murray began the Championship campaign with the Bulls and played six times before being recalled. The Super League side then sent the promising 21-year-old to Halifax, where he has so far made five appearances.

Toovey said: "That's the major concern for coaches. You've got a bloke who plays with you for seven weeks at the beginning of the year now playing for the opposition who could disrupt and dismantle your season.

"That's quite strange – but they are the rules and we've got to play with them and carry on.

"There's no denying we're a bit disjointed but that's the system we live in with the dual-reg and the loan players.

"All in all, it's been very kind to us. At the beginning we had a steady team with those loan players.

"That got affected a bit when they went back but hopefully we've got the confidence now to continue, even when they do disappear out of the squad."

Rhinos boss Brian McDermott hailed Toovey's role in improving rising star Lilley, who shone in his Super League start against the Saints.

Toovey said: "This is a place where people come to improve their skills and their football. It's an enticing challenge for players to come here.

"You've got the experienced players like Gibson and the younger ones like Lilley, who know this is a good place to learn more about yourself and the skills to play at the top level."

Halifax won 22-12 at Odsal on Good Friday – the first of the nine-game losing streak for the Bulls that ended with last weekend's win over fellow strugglers Oldham.

Toovey said: "They were terrible conditions to play in and it was an off night for us. Halifax scored some nice tries off kicks but we just need to adjust our game and be up for them.

"The best thing we can do is come with some excitement and energy and bring that positivity that we hopefully gained from last week.

"I've been in sides that are winning every week. Even when you're behind, you know you're still going to win.

"But I've been on this side as well a couple of times before where it doesn't matter what you do, you have to work twice as hard to get that result. Even if you're the better side, it doesn't matter. You have to put that extra effort in to try and win.

"Hopefully we've shaken that monkey off our back now and we can come with some positive attitude, which we need to do. But if we just rest on our laurels, we'll get our backside handed to us.

"Last week was a funny one because a couple of teams above us beat competition leaders. You don't turn up and play to the best of your ability, you're not going to win."