JOHN Kear insists a packed pre-season schedule is the right way for the Bulls to go as they face two games in five days.

Kear takes his side to Dewsbury for the Paul Sykes testimonial tomorrow before meeting Toronto Wolfpack at Odsal on Friday night.

The short recovery period will mean some tinkering for the Bulls coach to ensure the workload is shared out.

Yet Kear still believes their five-match warm-up programme – more than any other club – is the best build-up for the League One opener at York next month.

He said: “We had five at Wakefield last year and they did all right! It’s the most meaningful practice you can have.

“The only downside is you run the risk of injuries and that’s why it is such a fine balancing act.

“I’ve read that (Widnes coach) Denis Betts has just had two because they didn’t want to pick up injuries, which I totally understand.

“But he’s had a lot of stability within his squad. We’ve had a massive turnaround. Obviously it’s a new challenge for many of the players.

“I’m not averse to having five but obviously I’ve got to manage within those games. One of those things to manage is a Sunday to Friday turnaround.”

Kear looks set to throw in Joe Keyes for his first action since his knee injury in the World Cup while playing for Ireland. He has been included in a 23-man squad.

There will be changes against a Dewsbury side expected to be at full strength.

Kear said: “We don’t want to be arriving at the start of the season with players feeling fatigued and carrying knocks. That’s bound to be a factor, that l Continued on Page 44 it’s only five days between the Sunday at Dewsbury to the Friday game against Toronto, when you haven’t got two separate teams.

“A lot of clubs do two games over the weekend but they’ll play totally the under-19s in one and totally the first team in the other. We aren’t doing that because we feel the standard of opposition is too good.”

It will be another step up in intensity for the Bulls against a Dewsbury side who rallied from a poor start last year after former coach Neil Kelly returned to take charge of the club.

Kear said: “Neil did a really good job. He’s a very experienced coach and he knew which buttons to press with certain players and got the best out of them.

“They ended up with having what you would term a satisfactory season after what could have been a disaster. They’ll be pleased with that but obviously wanting to improve.

“This is their final trial game and, having spoken to Neil, he’s intimated he’s going to play his strongest 17.

“Obviously Neil is using it for its purposes and I would do in the same circumstances. But we’re obviously using it for ours.

“We’re conscious that we’ve got Toronto and Keighley after this before we play York. It will be a slightly different emphasis between each team.”

Rowan Milnes is expected to start in the halves at Dewsbury after two impressive outings.

Trialist Harvey Burnett will be given a chance in this week’s squad, after spending time with Oxford and London Skolars.

Prospects Alix Stephenson, Matthew Storton, Thomas Doyle, Oliver Wilson and Keelan Foster are all included in Kear’s squad, hoping to make their professional debuts.
Bulls: Brown, Burnett (trialist), Butterworth, Davies, Doyle, Foster, Goodall, Grant, Halafihi, Hodgson, Johnson, Johnson, Keyes, King, Kirk, Milnes, Oakes, Pickersgill, Rickett, Ryan, Stephenson, Storton, Wilson, Wood.