GEORGE Flanagan has been a big miss for the Bulls, admitted John Kear.

The wily hooker is set for a return to action after six weeks out with a broken hand.

Kear is leaving it late before deciding whether to use Flanagan in tonight’s reserve clash with Halifax at Odsal or pitch him straight back into the League One fray at home to Newcastle Thunder tomorrow.

But he is glad to see one of the most experienced heads in the changing room ready to get back to business.

Kear said: “We’re really pleased to have him back. He’s important to us and we’ve missed him.

“I think he made a big impression in his initial period after signing. We’ll be glad when he’s back out on the field with the first team.

“He’s been around the block. That experience is so important to any player and obviously it helps the people around him.

“It’s a very young squad and we’re fully aware of that. I still think going forward we need more experience but at the moment we are where we’re at.

“George is a very experienced player that we have been missing as is Gregg McNally. If we can get both of them back on board for this crucial period of the season, it will be very important to us.”

Flanagan and Matty Garside replace Liam Johnson and George Milton in the 19-man squad to face Newcastle. But Kear was hedging his bets with the former Hunslet man until seeing how he came through last night’s training session.

He added: “We’ve tried to abide by the RFL regulations because we’re wanting to play him.

“We’re undecided whether to play him in the reserves to get a hit-out or push him straight in the first team.

“But if you don’t name him in the squad, you haven’t got the option.

“George trained fully for the first time on Tuesday and the hand is fine. Obviously he wants to test it out, as we do, in a full-contact situation and where he’s got to pass the ball under pressure as well.”

Flanagan has missed the last four games since suffering the injury in the 68-0 win at Hemel Stags at the end of May.

BULLS: Bustin, Chisholm, Crossley, Flanagan, Garside, Gibson, Grant, Halafihi, Hallas, Keyes, Kirk, Laithwaite, Milton, Minchella, Oakes, Peltier, Pickersgill, Ryan, Wood.