BRIAN McDermott’s presence will add more box-office excitement to the new Championship season, according to Bulls coach John Kear.

McDermott faces two dates with his former club in 2019 after landing the job of trying to steer Toronto Wolfpack into the top flight for the first time.

McDermott, who played more than 250 games for the Bulls in a nine-year career, had been out of the game since July when he was sacked by Leeds after seven straight losses.

It was an abrupt end to a glittering seven-year reign at Headingley which saw him win four Grand Finals and two Challenge Cups, including the treble in 2015.

But Kear has welcomed his return to the game – even if it means the challenge of the second tier will now be tougher.

He said: “It’s good to see him back. I think Brian’s a great coach – he’s been the most successful in Leeds’ history and that’s not a bad mantle to have.

“I think he is just what Toronto need. There will be no sloppiness with attitude or discipline with Macca about, I’ll tell you.

“He will smarten them up and unfortunately for us, that’s exactly what they needed.

“He’s bound to generate more attention. His is a famous name as a player with Bradford and a coach at Leeds and he deserves that reputation.

“He’s a welcome addition to the Championship but if he can sit out those two weeks when we play them, then I’ll be delighted.”

At 64, Kear is the older statesman of the division and believes the standard of coaching continues to improve. He is tipping Richard Marshall at Halifax to go on to bigger things.

Kear added: “I thought there were some really good coaches in League One and there are certainly some outstanding ones in the Championship.

“Working with Wales, I’ve seen the improvement in Dan Fleming, the Davies twins and Sion Jones. All the Halifax kids who came into the Welsh camp were fantastic and I think that indicates how good a coach Richard Marshall is as well.

“I think he’s definitely the next cab off the rank for a Super League job.

“Richard earned his stripes as an assistant at Warrington to Tony Smith and he’s gone on to do a fantastic job with Halifax.”