BULLS head coach John Kear had a Boxing Day hangover of the best kind after watching his young team win 20-14 at Castleford Tigers in their first run-out of the new season.

Kear, whose team triumphed via tries by winger Joe Brown (2), stand-off Rowan Milnes and hooker Sam Hallas, with the on-loan Milnes adding two goals, said: "The match has been a great success.

"I thought the crowd was good (3,306) - it does get you out of the house after Christmas Day - and Castleford will feel pleased with what they wanted to do, but I am certainly delighted because we achieved what we wanted to do with regards to looking at our structures and systems and where we are in terms of physical fitness.

"Also some young men have put their hands up and made me think so it has been a very positive morning."

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The best aspect of the visitors' victory at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle was their defensive work in a battle of two experimental teams, and particularly in the first half.

Kear revealed: "At one time they (Tigers) had 10 sets to our three, and every one of their sets was completed so that is some defensive work.

"First of all you have to be very physically fit to do that, secondly you have to have the desire to do that and thirdly you have to be organised enough to do that.

"That period of the game when you had Jesse Sene-Lefao and Peter Mata'utia and all these running at you was for me the most heartening because it proved to me when they had a top team out on the pitch we handled all that possession and handled all that field position and that is a positive that we can take forward."

Best of the youngsters for the Bulls were 20-year-old Milnes and 19-year-old prop Scurr.

Kear added: "They rolled their sleeves up and worked hard but the one who made me sit back was young Ebon Scurr.

"He really went out there and had a good Boxing Day but I was pleased with all the young lads.

"Rowan had to be one of our men of the match as nothing fazes him to say that he is a young man.

"Rowan has had half a week at Hull KR and half the week with us and has trained really hard. He is confident in his own ability, he is confident that he can run a team and so am I and I think that Hull KR have a good 'un there."