BULLS hooker George Flanagan may have been hit with a massive 10-game ban after being found guilty of attacking an opponent's testicles during the first half of the Challenge Cup defeat to Featherstone, but that is not necessarily the end of the matter.

After Tuesday's night's decision at a tribunal, which also saw Flanagan fined £250, Bulls head coach John Kear said: "We've reviewed the same footage as the RFL, and we're still as mystified as we were prior about the charge.

"We've been advised not to comment, and we'd rather not, but we're certainly considering an appeal against the ban."

Kear refused to go into any further detail on the incident, instead preferring to focus on the importance of Bulls' opening league game with Sheffield on Sunday.

He said: "It's our biggest game of the season so far and we've prepared as well as we possibly can.

"We'll have various absentees but it won't impact on the quality of player representing the team."

There are no new injury concerns for Bulls, and giving a quick update, Kear said: "Aaron Murphy will definitely be in the squad.

"Ben Evans will make his debut, as part of the 17, but we won't look to select the starting 13 until after training on Thursday night."

On Sam Hallas' broken jaw, Kear said: "Sam's had a successful operation, but we've not seen him down here as he's still recovering.

"He'll see his consultant early next week and we should know more about a return date then."

On the challenge that Sunday's opponents Sheffield pose, Kear said: "They're a side who play some really good rugby, which is no surprise given how Mark Aston coaches them.

"Anthony Thackeray is a major threat of theirs, playing in the halves, while they've got a tough forward pack too.

"The likes of Joel Farrell and Matt James are particularly strong in the second row.

"As for the backs, as I said, they're good in those half back positions, but they've also got real speed out wide with the likes of Ryan Millar on the wing.

"I could spend ages talking about the strengths of every single of one of their players, so we know we're in for a tough test on Sunday."