Thrust centre stage at Super League’s most imposing arena, Kyle Briggs was hit with a dose of extreme shock therapy.

Until walking out at the Millennium Stadium, the 23-year-old stand-off had not even considered the enormity of a winter switch from Featherstone to Bradford. But Cardiff’s immense cathedral of sport has a way of abruptly bringing reality into sharp focus.

Some players can deal with it and some can’t. Luckily for the Bulls, Briggs fell into the first category on a thrilling debut against Leeds and an attack of the butterflies need not be confused with a lack of belief.

“It was all quite overwhelming,” he said. “I was pretty nervous on the way out onto the pitch.

“I had kept my composure all day but when we walked down the tunnel, I started to feel a few nerves.

“Then, getting out onto the pitch inside that massive stadium and seeing the crowd and the surroundings, it hit me.

“I thought to myself ‘this is the big time’ and it was a wake-up call that I was there for a reason and needed to prove why.

“I’ve had some good feedback from (Bulls boss) Mick (Potter). For a first hit-out at this level I thought I did well and held my own.

“There were a few mistakes which could’ve been costly but thankfully they weren’t and I can work on those things.”

Long touted for a shot at Super League, Briggs has so far taken the step up in his stride.

Cut loose by Leeds as a raw 20-year-old, the talented stand-off served a tough apprenticeship in the lower divisions with Doncaster and Featherstone before being picked up by Mick Potter last month.

But in making the move to a bigger stage, the Bulls appear to offer a perfect fit.

After a complete off-season overhaul, the whole club is in a transitional phase, so both player and team are on a learning curve together.

Briggs said: “Because it was a new team and our first run-out it was good, and there are a lot of things we can take out of it.

“To put that performance on against Leeds, who will be right up there this season, has given us encouragement.

“We put lots of hard work into it and to come away without the result was pretty tough to take.

It took a lot out of us physically and mentally but we will bounce back from it.

“You just have to watch it week by week and keep improving.”

There is certainly huge scope for improvement.

Having combined rugby with a part-time plasterer’s job during his spell at Featherstone, Briggs has quickly felt the benefits of full-time training.

“I’ve got used to the training now,” he said. “It was pretty hard at first and for a few weeks I was just tired all the time. But now I’m feeling a lot fitter and stronger and putting a bit of weight on, which is what both Mick and Geoff Evans wanted from me.

“I was going home each night and not even having the energy to talk to anyone but I’ve got over that now.”