Shad Royston is fighting for fitness and the chance to finish on a high as the Bulls continue to count the cost of their 60-12 mauling at Wigan.

Fellow end-of-season departees Marc Herbert (broken hand) and Patrick Ah Van (neck) were withdrawn from the action during Friday’s defeat at the DW Stadium but Royston battled on despite suffering a reaction to an arm infection picked up in training.

The 28-year old Sydney-born utility back, who moves to French club Pia next month, was left nursing a badly swollen left elbow.

“My elbow got lacerated on a rock and got infected so I’ve been on antibiotics,” said Royston, who had missed the previous five games but was gifted a late chance to shine by Elliott Whitehead’s suspension for biting.

He added: “The arm blew up during the game and the doctor had to drain a lot of fluid out afterwards.

“Playing pumped the infection all through my body so it’s something we’ve now got to keep an eye on.

“Mick (Potter) told me that the fact I was moving wouldn’t prevent him from picking me and I desperately wanted to have a couple more games with the Bulls.

“I was a bit disappointed with my own and the team’s performance and won’t use the arm as an excuse but I’d really like to go out on a high and desperately don’t want that game to be my last.

I’ve really enjoyed my time at Bradford and there were no ulterior motives behind me choosing to go and play in France.

“The opportunity to go over there and play for Pia for a year was just too good to turn down.

“But Bradford comes first until the season finishes and then we head straight over to France to start their season, which ends in May.

“But my primary objective in the next few days is to get this elbow right to play for the Bulls again.”

Widnes-bound Ah Van should know more about the extent of his neck injury by midweek, while Herbert’s Bulls career seems over after X-rays confirmed the hand he damaged during the first half at Wigan was broken.