JOHN Kear, fearing an early-season prop crisis, has received some positive news regarding Callum Bustin.

The 21-year-old was taken off on a stretcher not long after coming on during the first half of Bradford Bulls’ 20-18 victory over Dewsbury Rams in their K2 Yorkshire Cup semi-final at Odsal on Saturday night.

It was feared that the former London Broncos and Castleford Tigers player had broken his lower leg, but Bulls head coach John Kear revealed to the Telegraph & Argus: “An X-ray has confirmed that it is not broken, which I is good news.

“I don’t want to speculate but we will know more when he has seen a specialist early this week.”

Kear is already missing Steve Crossley and Ross Peltier, who are recovering from close-season surgeries, but the head coach added that Crossley may play some part in next weekend’s Yorkshire Cup final against Batley Bulldogs or York City Knights and against Toronto Wolfpack in the Transatlantic Challenge at Odsal on Friday, January 25.

“It has taken a lot out of our middle-unit players and I don’t know whether we will carry on with what we have got there or bring someone in,” added the Bulls chief.

When asked if a semi-final of a Yorkshire Cup was more meaningful than an ordinary pre-season friendly, Kear said that it was.

He admitted: “That is why we went for Rowan Milnes’ penalty kick that won the match in the 68th minute. I just like winning.”

The semi-final was played in rain and wind, and Kear, who apparently had some harsh words for his side at half-time after two Rams tries in quick succession, said: “Conditions made it a difficult game and we had to adapt, but I don’t think that we played that well.

“We were sloppy in many different areas and Dewsbury took the game to us, and it took some quality by Matty Wildie and Rhys Evans to take us home.

“Maybe because we split our squad in two between here and Michael Lawrence’s testimonial at Huddersfield caused us to lose a bit of focus.”