THE Bulls are “miles” behind Odsal opponents Leigh in terms of wage budget, John Kear has admitted.

Gregg McNally makes his return to Bradford tomorrow in a Centurions line-up packed with big names.

Former Bulls starlet James Bentley will also face his old club for the first time as one of several St Helens loanees as part of their dual-reg arrangement.

READ MORE: Kear hopes efforts will be rewarded

Leigh are currently fifth in the Championship table after successive wins and Kear is not underestimating the size of the task for his own team.

The Bulls coach said: “Look at the Leigh team and there’s obviously a fair bit of investment gone into it.

“Look pound-for-pound what we’re paying our players and what they are paying, I think we are miles down.

“There’s Gregg (McNally) at full-back, (Martyn) Ridyard one half, Danny Richardson from St Helens the other half, Liam Hood who’s ex-Super League with Widnes at hooker.

“Their spine is very good indeed. You put that along with Luke Douglas and James Bentley, who all the Bradford fans know about.

“They are on loan there from St Helens and it makes a pretty handy team. You look at Aaron Smith on the bench last week, who’s the back-up hooker to James Roby at St Helens.

“They didn’t even need to play him last week because of their quality.

“It perhaps indicates how tough the challenge is going to be again.”

Kear still disputes the ruling to disallow Elliot Minchella’s potential late match-winner in the 25-20 loss at Widnes.

But he has been pleased with how the players have picked themselves up from that body blow to prepare for John Duffy’s side.

“For me, it was a try,” added Kear. “Regardless of the obstruction, the player who was involved in the collision wasn’t even onside.

“So, I don’t know how you can commit an offence towards somebody who was not onside.

“But that’s in the past now and we’re not going to get the try awarded. We’re not going to get the two points.

“The players have got to move on – they’ve had to. You’ve got to have the belief that over the fullness of the season, you might get one or two of them as well.

“You have to be a bit of a fatalist like that but there’s nothing else we can do. That’s how it is.

“I’ve been really pleased how the players have been preparing. I don’t think their attitude can be questioned at all.”