SIZE isn’t everything on the rugby field as David Foggin-Johnston is illustrating for the Bulls.

The former Hunslet flyer may be slight in stature but he continues to make a big impression for John Kear’s men.

Foggin-Johnston will tread familiar turf tomorrow when he faces League One neighbours Keighley in a tasty Challenge Cup fourth-round derby clash.

And the winger that Kear describes affectionately as a “pest” will be ready to annoy the Cougars defence.

“He’s hard to get hold of because he isn’t the biggest lad,” says team-mate Ethan Ryan.

“D is quite small compared with some other wingers. But he uses what he has got to his advantage.

“He’s really elusive and he’s got fast footwork. He can break through a tackle or get a quick play the ball.

“Everyone has a different style with what they can bring to the game. Whether you want to bust tackles and make a load of metres or get a quick play the ball.

“He’s getting better as the weeks go by.”

Foggin-Johnston was seen as a signing for the future when the Bulls picked him up at the end of last season.

But the serious shoulder injury suffered by Jy Hitchcox, which has effectively ruled out the Aussie for the remainder of the 2019 campaign, has opened the first-team door sooner than planned.

Foggin-Johnston has eagerly strolled right through it – and Ryan can see he is hungry to progress.

He added: “The good thing about D is that he’s really eager to learn. He’s always wanting to learn off different people in the squad.

“He’s always talking to you to pick up new things. He just wants to work really hard and get involved whenever he can.

“He’ll give the forwards a breather by taking a carry. His work ethic is awesome.”

Ryan got a close-up view of Foggin-Johnston’s enthusiastic approach after playing full back in last week’s win over Leigh.

“As a back three, John changed it up and I think we reacted well to that. We worked well as a one, two, five and it was good to see – and D took his chance well.”

Ryan had a brief spell with Keighley in 2014 but insists there has not been too much chat about the upcoming cup duel. The Bulls won both of last year’s league encounters comfortably.

He said: “We were happy when it got drawn because it’s a BD postcode derby.

“But we haven’t really spoken too much about it or our cup ambitions.

“I’m sure a lot of people will get an opportunity to play, which will be good. There will be a lot of fire in our performance.

“People who haven’t played in a while will be really eager to get a game.”