THERE will be one very reluctant spectator amid the derby-day excitement at the Shay this afternoon.

Injuries never come at a convenient moment – but the timing of George Flanagan’s broken thumb could not have been worse.

The spiky hooker has already been in for surgery since suffering the break in last week’s dramatic Challenge Cup tie against Featherstone.

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But a diagnosis of facing up to the next two months out will have come as a more painful blow than the injury itself.

It means Flanagan not only misses the Easter programme but also the club’s historic first trip to Canada, the Odsal cup showdown with Leeds and the Blackpool rematch with Halifax in the Summer Bash.

John Kear said Flanagan has already been moaning in his ear about the games that will get away for him.

The Bulls coach said: “It’s been operated on and he’s had it screwed and pinned. He’s looking at seven to eight weeks.

“It’s how George plays and there’s nobody more irritated than him about it.

“He wants to play in the derby against Halifax, which is obviously a big occasion. He wanted to play in Toronto, he wanted to play against Leeds and he wanted to play in the Summer Bash.

“As he bemoaned to me, he’s missing the whole lot now. He’s not a happy bunny.

“There’s nobody more frustrated that it’s happened than George Flanagan. When you reel off the games like that, you can understand why.

“He’s the sort of character who would have relished those occasions with the big crowds and the televised games. He’d absolutely love it but that’s rugby league and there’s nothing he can do.”

Liam Kirk, Matty Storton and Mikey Wood have been recalled for the clash at the Shay as Kear rotates his squad with the quick turnaround to Monday’s home game with Barrow in mind.

Ross Peltier will be involved today but sit out that one as Kear eases him back from his winter shoulder operation.

Kear was delighted with the forward’s comeback against Featherstone and said: “Ross came through with no side-effects whatsoever.

“But I’m not going to play him in both games over the weekend because it would be too much too early.”

There has been an extra spring in the step at Bulls training this week on the back of the thrilling Challenge Cup victory – and the prize draw for round six.

But Kear has had to dampen the mood when he went through what had happened in the Featherstone game prior to their amazing late show.

He said: “Those type of wins feel extra special and gave everybody a massive buzz.

“But I had to be the killjoy at the review session because I put it in perspective. We can’t forget the first 65 minutes as well.

“You’ve got to be realistic performance-wise but the heartening thing was the spirit, the commitment and the desire to work for the full 80 minutes.

“How we changed the way we played for the last 15 minutes. That was down to it being knock-out – you may as well lose by 100 than lose by one.

“We rolled our sleeves up, took a chance and it paid off.”