Kear wants Bulls fans to raise roof like Wembley and Wimbledon

The Bulls, who will include Joe Keyes and George Flanagan, aim to bounce back from successive defeats when they face the side directly above them on points difference in the Championship play-off race.

Having seen the impact that home crowds have made in other sports this week, Kear is looking for the Odsal faithful to provide the same fervent backing.

Kear said: “You’ve seen the reaction in different sporting disciplines.

“I’ve watched England respond to a great crowd at Wembley with a fantastic performance. I’ve watched Andy Murray respond to a partisan crowd that inspired him.

“The crowd can have a massive impact and I want us to have that England and Andy Murray effect from the fans.”

Flanagan and on-loan Keyes will provide a timely boost after Kear’s options were severely stretched in last week’s loss to Widnes.

The Bulls will also welcome back Thomas Doyle from having to self-isolate – although forward Ebon Scurr now dips out through the same reason after a family member tested positive.

Joe Keyes will be back in Bulls colours tomorrow on loan from Hull KR

“You’ve got to accept you will lose a player every week to these isolation procedures,” said Kear. “They are very stringent but they’ve got to be.

“You’ve got to take a philosophical view and I’m just pleased that we’re the right side of the ledger with gaining three and losing one.”

Kear admitted his side were outsmarted by Widnes, not making the most of scoring opportunities and committing the “cardinal sin” of coughing up penalties with the ball.

The return of Keyes, back at his former club on a short-term switch from Hull KR, will offer some intelligence at half back.

“Joe knows us and our systems and I’m absolutely certain he will produce the goods – and I know how good a player he is.

“He has been in all the team meetings and training sessions. I’m pretty excited about seeing him out there.

“Tony Smith has been absolutely first class with us. I can’t sing his praises high enough.

“They are one club badly affected by the Covid outbreak and it would have been very easy to say ‘no’ and keep his cards close to his chest.

“But he saw Joe needed some game time, we needed a half back, and it’s win-win for everybody.”

Flanagan is in Kear’s Championship plans for the first time this season after completing his 10-match ban for a second offence of grabbing the testicles. He has been out of action since March.

The Bulls coach added: “It’s been a long time coming and I do feel for him. Hopefully, when he does get on the field he can make up for all those lost games.

“But he’s a good character to have back within the squad at this stage and that’s the way we’ve got to look at it.

“We’ll get (Matty) Dawson-Jones and Danny Brough back towards the end of the season as well and they will obviously lift us.

“We’ve got to keep battening down the hatches, playing as well as we can at the minute and then it will be like getting new recruits on board.”