JOHN Kear has hailed the first week of Bulls pre-season training as “absolutely phenomenal”.

The return routine has been drawn up by new fitness and conditioning duo Kane Daniels and Joel Fulford and Kear has been delighted at the way the players have thrown themselves in.

Kear said: “We’ve had slightly longer away from the club and we told them that when they came back there was no paddling in the water, they were going to go diving in the deep end.

“Fair dos, that’s what they did and the players have responded in the way we hoped and expected.

“They’ve been accountable for what they’ve done away from the club and come back in good shape. The first day was absolutely phenomenal.”

Daniels heads the conditioning department after similar roles with England youth, Huddersfield Giants and Hull KR. Fulford spent the previous six years working at Wakefield.

Kear added: “Their attention to detail and planning has been absolutely first class.

“We’ve been through to the 'nth degree' what we want to achieve in this off-season and I think the players are buying into it.

“It’s certainly very tough but if they do it correctly, their bodies will adapt and we will see a very fit and able team that take to the field in week one.”

Daniels said: “At this time of the year, we are looking at the underpinning of physical performance. We are trying to build the base of the pyramid, so the peak can be as high as possible.

"We are working on an aerobic fitness general strength base.”