Bradford Bulls lose star as they aim to avenge Keighley loss

While O’Carroll’s main focus will soon switch to the 17 players he selects for this Sunday’s clash with Keighley at Cougar Park, with only the winners able to make it into the 1895 quarter-finals next month, he was able to give a timeframe for the return of absent duo of Blackmore and Ebon Scurr.

Both went off injured in the bruising 1895 Cup win at Dewsbury earlier this month, and while Bulls are hopeful that the latter will return from his knee injury ahead of the Betfred Championship season opener against Wakefield in mid-March, Blackmore’s ankle is sadly damaged enough to ensure he will be absent for over two months.

O’Carroll told the T&A: “We’re looking at 10 to 12 weeks out for Ben with his ankle injury.

“We’re not sure if we’re going to go down the operation route on it at this stage, it’s something we’ll have to make a decision on soon.

“There were positive results from the scans on Ebon’s knee, because we knew there was a risk he’d be out for a while, but we’re looking at maybe three to four weeks with him.

“Otherwise Dan Moss is responding well to the rehab on his elbow and he’s able to join in with our non-contact training, but we just want to be spot on with knowing what the damage is with him, especially with him being on trial.

“Billy Jowitt is back in training this week after his back issue, and while Michael Lawrence is still working with the medical team on his back, there’s every chance he’ll join in with parts of our session tonight (Thursday).”

Billy Jowitt could play his first competitive game of the season on Sunday. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

For those who are definitely playing on Sunday, the carrot is obvious.

O’Carroll said: “It’s huge to be facing knockout rugby so early in the season, with a winner takes all derby this weekend and a potential quarter-final at the start of March.

“It’s no secret that all the teams want to win the 1895 Cup at Wembley in June, but once we get past the excitement of that end goal, we have to stop and look at how we can achieve it.

“The immediate focus is on this weekend, which is a derby against a side who also want to get through the group.

“We’re really looking forward to what lies ahead on Sunday, knowing we’re only 80 minutes away from reaching a knockout game.”

O’Carroll also admitted some of his players still want to put things right from their previous visit to Cougar Park, a humiliating 34-6 Betfred Championship defeat last March.

And beyond the prospect of a quarter-final and revenge, Bulls’ players will also be motivated by a middling display in the 48-2 Challenge Cup third round win over North Wales Crusaders last Sunday.

O’Carroll said: “We lacked intensity at the start of that game.

Eribe Doro finally got the ball rolling with this try last Sunday, as Bulls found themselves 2-0 down midway through the first half. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

“We can look at a difficult build up with injuries and illness but I don’t want to make excuses, because we’re still in control of how we turn up and start games.

“It can be very hard to turn things round after a slow start, so I commend the lads for doing that, but we’re not down in the dumps about that first 20 or 25 minutes last Sunday either.

“We had a very open and honest video review of the game on Tuesday night, where people got things off their chest and I think it was one of our best sessions of the year because of that.

“The players are fully aware of what they didn’t get right last Sunday, so I’m expecting a response from them at Keighley.”