Bulls Aussie recruits get Boxing Day runout

Bradford Bulls have announced a strong squad for their Boxing Day clash against Castleford Tigers at the Jungle.

Three of the club’s new Australian recruits, Brett Kearney, Heath L’Estrange and Glenn Hall, will all make their debuts alongside Stuart Reardon who has rejoined the Bulls this year, in what is virtually the strongest side the club can field at the moment.

Brett Kearney will start the game at Scrum Half rather than stand-off, where he is earmarked to feature in 2010 and he will be partnered by 19 years old Danny Addy, who was part of the under-18s side that narrowly missed out on a place in the Academy Championship Grand Final last season.

Academy products Jason Crookes, Elliott Whitehead and James Donaldson, who all featured in the First Team last season, also get their chance to impress from the start, many of the club’s talented youngsters will be given a run-out after the break.

First-team squad members Steve Crossley, Tom Olbison, Kieran Hyde, Andy Tate, Joe Wardle and the Burgess twins, George and Tom, will be among those who will feature in some part of the game

Bulls Coach Steve McNamara said: “The starting team will play the majority of the first half and we will use the second half to look at more Academy players. I’m really keen for that group to get some contact and some game time, which is important for them at this stage.”