Bulls off-season recruit Ryan Hudson has little chance of ever appearing for the club after last night being handed the maximum two-year ban for taking the banned anabolic steroid stanozolol.

Hudson pleaded guilty to the offence at a Rugby Football League tribunal in Leeds but claimed he had unknowingly taking the substance in a dietary supplement while on holiday in Australia before linking up with the Bulls for pre-season training.

However, an RFL tribunal headed by high court judge Peter Charlesworth rejected his appeal for leniency, imposing what it described as a "mandatory two-year ban".

Hudson is almost certain to be sacked by the Bulls, who have consistently said they will not support staff members found guilty of doping offences. Chairman Chris Caisley said he would meet with his board today to discuss the outcome of last night's hearing.

Twenty five-year-old Hudson, who was part of the Great Britain squad 18 months ago, was tested in December, just days after joining the Bulls on a three-year, £255,000 contract from relegated Castleford Tigers. He was suspended by the Bulls on January 20 when the club received news of his positive test and his two-year suspension has been backdated to that date.

Hudson's solicitor, Richard Cramer, said he was considering an appeal against the severity of the record-equalling sentence, which is the longest imposed since Halifax captain Jamie Bloem was suspended for two years for taking nandrolone while a Doncaster player in 1995.

"Ryan is devastated," said Cramer. "He is going to pay a very, very heavy price for a moment of indiscretion, an act of stupidity."

Any appeal will likely centre on the fact that London Broncos wing Dom Peters received just a 12-month sentence for testing positive for stanozolol in 2003.

Meanwhile, current Irish international Ged Corcoran was banned for three months after providing a sample containing ephedrine.

Leeds Rhinos players Keith Senior and Ryan Bailey escaped bans for the same offence during the latter stages of last season.

Australian forward Danny Williams has been found not guilty of refusing to provide a urine

sample as he had not yet signed a contract at new club London Broncos when he was approached by testers.

He has yet to play for the Broncos because of an 18-match suspension carried over from his spell with Melbourne Storm but is now pencilled in to make his comeback against Leigh on Easter Monday.