Winger Abi Ekoku is looking forward to returning to action when Bradford Bulls face St Helens in their Odsal friendly on Sunday.

The 31-year-old suffered a dislocation of his shoulder in the Bulls' final game of last season when they crashed out of the World Club Championship against Auckland Warriors.

Ekoku has spent the winter recuperating after surgeons reconstructed his shoulder and with coach Matthew Elliott saying that all the fit members of his first team squad will get a chance against Saints, he is looking forward to the game.

He said: "My recovery has been a gradual process but I am now desperate to get back into action. I only took part in contact training this week for the first time but it is not something that worries me.

"I have been joining in all the fitness work that the squad have undertaken but because of the type of injury I wasn't able to do certain weights or contact training.

"But it is a great game to make my return in. It is important for us to have a competitive game and St Helens at home is certainly that.

"Without this game we would have been without a game for about five weeks, which is too long."

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