THE Bulls are confident of making Hull KR rookie Adam Rooks “oven ready” for Super League next season.

The 19-year-old forward recently joined on a season-long loan as part of the deal that took five Bradford players to Craven Park.

John Kear believes Rooks can step up his game with regular action in the Championship after quickly negotiating the deal to bring him in as well as returning half back Rowan Milnes.

Kear admitted that the potential of Rooks jumped out at him while watching Hull KR. He had been focusing on another player when the teenager grabbed his attention.

He said: “As part of the agreement when Elliot Minchella and company went there, we obviously got a sizeable fee, Rowan Milnes and it was written in we had another season-long loan signing as well.

“I asked for Dean Hadley knowing full well I wouldn’t get him. But if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

“Hull Kingston Rovers obviously came back with somebody else and that’s when I did my due diligence.

“I watched some first-team games that this individual featured in.

“I was obviously aware of Rooks because he’s played for Yorkshire and England academy.

“But while watching the Warrington game from last year to see this other guy, Adam came on and he was just like a bundle of enthusiasm.

“He was playing as an edge player and then he went into the middle. He showed his versatility and I was thinking, ‘This kid has got something’.

“So, I then went back with him in mind and it happened from there. I flagged it up to them and we got the negotiation sorted very quickly in about four days.”

Rooks, who played alongside Bulls youngsters Harry Shackleton and Ethan O’Hanlon for the Yorkshire and England academy, made six appearances for Hull KR in 2019 – including five in the Super League.

Kear believes his arrival, one of five new faces over the winter, will provide a “great fit” for the Bulls.

“We aren’t blessed with edge back-rowers,” he added. “Obviously Connor Farrell and Evan Hodgson are there and then we’ve got two youngsters in the reserves.

“Adam is learning the game but he’s obviously a fair way down his development. He’s played some Super League games and we need to remember that.

“He’s played representative rugby at academy level so he’s experienced that and we really do feel he can be a big asset to us in a position that we needed.

“He’s still young but he’s also had some great tuition previously and I know Tony Smith rates him very highly indeed.

“Tony isn’t just writing him off. He wants him to get a season playing at a very good level and then hopefully he’ll be oven-ready for Super League.”

The Bulls have also brought in Greg Johnson, Anthony England, Sam Barlow and Levy Nzoungou, who officially signs for the club on New Year's Day.