JOHN Kear is hoping to be proved wrong by Bulls new signing Sam Barlow.

The forward is looking to resurrect his career after a four-year ban for disrupting a drugs test. He also assaulted an official from the UK Anti-Doping Agency.

The Scottish international’s suspension finished at the end of November and he had been training with Halifax before joining the Bulls on a one-year deal.

Kear is backing Barlow to put the past behind him and regain the form he displayed for Leigh before the lengthy absence.

But he expects that to take time – something the 31-year-old thinks can happen very quickly.

The Bulls coach admits he would be happy to lose that argument.

Kear said: “I think he will be ring rusty but he will get back to where he was a third or halfway through the season.

“Sam seems to think he’ll be back to that form in a couple or three games. So, I hope he’s right and I’m wrong.

“One thing Sam has never lacked is confidence. Anyone who knows him will testify to that.”

Kear revealed the negotiation with Barlow took nine weeks to hammer out before he could him make one of five new recruits during the off-season.

“It was a real tough one,” he added. “Sam sees that he can get back but obviously I was perhaps a little more cautious.

“We’ve had to come to a compromise.”

Kear carefully considered Barlow’s chequered history before committing to a contract offer but he is confident that the player has matured during his absence from the game.

“Of course it came into my thinking,” he said.

“But my philosophy with regards to people is if they make a mistake, don’t just write them off.

“What you try and do is give them a second chance – and one in a stable environment that will allow them to achieve what they could before.

“I believe that as a person and I believe that as a rugby league coach.”