Ben Evans will make his long-awaited debut for the Bulls in this weekend’s Tetley’s Challenge Cup fourth-round tie at Rochdale.

The Warrington forward is on a season-long loan at the Provident Stadium but has been sidelined since pre-season due to a long-standing hip injury which required surgery.

With his rehabilitation now complete, Evans is raring to go as he bids to finally kick-start his career.

Coach Francis Cummins, who could be boosted by the return of several players for Sunday’s game, said: “Ben needs to play and this weekend will be a good one for him.

“He’s been through the toughest part of his career. There’s nothing worse than being injured and being out for a long time.

“It’s worse when you only just start to feel part of a group but you can’t chip in and help out your mates because you’re injured.

“It’s been really difficult for Ben and even the nature of his injury meant he wasn’t able to come to training every day, so we had to put him up in a hotel.

“But Ben has got a lot of character and although he’s had a rough time, it will become easier for him now.”

The 20-year-old Wales international, who hopes to represent his country in the World Cup later this year, looks set to be one of several changes from last weekend’s defeat to Wigan.

Jamie Foster, John Bateman, Matty Blythe and Tom Olbison are all hoping to come back into contention to face the Championship One outfit.

Cummins said: “We’re limited in what we can do because we haven’t got a massive squad. But we might have a few people back, so the timing of the game is good in that it allows us to get a game under people’s belts.

“But I can’t afford to rest four, five or six players because we haven’t got that sort of squad.

“We’ve got to be professional and, while we are facing a lower-placed team, it’s more about how we approach the game.

“I’ve no concerns about that. On the back of the first half against Wigan, the boys are really keen to kick on again now.”