HARRY Siejka admits his close pal Jake Mullaney has been one of the Bulls’ best players in the two matches he has been banned for.

Siejka is available again and hoping to return at scrum half at Batley on Sunday after being suspended for the emphatic wins against Featherstone and Hunslet.

Head coach Jimmy Lowes has decided on his team for this weekend but is remaining tight-lipped and Siejka is anxiously waiting to discover whether he will be recalled.

To add to the conundrum, Ryan Shaw has also performed admirably at full back in the past two games, so Lowes could stick with a winning formula.

Siejka, who copped his ban after being sinbinned twice against Leigh, said: “I’m hoping I get the nod to play and should find out at the weekend when we do the captain’s run.

“It’s been pretty frustrating when you’re not injured and are sat watching on the sidelines on account of something you’ve done yourself.

“I think a lot of what happened against Leigh in the opening game came from me getting sinbinned twice to be honest.

“I lost my head and it’s not good if your half-back is losing his head as you can’t do too much as a team.

“I’ll take the blame for that but, since then, the boys have moved through the gears and to score 96 points in two weeks is awesome.

“Jake and Gasky did a really good job while I was banned and so did Shawy at full back.

“It’s going to be hard to get back into the team, but I’ll do what I can.”

Siejka and Mullaney are neighbours in Headingley and travel to training and socialise together.

The close-season signing from Wakefield added: “We’ve got a 30-strong squad with players who can slot into the team in various positions and do a good job.

“It’s tough not playing but it’s not tough seeing one of your good mates playing so well.

“Jake was one of our best performers when he filled in at scrum-half, which is a credit to him because he’s a great player and he showed that.

“We’re good mates away from rugby. We live around the corner from each other and I got to know him a bit last year when he went to a soccer game together with a mutual friend.

“There has been a bit of banter between us this week but it’s all good fun and if Jake gets the nod ahead of me I won’t be getting upset.

“I’ll be happy for him and it will just mean I have to work harder.

“At a couple of other clubs, if players aren’t getting picked they are whinging behind the scenes.

“But I think with this team, everyone is generally happy for the boys who are playing in the matchday 17.

“Likewise, with the guys who are out injured, we all want them to come back fit and healthy and add something to the group.

“If we can keep building, then come the Super Eights we should be firing on all cylinders when we face the Super League sides.

“That’s a good thing and from one to 30, everyone is chipping in. I think that is showing on the field as well.”

Lowes warned yesterday that Siejka had “no divine right” to immediately return to the team.

The Bulls boss said: “I’ve made my decision and it’s not been a tough decision at all whether I do or I don’t recall Harry.

“It’s part of the job and I know my side for the weekend.

“I signed Harry as my number seven but form will determine a lot of selections and nobody has got a divine right to walk back in.

“That’s what you want because it puts pressure on the boys to perform, which is the biggest thing.”

Lowes said he expects to choose from a similar squad to last weekend with a handful of players on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, former Cougars scrum half Scott Leatherbarrow has become Batley’s latest injury victim ahead of Sunday’s visit of the Bulls.

Leatherbarrow faces an operation on a broken hand and is expected to be sidelined for between eight to 12 weeks.

Full back James Craven, another ex-Keighley player, is missing with a knee injury and Ayden Faal is out with a shoulder problem.