Vinny Finigan is ready and waiting to answer the Bulls’ call.
Farmed out to Sheffield Eagles on a dual-registration deal last month, the 21-year-old winger wants to prove his worth to boss Mick Potter.
Despite an eye-catching start to Super League life – scoring four tries in five appearances late last season – Finigan has found opportunities limited this year.
Restricted to appearances for Bradford’s under-20s, he jumped at the chance to join Bulls team-mate Jason Crookes by signing dual-registration terms with the Eagles.
He said: “It’s good to be at Sheffield. It’s just about improving and as long as I’m playing well I’m happy.
“If you keep improving and play well that’s all anyone wants. There’s people in front of me at Bradford but when the chance comes I’m ready to take it. I’m just waiting for that call.
“I want to play at Bradford, that’s my goal. But if I can’t do that, I’d much rather be playing somewhere else so I can get the experience.
“It’s not ideal when you’ve got to play reserves each week because you’re not progressing as a player, so this was a chance I grabbed with both hands.
“You’re playing against men rather than young lads.
In the reserves I was often the oldest guy in the squad, which says a lot.”
Finigan has made a good start in South Yorkshire, scoring twice in two Champion-ship outings, while earning man of the match honours on his debut against Toulouse.
But the Bulls academy product understands consistency is key in targeting a return to Super League action.
He said: “I was happy with my first performance. A lot of people played well in that game but I scored a try and got man of the match.
“I was privileged to get that in my first game but it’s all about finding consistency.
“The team’s going well because we’ve won three in a row and it looks good on us but we have to make sure we keep it up.
“Mark Aston is a good coach and he’s done well with me and Crookes. The management are good and the set-up is good so I’m enjoying it.”
Both Finigan and Crookes have been keeping busy, combining Eagles duties with regular Bulls training and even extra weights sessions.
Early starts and late finishes have quickly become a regular part of Finigan’s training schedule in a bid to equip himself better for first-grade rugby league.
He said: “I’ve got a specific training programme to help my development and I’m doing extra sessions to try and get bigger.
“We’ll do a lot of double days where we start at 7am with swimming, then gym and rehab. Then you’ll go to training with the rest of the lads after that.
“I train Wednesday and Friday so it’s not too bad. It keeps me busy but it’s all stuff you have to do to keep improving.”
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