Bulls assistant coach Francis Cummins has backed new recruit Elliot Kear to take Odsal by storm next season.

The 22-year-old wing penned a three-year deal with Bradford earlier this month after turning down an offer from rivals Widnes.

Kear rose to prominence with Crusaders but left the Wrexham-based outfit in the wake of their financial woes which forced them to quit Super League.

An established Wales international, Cardiff-born Kear is expected to feature for Iestyn Harris’s side in their Four Nations opener against England at Leigh tomorrow.

Cummins revealed he had been aware of Kear for some time and believes he will flourish for Mick Potter’s side in 2012.

The former Leeds assistant coach said: “A couple of years ago I went down to Crusaders with the Rhinos and saw Elliot in action.

“He caught Brent Webb and I remember speaking to the coaches at Leeds about him and saying ‘who is this kid?’ “There has been a feeling around the game about Elliot for a while now but it’s worth remembering that he’s only four years old as a rugby league player.

“He played union until he was 17 or 18 but he has done very well since switching codes and has showed himself capable of playing in Super League.”

Kear, who joins former Crusaders team-mate Jarrod Sammut at Odsal, has followed the Bulls closely since he switched from union to league as a teenager and, although ostensibly a wing, he can also fill in at full back.

Cummins added: “He can carry the ball very well, he has great pace and is very good out of dummy half.

“Basically, Elliot can determine his own career path because he has all the fundamentals to succeed.”