MARK Dunning still expects Michael Lawrence to lead out the Bulls in their Championship curtain-raiser with Whitehaven.

The new skipper has been “wrapped in cotton wool” since falling ill a couple of weeks ago.

Lawrence was not risked in either pre-season game against Dewsbury or Leeds.

But Dunning has no qualms about the former Huddersfield warhorse diving straight into action at Odsal on Sunday - providing Lawrence ticks all the boxes.

The Bulls head coach said: “Michael’s missed a couple of weeks of training with an illness, that’s all. There are no problems whatsoever.

“It’s nothing to worry about but, as with anybody in the squad, they’ve got to tick certain boxes in training for me.

“Although he’s our club captain, he’s got to do certain things on the training field that allows us to put him up for selection. That’s the new culture within this group.

“I know he’s a good pro who keeps himself in really good shape and he’ll be ready to go for Whitehaven.”

The Bulls are still waiting on Keven Appo’s visa green light to clear him to fly into West Yorkshire.

Dunning believes the Papua New Guinea World Cup star is joining the club for all the right reasons.

“We’re obviously paying him, Keven’s not come over here to work for free or anything.

“But we’re not throwing daft money at him. He’s coming because he wants to play for the Bradford Bulls.

“I know full well he had different offers within the English game and he decided that the Bradford Bulls was right for him.

“That is part of the culture and people being in the building who want to be here. That’s something we are really keen on.”