Keighley Cougars get their Betfred League 1 campaign underway tomorrow at home to Cornwall, with Alex Bishop in line for a long-awaited debut.

The Australian, who can play at both hooker and half back, is a player with real talent, but one who has suffered terribly with injuries over the last couple of years.

His latest meant he was forced to undergo rehab throughout the whole of pre-season, but he is back in time for their opening league game, having been named in head coach Matt Foster’s 21-man squad for this weekend.

Lewis Hatton and Kyle Kesik were both injury doubts too, but they have also been selected.

There is no spot for former Bulls hooker Nathan Conroy however, who will have to wait to build on his debut display in the Challenge Cup defeat to Featherstone last time out.

This is the first of 20 league games for Cougars this season, as they look set to battle it out for the title with bookies’ favourites Oldham.

And Sean Long’s big-spenders have made a shrewd signing on the eve of the new season.

This one is only on loan, but it is a player those of a Cougars persuasion, as their former young full-back Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, now at Hull KR, has joined the Roughyeds on a season-long loan.

The now 20-year-old made his professional debut for Keighley at the age of just 17, in a friendly against Bradford Bulls in March 2021.