Wigan Warriors' Joe Bullock reflects on "mad start" after England Knights session

Joe Bullock has become a regular face in the Wigan side

He had his first taste of the international set-up as players from the England Knights and Elite Training Squad got together.

Prop Bullock was called into the Knights squad last month – one of five Warriors in the development squad – after making a strong start to his Super League career following a winter switch from Barrow.

“It has been a bit of a mad start to the year and to get that call up was amazing,” said the 26-year-old.

“It is another learning curve for me to learn off the experience of players like that. Hopefully at the end of the year you never know where it might end up.

“For me, it is like when I came into Wigan. I just want to learn and progress and get better and there is no better opportunity than to do that with England elite squad.

“I know I am involved with the Knights but we will train with the elite squad and learn off those senior players.

“It is a bit mad really. Sometimes my friends say to me, ‘How mad is this?’

“You would not have thought this a few years ago. It is good but I just want to keep on enjoying it and being a part of it all and keep trying to improve.

“Games would be nice but for me it is just an opportunity to be involved with that kind of squad. I’m just taking it session by session – just to be involved is really pleasing. It’s a great opportunity.”

Sam Powell, Liam Marshall and injured wingers Tom Davies and Dom Manfredi were also included in the Knights squad, with hopes a match will be arranged for later this year, while their

Wigan team-mates George Williams, Oliver Gildart, Joe Greenwood and Sean O’Loughlin are with the ETS.

They returned to training yesterday to begin preparations for the visit of London Broncos, who have lost their last six matches.

But Wigan need no reminding what the newly-promoted outfit are capable of, following an 18-16 loss in the capital in early March.

“We are getting there with our performances, hopefully we are on the rise now,” said Bullock.

“But London are definitely dangerous. We cannot under estimate them and that’s one thing we probably did when we went down there earlier in the year and got beat.

“We’ve got to prepare as though we’re playing Saints. I’ve been at the bottom of the league with Barrow and every game is like your cup final. You are always fighting so you’re never going to get an easy game against a team at the bottom because they have got so much desire to try and beat you.”