JORDAN Baldwinson grew accustomed to a life less ordinary at Bradford last season, so he is happy to take his latest set of circumstances in his stride.

The 20-year-old prop is one of four Leeds Rhinos prospects spending a season-long loan at Featherstone Rovers and he will face the Bulls in tomorrow’s Championship clash.

The others are Mason Tonks, who arrived at Odsal from New Zealand Warriors with Baldwinson last March, Thomas Minns and Alex Foster.

Baldwinson, who made six Super League appearances in the red, amber and black, said: “I absolutely loved my time at Bradford – it was brilliant.

“Franny Cummins said he was really impressed with how I had done but a couple of months after I arrived he had gone. It was a shame because he was a great coach who gave me a lot of confidence.

“But obviously Jimmy Lowes took over and he’s a top coach too. I learnt a lot during my time there and all the boys were great.

“It was quite tough because Mason and I joined a team that was losing heavily every week – but I just looked at it as a great chance to gain Super League experience.

“I keep in touch with the younger boys, especially Alex Mellor as I’ve known him since we were kids and came through the England age-groups together. I was quite close to Mellor when I was at Bradford and I also keep in touch with Adam Brook and Nathan Conroy.

“I’ve spoken to Danny Addy a few times and I’m quite close to Vila Halafihi, who’s a great lad and he tells me he’s really enjoying it at Bradford.”

Baldwinson, from Beeston in South Leeds, has one abiding memory of his time as a Bradford player – the final-day 46-36 win at London Broncos.

He recalled: “It was a good game and we almost got beaten but we just managed to step it up in the last 20 minutes.

“Galey (Luke Gale) ran the show and that day was the highlight of my time there. To finish things off with the boys with a win was a great feeling.”

Baldwinson is highly regarded at Leeds and Brian McDermott is monitoring his performances for Featherstone. The 6ft 4in front-rower has started Rovers’ opening two games and is not short of guidance with Paul Wood and Garreth Carvell as team-mates.

Baldwinson said: “It’s massive for someone like me, especially being a prop forward. We played Hunslet the other week and Carvell was just tipping me up on my game, such as my line of running and the way I carry the ball, which is a big thing for me.

“He’s done it all, as has Paul Wood, and they’re going to help me to enhance my game and get better.”

Baldwinson has a busy schedule as he combines his training commitments at Leeds and Featherstone. He is contracted to the Rhinos until the end of 2017 and admitted: “In an ideal world, I’d love to go back to Leeds and maybe get a sniff around the first-team next year.

“I don’t expect it to happen overnight but I know that Brian Mac is watching me closely and how I’m doing at Fev. There’s a lot of hard work involved and it will take time but I’m willing to do it and I’m sure that, fingers crossed, one day I’ll get there.”

He is braced for a tough battle tomorrow, adding: “It will be strange because I used to look up to a few of those boys. I reckon Adam Sidlow and Adam O’Brien will be ones to watch because those two really impressed me when I was there.

“Lee Gaskell is another quality player – but I’m up for the challenge.”