Bradford Bulls are weighing up the prospect of a move to sign Caleb Aekins, as Featherstone Rovers brace themselves for the loss of another key player as their financial crisis continues to deepen.
Aekins is one of several players under contract at Featherstone for the 2026 season, but he may now be able to leave after their existing squad were informed there was a chance they may not be paid for the rest of this year – a story revealed by Love Rugby League last month.
Several Rovers stars have secured moves away from the club already, and Love Rugby League understands that Aekins may be next after he attracted interest from numerous clubs, with Bradford among them and firming as one of the favourites to land the Australian’s signature.
The Wales international has been one of the best players in the Championship for a prolonged period. He was magnificent during Leigh’s promotion-winning season in 2022, scoring 21 tries in 32 games.
That led to a move to Featherstone, where Aekins has scored 43 tries in 76 Championship games in the last three seasons. He was committed to Paul Cooke’s side for 2026, but that now looks to be increasingly unlikely to go ahead as planned.
That has alerted Bradford, who are pondering a move for the Wales international and giving him an opportunity to perform at the highest level in Super League.
Aekins made 19 appearances in the NRL for Penrith Panthers and Canberra Raiders before making the switch to England with Leigh in 2022.
He has long been considered a Super League player in waiting, and the 27-year-old now looks set to get his opportunity.
He would likely compete with Luke Hooley for a spot as Bradford’s first-choice fullback should any move be completed and the Bulls sign the New Zealand-born player.
Bradford have already made a string of impressive signings, with the likes of Jayden Nikorima and Eribe Doro on board for Kurt Haggerty’s side. Aekins now appears as though he could be next.