{"id":800929,"date":"2026-10-13T05:36:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T05:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/800929\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T05:36:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T05:36:12","slug":"how-bradford-bulls-are-shaping-up-ahead-of-2027-as-contracts-squad-depth-and-next-recruitment-focus-assessed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/800929\/","title":{"rendered":"How Bradford Bulls are shaping up ahead of 2027 as contracts, squad depth and next recruitment focus assessed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Bradford Bulls will remain in Super League for another season, despite finishing the 2026 campaign with the wooden spoon.<\/p>\n

For the first time since 2018, the side that finished the regular campaign last will not be relegated, with the competition\u2019s structure for next season still unknown.<\/p>\n

What we do know is that Kurt Haggerty\u2019s men will be involved, and with a trip to Las Vegas to look forward to, the Odsal outfit are hoping for a campaign that is much more injury-free, with countless serious blows forcing them into playing a much weaker squad than they had hoped.<\/p>\n

With some new additions set to add both punch in the pack and speed in the outside backs, Haggerty is continuously progressing his side for next season.<\/p>\n

However, as we delve into below, there are still some key positions that need some depth added to them if they are to lift off the bottom spot in 2027.<\/p>\n

The end of IMG, retiring Ryan Hall and Rugby League World Cup\u2019s paywall problem \u2013 Click here to watch the latest episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show<\/a><\/p>\n

A very early Bradford Bulls 2027 season preview<\/p>\n

2027 ins: John Bateman (North Queensland), James Bentley (Warrington), Nathan Connell (Widnes), Sam Eseh (Wigan), Jack Ormondroyd (Oldham), Leon Ruan (Hull KR), Ligi Sao (Hull FC), Cam Scott (Wakefield), Lachlan Walmsley (Wakefield)<\/p>\n

Most Read on Serious About Rugby League<\/p>\n

2027 outs: Guy Armitage (released), Chris Atkin (released), Jacob Bateman (Dewsbury), Riley Dean (Halifax), Brandon Douglas (released), Sam Hallas (Dewsbury), Joe Keyes (released), Dan Russell (released), Mitch Souter (released), Phoenix Steinwede (released)<\/p>\n

2027 squad depth and contract status:<\/p>\n

Full-back:\u00a0Caleb Aekins, Luke Hooley (2027), Nathan Connell (2028)<\/p>\n

Wingers:\u00a0Connor Wynne, Jayden Okunbor (2027), Ethan Ryan, Lachlan Walmsley (2028)<\/p>\n

Centres:\u00a0Waqa Blake (2027), Esan Marsters, Cam Scott (2028), Harvey Ward (unknown)<\/p>\n

Halves:\u00a0Rowan Milnes (2027), Jayden Nikorima (2028)<\/p>\n

Props: Ebon Scurr, Jamie Gill, Loghan Lewis, Eribe Doro, Ligi Sao, Jack Ormondroyd (2027), Ryan Sutton (2028), Sam Eseh (2029), Cameron Bate, Alfie Leake (unknown)<\/p>\n

Hooker:\u00a0Andy Ackers (2027)<\/p>\n

Back Row:\u00a0Zac Fulton, Leon Ruan (2027), Eliot Peposhi, John Bateman (2028*), James Bentley (2029) \u2013 Bateman has an extension option for 2029<\/p>\n

Loose Forward:\u00a0Joe Mellor, Will Gardiner (2027)<\/p>\n

Verdict:<\/p>\n

The Bulls have been open about the fact they are searching for a new half-back, and with Nikorima fairly injury-prone and Milnes not playing since April, a new playmaker is something that the Bulls are hoping to bring in.<\/p>\n

Staying with the spine, Bradford are healthy at full-back but could do with a hooker to complement Ackers. Souter has left the club, and whilst captain Mellor can fit in there, he\u2019s much more effective as a loose forward.<\/p>\n

The club have strengthened their pack with the signings of Bentley, Bateman and Sao, whilst the Grand Final-winning pair of Walmsley and Scott are a great pick-ups.<\/p>\n

Bradford Bulls\u2019 strongest XVII: Caleb Aekins, Ethan Ryan, Waqa Blake, Cam Scott, Lachlan Walmsley, Jayden Nikorima, Rowan Milnes, Ryan Sutton, Andy Ackers, Eribe Doro, James Bentley, John Bateman, Joe Mellor<\/p>\n

Bench:\u00a0Loghan Lewis, Ligi Sao, Sam Eseh, Luke Hooley<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bradford Bulls will remain in Super League for another season, despite finishing the 2026 campaign with the wooden…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":800930,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-800929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/800929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=800929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/800929\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/800930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=800929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=800929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=800929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}