Michael joined the Bulls from Castleford after the Tigers were relegated from Super League at the end of 2006. An attacking Full Back with tremendous pace, he started his career at Salford and moved on to Rochdale before joining Castleford for the 2005 season. Started his first season at the club with a bang, scoring two hat tricks and finishing with a total of 14 tries and was a member of the Gt. Britain Squad for the Internationals against the Kiwis. He is in the middle of a three year contract with the club and fought back strongly last year after losing his Full Back spot to Dave Halley, finishing the season in fine form for the Bulls in the Centre.
Michael started his career at the Salford City Reds, joining them from Blackbrook Royals ARLFC and made his debut in Super League against the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the final game of the 2001 season at just 17. He made 16 appearances for the Reds, scoring 5 tries before being released by the club and he was snapped up by Rochdale Hornets. His impressive debut season was somewhat blighted by a broken jaw, but this not stop him from winning the National League's Young Player of the Year award in 2004, having scored 11 tries in his 22 appearances for the Hornets.
His form was duly noted and it was not long before he attracted the attention of Super League clubs but he chose to join Castleford Tigers and helped them gain promotion in 2005. The subsequent Super League season was a difficult one with the Tigers struggling at the wrong end of the Super League table but Michael still managed to score 7 tries. However, after a heartbreaking 29-17 defeat against Wakefield in the final game of the season, Castleford were relegated. In all he scored 23 tries in his 55 appearances for the Tigers.
Due to the Tigers relegation in 2006, many players' contracts became null and void and Platt subsequently joined the Bradford Bulls in October 2006. However Castleford claimed that Platt had no such clause in his contract enabling him to become a free agent after their relegation and so would remain a Tigers player. A RFL tribunal also ruled in favour of the Tigers in this respect. Eventually Bradford and Castleford agreed terms on a transfer for £10,000 and Platt was unveiled again as a Bulls player shortly before Christmas 2006, more than two months after he had originally signed.
Michael started his Bulls career in great form by scoring 14 tries in the opening 13 games of the Super League XII season, including hat-tricks against Warrington and his former club, Salford. Last season he consolidated his place at Full Back in the squad and signed a new three year deal to keep him at the Grattan Stadium until the end of 2011.
Michael was called up for the Great Britain Train on Squad for the 2007 test series with New Zealand, and played at full back for the prestigious Northern Union game against All Golds in the Centenary Match. He was overlooked for the Tests and subsequently declared his allegiance with Ireland with whom he enjoyed a successful World Cup in 2008.
Bulls Career details to end of 2009 season:
Apps 64, Sub 4, Tries 23, Points 92
Michael Platt is sponsored by John Doran