CROSSLEY REJOINS AS AN ELITE ACADEMY ASSISTANT COACH

Bradford Bulls are delighted to announce Steve Crossley has re-joined the club as an Elite Academy Assistant Coach for the 2026 season. 

The boyhood Bradford fan represented the club on three separate occasions during a stellar playing career spanning 14 years, having come through the Bulls’ pathway to make his senior debut against Welsh outfit Crusaders in 2010. 

Crossley was appointed captain having returned to the club under John Kear in 2018, leading the side to promotion back to the Betfred Championship in 2018. 

Steve Crossley said: 

“It is a proud moment to be back, just as it was in my playing days. Schoey [Jonathan Schofield] and Ryan Hunkin gave me a call a few weeks ago to invite me down for a chat to see if I could assist with the Elite Academy and Reserves and whenever there is a chance to come back to Bradford I would always jump at it because of how proud I’ve been to represent the club. 

“I came through the Scholarship system all the way through to the First Team, there’s everything here for the younger lads to progress themselves and make themselves into a potential First Team Super League player at the Bulls. I’m very excited to share my story but also put them through what it takes to be able to do that in terms of discipline, attitude, work ethic and mental toughness. 

“I am a Bradford lad who was fortunate to captain his club for five years and there’s every opportunity for the younger lads to learn how to come through our system, I’ve still got a lot to offer them to help develop them and progress. I was one of the last to come through and make the step up whilst in Super League so it’s exciting to share those experiences. Club stalwarts like Paul Medley, Steve McNamara and Basil Richards were great help and support and if I can do half the job they did Bradford will have a bright future. 

“I thought after hanging my boots up I would walk away from the sport but after a year out I got the itch again, got asked by Queensbury one of Bradford’s community clubs to take them on and we ran away with the league and that gave me the buzz back. I have a lot of ideas I want to pass forward and I would like to go into being a Head Coach at some stage in my career.

“I’ve already been in touch with Kurt Haggerty, who I’ve played with and against, he’s had an excellent apprenticeship under Paul Rowley and will be an exciting addition for the Bulls. He’s going to play some exciting, free-flowing rugby and defend aggressively and that is my coaching philosophy too. It’s going to be an exciting year and I’m looking forward to it.” 

Head of Youth Ryan Hunkin said: 

“I first approached Steve last year about trying to get him back involved but the timing didn’t quite work but this year the opportunity has come about and he has been a key part of this club’s history and he’s got a love for Bradford. 

“He knows what it takes to get through a pathway and the advice he can give to the young lads is key. He’s a larger-than-life character and he’ll bring some energy in and around the environment for the younger lads. 

“He’s got a good idea of what it takes, society is different now and there’s more distractions, but he’s trodden the same path. He knows exactly what it takes to play at the highest level and he’ll be able to offer that advice consistently whether it’s on or off the field. He is a welcome addition to our coaching team and one that we’re hoping will pay off massively for the lads moving forward. 

“We can reference the Academy to First Team graduates we have on display at Tong which Steve is a part of. We have the likes of Ethan Ryan and Rowan Milnes coming back, getting that Bradford-born feel around the place through those who know what the community is like. The players will have reference points and that will be massively useful to our young kids moving forward.”