Bradford Bulls Academy
Encyclopedia
Bradford Bulls Academy
The Bradford Bulls Youth Development is the youth system of the rugby league club Bradford Bulls. It is one of the most famous and successful youth systems for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Bradford Bulls Youth Development consists of three main teams, the Senior Academy, the Junior Academy and the Service Area team. Youth Development system also includes scouting for the local area and education for the players in the academy teams.
Junior Players
The Bradford Bulls Youth Development is the youth system of the rugby league club Bradford Bulls. It is one of the most famous and successful youth systems for rugby league and has produced some of the best players in both rugby league and rugby union. The Bradford Bulls Youth Development consists of three main teams, the Senior Academy, the Junior Academy and the Service Area team. Youth Development system also includes scouting for the local area and education for the players in the academy teams.
The Senior Academy
The Senior Academy is the highest tier in the Youth Development system. Any players under the age of 21 years are eligible to play for the senior academy; the rules also permit three players over the age of 21 to play in academy matches. Most of the team is made up of fringe squad players and those first team player recovering from injury but also some of the best players from the junior academy are given experience in the senior academy. The Bradford Bulls Senior Academy is one of the best in the country and has produce more professional Rugby League players than any other Academy in the country. The success of the Bradford Bulls Academy has decreased in recent years, many Senior Academy players are promoted to the first team squad at quite a young age and either secure a first team places or are release to other clubs. This means that players from the junior academy players have been drafted into the senior academy but are often playing against opposition much older than themselves.Current U21 Players
| Player | Position | |
|---|---|---|
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Keale Carlile | Hooker |
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Tim Creak | Hooker/Pimp |
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Alex Szostak | Loose Forward |
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Keith Shackleton | Fullback |
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Larne Patrick | Second Rower |
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Richard Johnson | Centre |
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Eddie Kilroy | Centre |
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Luke Helliwell | Loose Forward |
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Johnny Horton | Hooker |
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David Clayton | Winger |
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Shaun Johnson | |
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Nathan Armitage | Second Rower |
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Neil Cherryholme | Prop |
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Dwayne Nelson | Winger |
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Francois Theresin | Winger |
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Steve Crossley | Prop |
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Dominic Dee | Second Rower |
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Paul Mennell | Scrum Half |
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Ben Naylor | Centre |
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Vinnie Finigan | Winger |
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Nigel Scott | |
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Jamie Shepherd | Loose Forward |
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Dominic Hitchen |
Junior Academy
The Junior Academy is the second tier in the Youth Development system. Any players under the age of 18 years are eligible to play for the senior academy unlike the Senior Academy no players over the age limit are allowed to play. Like the Senior Academy the Junior Academy has been one of the most successful academy sides in British Rugby League but have also suffered the effects of Senior Academy players being called up into the first team as Junior Academy players move up to the Senior Academy they are replaced 15 and 16 year old players. Some of the better Junior Academy players are given experience in the Senior Academy and it is not uncommon for some players to play regularly in both Junior and Senior Academy if eligible.Junior Players
| Player | Position | |
|---|---|---|
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Dwaine Smith | Centre |
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Vinny Finigan | Winger |
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David Clayton | Centre |
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Dwaine Nelson | Wing |
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Kieran Hyde | Scrum half |
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Ryan Smith | Hooker |
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Elliott Whitehead | Second Rower |
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Dwayne Straugheir | Loose Forward |
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Danny Addy | Loose Forward |
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Abdul Khan | Second Rower |
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Thomas Olbison | Centre |
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Joe Ford | Scrum half |
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Adam Walker | Prop |
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Will Schofield | Prop |
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Martin Sarsfield | Second Rower |
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Johnny Walker | Prop |
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Lewis Reed | Prop |
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Jordan White | Full back |
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Peter Murphy | Hooker |
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Aaron Lyons | Second Rower |
Former players
| Player | Position | Current Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Stand Off | St Helens RLFC |
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Wing | Harlequins Rugby League |
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