BATLEY BULLDOGS have bolstered their back-row options by bringing in experienced Brad England from North Wales Crusaders.
The much-travelled 31-year-old is the latest player to leave the troubled Crusaders, for whom he turned out eight times this year, notching three tries.
England was last season’s players’ and fans’ player of the year at Keighley, but controversially sought a release from his Cougar Park contract in December to switch to the Colwyn Bay club.
He had joined Keighley, originally on loan, in June 2024 from Featherstone, where he played under current Batley coach James Ford.
On signing him for Rovers, Ford said: “He’s a tough, uncompromising player who bases his game on effort and his strength of carry. He will provide competition for us both in middle and edge back-row positions.”
Before that England spent three years (2021 to 2023) at Bradford after four at Doncaster, having cut his teeth at senior level with spells at Gloucestershire All Golds and Featherstone in 2015.
At that time, the Pontefract-born Normanton Knights junior product was with the old Salford, having previously been in the development systems of Castleford and Leeds.
England’s father Keith, also a forward, was a Great Britain international and Castleford stalwart who helped the club win the Challenge Cup against Hull KR in 1986.
Brad England became a Wembley winner when in 2007, he scored the decisive try when Freeston High, from Normanton, beat Castleford High in the Year 7 National Schools final, a curtain-raiser to the St Helens-Catalans showdown.