BRADFORD BULLS and head coach Mark Dunning have continued their impressive recruitment for the 2023 Championship with the signing of former Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity man Joe Arundel.
The 31-year-old has penned a one-year deal which will see him join the Odsal outfit the second time in his career following an impressive loan spell back in 2014.
Leeds-born Arundel came through the ranks at Castleford Tigers before top-flight spells at Hull FC and more recently, Wakefield Trinity.
Arundel admitted it was an easy decision to return to the Bulls.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to be back at the Bulls, the squad that has been put together looks exciting and I cannot wait to get started,” said Arundel.
“After speaking to Mark about the club’s goals for 2023 and seeing the signings that have been made it was a pretty easy decision to come to Bradford.
“I am hungry to succeed and want to be challenging for success – I want to bring some experience and control out on the edges, I feel I am someone that carries the ball well, runs good lines and am solid defensively.
“The Bradford fans have always been a very vocal and passionate group. When I came in 2014 and the club was going through some hard times they always stuck by the team. I am looking forward to getting out there and proving some concocted press comments wrong.”
Bradford boss Mark Dunning believes the capture of Arundel adds experience and hunger to his side ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2023 season.
“We have been talking for a couple of weeks now after we were made aware by his agent that he would be available so we are delighted to now get Joe in the building and finally get the deal done,” said Dunning, who is sponsored by Natalie Lane, on behalf of the Homeless Not Hopeless charity.
“He will bring some seniority to our backline; he still has that hunger to compete at the highest level and he will be a very experienced option for us having spent the majority of his career in Super League and at the top end of the Championship.
“From speaking to Joe, I know he isn’t happy with how 2022 panned out and he has a burning desire to get back out there in 2023 and put things right.
“The squad is looking good, there is lots of progress we can see from the start of pre-season and I am looking forward to getting the lads back in after a well-deserved new year’s break and ramp up the tempo heading towards the trial matches and that first game against Whitehaven.”
