Bradford Bulls have announced the signing of experienced Super League forward Michael Lawrence on a two-year deal from Huddersfield Giants.
The 32-year-old, who featured for Jamaica in this year’s Rugby League World Cup, has made over 300 appearances in the Claret and Gold having made his debut in 2007 at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Lawrence was awarded a testimonial year in 2019 for over 10 years loyal service, with the Bradford Bulls providing the opposition in his testimonial fixture.
Having made the transition to forward from outside back, the Huddersfield-born star was Super League’s top tackler in 2020 – and cannot wait to get going.
“I am really excited – I had a good meeting earlier this week with Brian Noble and i have spoken with Mark and I am really excited about the direction the club is travelling in and I want to be a part of that for the next two years,” Lawrence said.
‘On a personal level, it is a step out of the comfort zone into a different environment having been at Huddersfield for 15 years.
“I reached a stage where I felt I needed a new challenge and a new environment, Brian and Mark had a lot of things to say that were really positive, this is a club with a massive history, I grew up watching them in the late 90s/early 00s when they were the best club in the world. This is a famous club and I am looking forward to getting started.
“I want to continue playing great rugby, I want to contribute on the field and to contribute to the environment. With the leadership qualities I have developed having captained Huddersfield at 13 and been in the leadership group since, that experience I have had can help the younger players and help build a great culture – and a winning culture too.
“The players that have come in have excited me, Bodene has massive experience, Jack Walker is a great player and in the spine there’s Tom (Holmes), Jordan Lilley and Dec (Patton) so it has all the ingredients to be successful, I wanted to be a part of that and I think I can contribute.
“The Bradford fans have always been a very vocal, passionate group – I have always loved playing at Odsal so to have them on side will be great, I am looking forward to getting out there, you will see I work hard in the way I play. I look forward to getting started, ripping in and making a positive contribution.”
Bradford Bulls head coach Mark Dunning has hailed Lawrence’s capture as a ‘massive coup’.
“I am absolutely delighted, this is a deal that has been going on for a while and we are over the moon to get it over the line,” said Dunning, who is sponsored by Natalie Lane.
“He is very much a ‘know how’ player, he is a player that is no holes barred, he rips into everything he does, he is a quality individual who we are really looking forward to joining the group and adding to what we have already got.
“We have brought in some experience with the likes of Bodene Thompson and Michael is right up alongside Bodene in terms of quality. He is a side before self person which is exactly what we’re looking for, the one percenters Michael does are invaluable to any team.
“We are building a mixture of youth and experience across the board to guide us through sticky situations when our backs are against the wall, Michael ticks that box with his youthful energy and extensive experience and its a massive coup for this club to get a player of his calibre at a great time in his career.
“The positive effect it will have on the younger blokes in particular will be invaluable, it will bring them on leaps and bounds and it is a really exciting deal for the club.
“Michael would not come here if he didn’t believe in what we are trying to do, all the players we have brought in have full belief in what we are trying to do to get this club back to where it needs to be, but by earning our way there.”
