HULL FC have swooped for St Helens duo Joe Batchelor and James Bell.
Batchelor has made the move to Hull from Saints on a three-year deal after spending seven seasons with the Merseyside club.
“I’ve been watching everything that’s been happening at the club from afar this year and everything I’ve seen so far has made me really excited to be a part of it,” Batchelor told hullfc.com.
“It was a really difficult decision for me to leave St Helens and it was one that wasn’t taken lightly. I’ve had some really good times there and I’ve got a lot of respect for the club, so it had to be a really exciting opportunity to draw me away.
“I realised that the opportunity at Hull was something that is aligned to what Rugby League is about for me. It’s an exciting challenge ahead and I can’t wait to get my teeth into it.
“The first thing for me is that I’ve got to earn the respect of the group. What they’ve done this year can’t be underestimated, and how tight they all are is really impressive, so I’ve got to make sure I come in and earn their respect.”
Bell has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Black and Whites, a contract that will see the Scotland international remain a Hull FC player until at least the end of the 2028 season.
Bell started out at New Zealand Warriors in 2017, but made the switch to the Northern Hemisphere when he signed for Toulouse Olympique in 2019.
He was signed by Leigh Leopards in 2021 when the club returned to Super League, but his time at Leigh Sports Village was brief, as he moved to St Helens ahead of the 2022 campaign.
Saints has become Bell’s home over the last four seasons, scoring nine tries in 81 appearances, as well as winning a Grand Final and a World Club Challenge bout with Penrith Panthers along the way.
Speaking to hullfc.com for the first time, Bell said: “I’m really excited to get involved, but most importantly for me, I’m super excited to earn the respect and trust of my new team mates next year.
“My game is all about energy and experience. But there’s still plenty of room for me to keep learning from John Cartwright, as well as playing with somebody as skilful as John Asiata.
“I grew up playing with and against Sam Lisone, Herman Ese’ese and Ligi Sao. So I know a few of the boys over at Hull, but I can’t wait to get stuck in and meet all of the other boys to start building those relationships.
“As I said earlier, my intention is to come over and earn the respect from everybody in the Hull FC family. That’s not just the players and coaches, but also the staff at the club and the fans in the stands.”