Squads are being filled out ahead of the 2024 campaign and now Championship side Batley Bulldogs have tied down a key member of their spine, signing Wakefield Trinity’s Robbie Butterworth.
Butterworth debuted for Trinity at full-back in Super League last season during the club’s injury crisis, a tough first Super League shift in the windy Wakefield conditions.
From then he was sent out on loan deals with the 21-year-old featuring for both London Broncos and then Swinton Lions, his spell with the Lions coming during the end of season run in during which he helped them win three of their remaining five to retain their Championship status.
He now leaves Trinity and joins Championship side Batley Bulldogs with the team looking to build on the past two seasons which have offered them varying degrees of success.
The 2022 campaign saw the Bulldogs finish fifth in the Championship but they made it all the way to the play-off final where they fell short to the dominance of then Leigh Centurions.
As for the 2023 campaign and Batley just missed out on making the play-offs with the sixth spot going down to points difference, the Bulldogs just 13 points short of York Knights in sixth place.
They did however make a Wembley appearance in the 1895 Cup final, scoring one of the best tries Wembley has ever seen on the hooter but sadly missing the conversion to take the game to extra time.
Now Batley find themselves in a new era with Craig Lingard having left to take on the Castleford Tigers role, Lingard’s departure marking the end of a four year stint as head coach of the club whom he played for between 2001 and 2006.
Mark Moxon will now lead the club in 2024 and Butterworth becomes yet another signing, likely to play in the halves given that the Bulldogs have signed Whitehaven full-back Josh Rourke earlier in the off-season.
The Bulldogs confirmed Butterworth’s arrival via social media platform X, formerly Twitter, with the following statement.
“We’re thrilled to add exciting youngster Robbie Butterworth to The Bulldogs Squad for 2024.
“A Half or Full Back, Robbie made his Super League debut for Wakefield Trinity last season before joining Swinton Lions on loan, playing a key role in their dramatic Championship survival.”
Batley fans will first get a chance to see Butterworth in action when the team begin their pre-season games, the first of which comes on Boxing Day away to promoted Dewsbury Rams at the FLAIR Stadium.
