Bradford Bulls have signed former Castleford star Kieran Gill on a two-yea deal.
The 25-year-old, who came through the Academy ranks at Castleford Tigers, has scored an incredible 48 tries in 43 appearances for Newcastle Thunder, including 14 tries in 2021.
Gill, who stands tall at 6ft 3in, scored four tries for the Tigers having made his first team debut in 2016 before enjoying prolific loan spells at Oldham RLFC prior to joining the Thunder.
Our first new recruit for 2022 insists he is relishing the new challenge – and is looking forward to playing in front of the Bradford supporters.
“It is great to have got the deal over the line, I had a great time at Newcastle but now is the time for a new challenge and to be back home in Yorkshire,” said Gill.
“There is a lot of experience in the Bradford side and the club is going places a lot of clubs want to – this is the path I want to be on.
“As an away player it is a big ordeal going to Odsal with the home supporters against you so to be able to class them as my home supporters is on a different level and I can’t wait to show them what I am capable of.
“My aim is to get into Super League with Bradford – having spoken to John Kear and Mark Dunning that is what drove me to the club.
“I just want to prove my worth week in, week out – whilst scoring tries and picking up points with the team.
“I am a calm, level-headed bloke, I want to do everything I can for the team and take them hard yards and then hopefully retrieve the rewards on the back of it – I am on the back end of a lot of tries but as long as we get the points I will do my best to score as much as possible.”
Bradford boss John Kear admits Gill is a player he has admired for a long time – hailing him as a ‘significant and important signing’.
“I am really pleased – he is a player I have admired since he was at Castleford, he went to Newcastle and demonstrated just what a good strike player he is,” said Kear, who is sponsored by Bradford Bulls Banter.
“He can play anywhere in the three quarters, he adds competition and he is a tall kid so he is good under the high ball – we are very pleased and he is a significant and important signing.
“I was surprised when Castleford let him go, I watched him in his junior career but when he left he has looked accomplished in League One and in the Championship.
“You only have to look at the try scoring charts and although he is at Newcastle, who aren’t towards the top end of the table he is still at the top end, that gives the fans an indication as to why we have worked to get him here.
“He is a part of the jigsaw for 2022 and there’ll be other parts of the jigsaw to come in due course.”
