How Bradford Bulls could line-up in 2026 with Esan Marsters one of nine ex-Salford Red Devils men in the 17

Bradford Bulls have had a major overhaul of their squad ahead of their return to Super League, with the club bringing in 15 players in one of the biggest recruitment drives in the division.

Their most recent addition saw them bring in Esan Marsters, following the liquidation of Salford Red Devils earlier this week. The Cook Islands international will reunite with former assistant boss Kurt Haggerty, something he is very excited for.

Former Wigan prop Ryan Sutton is arguably their biggest coup, as he signs after 7 years in Australia. Injury has seen him limited to only a handful of games in recent years, however when he is fit and firing, he has the potential to be one of the most dominant props in the league.

With their new signings in mind, we have taken a stab at predicting how Bradford Bulls will line-up come Round One, where they will face Hull FC at the MKM Stadium, ending their 12-year hiatus from the top flight.

How Bradford Bulls could line-up in 2026

Full-back: Caleb Aekins

The former Leigh and Featherstone man has never played Super League, but was part of the Leopards’ Championship-dominating squad in 2022, as they earned promotion with ease. After joining from the Rovers, Aekins will finally get his chance at the UK top flight, with the Bulls having Luke Hooley as their back-up, who performed well for them in the Championship last year.

Wingers: Jayden Okunbor and Ethan Ryan

The former Hull FC man will hope his second stint in Super League goes a lot better than his first, after failing to live up to expectations at the Black and Whites. He scored 23 tries in 30 games this season, which was by far the highest at the club.

Partnering him on the opposite flank will be Ryan, who returns to his hometown club for the first time since 2019. The 29-year-old is currently sitting on 98 Bulls appearances, and has 88 tries to his name, a strong season could see him reach a century in both of those stats.

Centres: Esan Marsters and Waqa Blake

The aforementioned Marsters will slot in at centre, and will replace Kieran Gill who has left the club to join Sheffield Eagles. A man with plenty of NRL and Super League experience, he can also play in the halves if needed and at full-back too, as he has done at international level.

Blake, meanwhile, will also be getting a Super League second chance, after his move to St Helens in 2024 didn’t go as well as he would have wanted. Rejuvenating himself at Bradford, he became one of the second tier’s strongest backs in 2025, and if he keeps his form going into Super League, will pose a threat to most oppositions.

Halves: Jayden Nikorima and Rowan Milnes

The pair have history, albeit very limited, in playing together, after they both featured in Salford Red Devils’ shock win over Warrington Wolves in August. Nikorima is yet another player to join from the now-liquidated club, whilst Milnes returns to Odsal after six seasons away, and in that time has gained experience at Hull KR and Castleford Tigers.

Props: Ryan Sutton and Eribe Doro

The starting props are arguably Bradford’s strongest position, with both signings bringing quality. Sutton, as mentioned, is a former NRL player, and featured 88 times in the Australian competition. There is doubts over his fitness, with him playing just two senior matches in the past two years, however it is a gamble worth taking by Bradford, and if it pays off, could be very lucrative.

Doro, meanwhile, was a fan favourite during his time at Odsal, and has now moved to the club on a permanent basis. Gaining experience with Hull KR and Warrington in his career, Doro is still only 24, and could be a mainstay in the Bulls side for many seasons to come.

Hooker: Andy Ackers

Moving from Leeds Rhinos, Ackers was the first ‘big-name’ signing that Bradford brought in, with them confirming the deal prior to their Super League confirmation.

A former England international, the former Toronto and London man is another player who is going back to work under Haggerty, following their time together at both Toronto and Salford.

Back row: Dan Russell and Zac Fulton

Following his exit from Warrington Wolves, Russell has landed himself another Super League opportunity, after joining the Bulls on a one-year deal. The former PNG international spent the majority of 2025 on loan at the Red Devils, meaning boss Haggerty knows all about his talents.

Fulton has made a name for himself at the Bulls since joining the club ahead of 2024. He has made 59 appearances in total, scoring 21 tries. The back rower was set to leave the club last winter, but opted to stay in Red, Amber and Black, in what has been a brilliant decision for both player and club.

Loose forward: Sam Hallas

Former Leeds academy product, Hallas, first made his Bulls debut in 2017, and has gone on to make 156 appearances for the club since, despite having stints elsewhere throughout that time. A member of the 2019 Challenge Cup squad that beat the Rhinos at Odsal, Hallas recently penned a new deal to stay at the club, and looks set to have a starting role in the top flight next year.

Bench: Joe Mellor, Ebon Scurr, Loghan Lewis, Ed Chamberlain