Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty has explained what fans can expect from his side in 2026, whilst revealing the big motivation behind three specific signings.
Haggerty is taking on his first head coaching role with the former Salford Red Devils assistant joining the Bulls ahead of their 2026 campaign.
He coached his first game on Sunday, guiding the Bulls to a win over Doncaster in a pre-season friendly that saw a large number of the club’s 16 recruits gain valuable playing time.
Whilst the fans who attended saw what Bradford will be all about in 2026, Haggerty had explained his playstyle when speaking to BBC Radio Leeds in the build-up of the game.
Having come through the Salford system and worked alongside Paul Rowley, it’s perhaps no surprise that Haggerty will commit to an attacking style of rugby.
“I’ve spoke openly about the style of playing and we will play rugby,” he explained.
“I’m not the five drives and make a kick type of coach. I never have been and I never will be, so that’s what I believe in.
“We’ll certainly move the ball and I’d like to think we’ll put a brand on the field that Bradford Bulls fans will enjoy watching.”
Bulls set to ‘challenge every week in Super League’
For much of the Paul Rowley era at Salford, the Red Devils were seen as the great entertainers of Super League and with Haggerty at the helm and a number of Salford players signing for the Bulls, including key spine players like Joe Mellor and Jayden Nikorima, then perhaps Bradford will be the side to watch in 2026.
Haggerty noted the impact of those Salford recruits, explaining: “Bringing some of the Salford players over with me from my previous club has kind of really helped. I’ve almost had another set of coaches on the field which has really helped that style, particularly defensively, so that’s really helped us.”
As for the club’s recruitment in general, the largest of any Super League side with 16 new faces arriving, Haggerty wouldn’t be drawn on a rating out of ten but did say: “I think we’ve done a good job and we’ll challenge every week in Super League.”
Whilst several Salford players have arrived, three others have come from Hull KR with Eribe Doro and Rowan Milnes returning, whilst back-rower Leon Ruan is another to sign.
Tapping into players who have spent time in an elite system with a winning mentality like at KR was something that Haggerty noted when discussing that trio’s addition.
He said: “I think it was really important because they’re all young men, they’ve all been in winning environments.
“What they’ve added to the environments already is that training and intensity that can only put us in good stead.”
Haggerty explains how Bradford Bulls snapped up fan favourite
Eribe Doro was a signing that the Bulls were particularly pleased to land with the prop returning to Odsal and Haggerty explained how that came about, explaining Bradford acted quickly to get a deal done.
Haggerty said: “Eribe become available, which we didn’t think he would, and we had six weeks to recruit a team and it’s very hard to pinpoint who you want to sign. It’s more of who’s available, who’s potentially coming off contracts or something may be happening here so we can get a player over the line.
“Then Eribe became available and we struck straight away. I spoke to Brian Noble, Lee Greenwood, and Jason Hirst about him and they had nothing but praise for Eribe.
“Since I’ve been with him, he’s been fantastic. He values what a winning environment looks like, he’s brought a lot of energy, he’s physical and aggressive so there’s a lot of Eribe’s game that I like.”
As for what his role will look like, Haggerty expects the young prop to take the step up: “Well Eribe wants to play every week and that’s the next challenge in his career. He wants to come in and be in the 17 every week.
“Eribe needs to show me that he’s ready to start Super League every week so it was a process he needs to go through to keep getting that experience but everything that he has brought, I’m really happy with.”
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