Paul Sykes leaves Bradford Bulls for Wakefield loan

7:03am Thursday 29th March 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Ross Heppenstall, Bradford Bulls Reporter

Paul Sykes in action against Salford last weekend Paul Sykes in action against Salford last weekend

Paul Sykes has joined Super League rivals Wakefield on loan for the rest of the season.

The 30-year-old, who was a member of England's 2008 World Cup squad, is contracted to the Bulls until the end of 2013 but he has been largely out of favour for the past 18 months.

And although Sykes has played in Bradford's last two matches, the move has been in the pipeline for several weeks and is, therefore, unconnected to Bradford's urgent plea for survival cash.

"I'm looking forward to it," said Sykes. "I've been limited at Bradford and not been able to get many games so hopefully I can get a few games at Wakefield and help them climb the ladder.

"I've only played twice this season so I just want to get playing and enjoying it again."

Wildcats coach Richard Agar said: "Paul's a front-line goal-kicker and fills a number of positions, positions that we've not got enormous depth in at the moment, so we think he'll be a really good addition the squad."

Sykes could make his Wakefield debut against London Broncos on Saturday and, with Bradford having no right of a recall, will be eligible for Wakefield's Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth-round tie at Leeds next month.

Comments(15)

flashdonut says...
7:53am Thu 29 Mar 12

Well good luck to the lad.

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bullsmania says...
8:02am Thu 29 Mar 12

Good luck
Paul

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birkybull says...
8:26am Thu 29 Mar 12

Good luck n fair play to the kid. Not once has he spat out his dummy at being dropped etc. Also Helps the bulls out although the Bulls will continue to pay some of his wages.

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helenshep says...
8:36am Thu 29 Mar 12

Same here, good luck to the lad. Like birkybull says he has never spat his dummy out, hope it works out for him.

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Steam Pigs says...
8:36am Thu 29 Mar 12

Good luck Paul, come back full of confidence again and you'll be an asset to the Bulls and don't we need some of them at present!

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AdeyG'man says...
9:47am Thu 29 Mar 12

Gone about his business very professionally. Good luck to him in the future.

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Ralphie says...
10:15am Thu 29 Mar 12

AdeyG'man wrote:
Gone about his business very professionally. Good luck to him in the future.
Surely the timing could have been a bit better!
We started the season with 4 half backs, have one on loan, two injured and we now let Sykes who did ok against Saints leave on loan. Could n't the loan have been delayed untill Gale or Jeffries came back?

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Botswana Bantam says...
12:30pm Thu 29 Mar 12

Ralphie wrote:
AdeyG'man wrote:
Gone about his business very professionally. Good luck to him in the future.
Surely the timing could have been a bit better!
We started the season with 4 half backs, have one on loan, two injured and we now let Sykes who did ok against Saints leave on loan. Could n't the loan have been delayed untill Gale or Jeffries came back?
Nope...need to cut the wages....

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Botswana Bantam says...
12:31pm Thu 29 Mar 12

Botswana Bantam wrote:
Ralphie wrote:
AdeyG'man wrote:
Gone about his business very professionally. Good luck to him in the future.
Surely the timing could have been a bit better!
We started the season with 4 half backs, have one on loan, two injured and we now let Sykes who did ok against Saints leave on loan. Could n't the loan have been delayed untill Gale or Jeffries came back?
Nope...need to cut the wages....
Although, just thinking, knowing the recent financial mis-management, the Bulls are probably still paying his wages and Wakefield got him for free. lol...

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OdsalOptimist says...
12:40pm Thu 29 Mar 12

Good luck to Paul. As people have already pointed out, he has been a model professional.
Just hope when we have the Wildcats over he doesn't do a "Jefferies" on us....

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Ralphie says...
1:48pm Thu 29 Mar 12

Botswana Bantam wrote:
Ralphie wrote:
AdeyG'man wrote: Gone about his business very professionally. Good luck to him in the future.
Surely the timing could have been a bit better! We started the season with 4 half backs, have one on loan, two injured and we now let Sykes who did ok against Saints leave on loan. Could n't the loan have been delayed untill Gale or Jeffries came back?
Nope...need to cut the wages....
We're a million quid down the sink! Sykes wages for a couple of weeks has no effect!

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BCFC1234 says...
4:11pm Thu 29 Mar 12

Wow,11 comments and no abuse yet. Good luck at Wakey Paul, always gave 100 per cent wherever you were asked to play.

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t'old man says...
4:16pm Thu 29 Mar 12

maybe the Wildcats will play him in his prefered position of full back where he played most his career till McNamara tried to make him into a stand off and he will regain the form that saw him earn his England call up....good luck to him hope he has a good season...

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gordon ramsay says...
6:59pm Thu 29 Mar 12

the thread is quite comical really.

had this happened a couple of weeks ago ( pre crisis ) is it only me who suspects the posts would be completely different!!

on a personal level i agree that he has not sulked and always stood up when asked. it must have been a demoralising time for sykes so fair play.

in his first spell at the club i thought he was a real gem at full back and thought he would be our no.1 for years.

good luck sykesy

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Eddy 8 Shirt says...
7:36am Fri 30 Mar 12

We should have played him full back. By far his best position

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