Bulls head of youth development Paul Medley believes the signing of a number of promising youngsters illustrates that confidence is returning to the club.

The Bulls have recruited nine players, including seven who were formerly on their scholarship.

Joining the club on the full-time AASE programme, the players have all signed contracts to take them up to the end of the 2015 season.

Ross Oakes, a centre, prop Liam Kirk and Michael Paul, a back-rower, have all joined from Drighlington, while centre/wing James Pickering arrives at the Bulls from Francis Cummins’ old club Dewsbury Celtic.

Callum Ogden, a hooker, has come in from Rochdale Mayfield, with prop Jack Georgiou joining from Siddal in Halifax.

Completing the signings are a trio from Milford Marlins in Leeds. Jake Hrintchuck, a centre, was on the Bulls scholarship, while his colleagues from Milford – centre Kieran Walpole and centre/stand-off Macauley Barron – were both on the Leeds Rhinos scholarship.

Medley said: “It’s great for the club that they have all chosen to come here. “It shows that confidence is returning to the Bulls after the problems of last year and these nine will be given every opportunity to push on in the system.

“We have invested in staff for next year as well as these players and they are coming into a very stable and quality environment.”

All nine players were introduced to the crowd at half-time during last weekend’s home win over Huddersfield. That 58-6 win saw Nathan Conroy and Curtis Naughton become the fourth and fifth players to progress from the Academy to make their first-team debut this season.