ALEX Mellor has signed a contract extension to the end of 2017 as the Bulls revealed plans to sign up to three new players.

The highly-regarded forward, currently sidelined with a knee injury but set for a return in the Super Eights, made his debut two years ago and has become a regular since Jimmy Lowes took charge.

The 20-year-old subsequently started the campaign in Lowes’ top 17, featuring in the opening four games before spraining his ankle against Hunslet.

That forced him to miss a handful of matches before he returned to the side and underlined his quality with several more stirring performances, often working tirelessly at loose forward.

Mellor, who represented England at youth level, then suffered a knee injury against Doncaster but is closing in on a return.

He said: “It’s a massive boost to get the contract extension and I’m absolutely buzzing about it.

“You see players with a lot of potential but who have maybe not made it.

“I’ve worked as hard as I possibly can and am just over the moon to get the deal.

“My rehab has gone well, I’m out of the brace now and will hopefully be back in another three weeks.

“Hopefully, if it all goes to plan, I could be back for the first game of the Super Eights.”

Lowes will be without Lee Gaskell and Jake Mullaney for Sunday’s visit of leaders Leigh but will assess the fitness of Harry Siejka.

The head coach said of Mellor’s new deal: “We’re working really hard to get the Academy back to where it was several years ago.

“It has fallen off and it’s important to keep the likes of Alex Mellor, Tom Olbison, Danny Addy and Adam O’Brien.

“It has been great to see these guys progress into the first-team, so Alex signing on again is a great boost.

“It’s a shame he’s injured because he’s a good player and would have played a lot more this year had he not been sidelined.

“We’ve missed him and it’s good for some of the juniors we have, and are trying to sign, to see a player like Alex progress.”

Managing director Steve Ferres said there were plans to bring in two and possibly three new recruits for the Super Eights as the Bulls seek to bolster their promotion prospects.

Batley full back Johnny Campbell, who impressed for John Kear’s side in the recent league meeting at Odsal and can also play on the wing, is understood to be on the Bulls’ radar.

Chairman Marc Green told a fans forum tonight that talks over the Odsal lease were progressing as he bids to bring it back into the club’s hands by the end of the season.

All media were denied access to the members-only event in which the club said an announcement on season-ticket prices for next year would be made shortly.

The Bulls will not know their promotion fate for another two months as they embark on the promotion-deciding Super Eights.

Meanwhile, Bradford had two appeals at the RFL tonight – one against the warning about the club’s conduct during the season-opener at Leigh, and the other from fielding 14 players in a match.

The Bulls Under-19s side lost 16-10 at home to Salford Red Devils last night.