ADAM O'Brien has set his sights on promotion after signing a new deal which keeps him at the Bulls until the end of 2019.

The homegrown star made his debut for the club in March 2011 and has since emerged as one of the best young hookers in the game.

O'Brien swept the board in Bradford's player of the season awards last year but was among a large group of players who are out of contract at the end of 2016.

He has become the first out-of-contract player to commit to Odsal in a new three-year deal.

The 22-year-old from Halifax last week told the T&A of his eagerness to stay at Bradford and he is delighted to have secured his future.

O'Brien said: "I'm over the moon to have signed until the end of 2019. It gives me a bit of security and a target to get Bradford back into Super League.

"It's really good for me and I'm looking forward to the challenge of being at the club for another three years.

"I came through the youth system and went into the first team but never really planned my future.

"Now I've got my first-team spot and have become a regular in the side, plus I'm one of the longest-serving players.

"To continue my stay at the club with an extension is brilliant and I'm over the moon about it.

"The main thing now is to focus on the rest of the year and push on towards returning to Super League."

The deal represents a major coup for the Bulls and comes a day after Jimmy Lowes, arguably the club's best-ever hooker, quit as head coach.

Bradford have been inundated with enquiries from potential candidates as they seek to fill the post.

Glenn Morrison and Scott Naylor have quickly emerged as frontrunners and both men would be keen to take the job. The club have not outlined any timescale for appointing a successor to Lowes.

As the Bulls seek to tie up other key players on new deals, Danny Addy and Mitch Clark – both out of contract at the end of the year – are being strongly linked with end-of-season moves to Hull KR.