BRADFORD Bulls' scholarship side have been boosted by a further eight new faces - as Ryan Hunkin's side return to pre-season training.

And three of those come from the club Hunkin is head coach of, West Bowling.

The eight new recruits join the 11 previously announced to bolster Hunkin's scholarship side in 2021 - adding to the current crop of starlets who unfortunately could not take to the field in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A number of players that have come through the club's scholarship system over the years have gone on to feature on the game's biggest stage - with the likes of Elliot Whitehead, Sam Burgess and John Bateman followed by more recent examples of Ethan Ryan, James Bentley and Oliver Roberts.

New Scholarship Intake & Community Club:

Sam Ackroyd - Elland

Jamie Gill - Dearne Valley

Conlan Mawson - Dearne Valley

George Rayner - Hunslet Club Parkside

Evan Reyner - Guiseley Rangers

Joel Lincoln - West Bowling

Charlie Baker - West Bowling

Louis Beattie - West Bowling

Bulls' scholarship head coach Hunkin said: "I am delighted to welcome the new intake of scholars to the club.

"Alex Stephens and his scouting team have done a fantastic job in recruiting some outstanding talent from the community game.

"I would also like to thank Toni Hoggett and the players' parents for completing the required paperwork, ensuring the players could return to training safely.

"We are all excited to finally get started in helping the players develop to be the best they can be."

Stephens, head of recruitment/scholarship manager, said: "We are very pleased to welcome the new intakes into the club. They are players we have been aware of for some time and believe they will adapt well coming into a scholarship environment.

"A big thanks must go to our Talent IDs Jason Jubb, Davey Dixon and Antony Ward, who managed to cover so much activity last season that the lack of games this year meant we still had a good idea of the players coming on board.

"The players' community coaches have also all been fantastic in taking the time to give us an insight into the players' attitudes while there have been no community games to watch.

"We still have a number of spaces available for this age group, if we choose to take more players, so we look forward to the community game being back up and running so we can see how other players have developed."