Bradford Bulls have secured the services of one of their prize young assets.

Prop forward Steve Crossley has agreed a new two-year, full-time contract with the club and will remain at Grattan Stadium until the end of 2010.

Crossley, 18, has been with the club for three seasons and was selected for the recent England Academy tour to Australia, where he took the Player of the Tour Award, and was the Coaches’ Player of the Year at the Bulls’ awards last month.

He will begin his full-time contract when the players return for training in November.

Bulls coach Steve McNamara said: “We’re delighted that Steve has agreed this new contract with the club.

“He has made great progress since he came to the Bulls and we feel he has a tremendous future.

“Steve was outstanding on the Academy tour to Australia and throughout the season in our Academy side.”

McNamara added: “It was always our priority to retain the players who we thought would have the best chance of progressing in a full-time environment and I am delighted we have managed to do that.

“We wish the other players who are leaving best wishes for the future but we are very happy with the junior players that have committed their futures with us.

“They have signed in the belief that they will progress in this environment and that the systems and support we have at the club will enable them to blossom over the next few years.”