Bradford Bulls have appointed Steve Crossley as an Elite Academy Assistant Coach ahead of 2026, with the former prop returning to his hometown club.
Boyhood Bradford fan Crossley is a product of the Bulls’ youth system and featured 156 times in their colours across three separate stints during his playing career.
Hanging up his boots in 2023 after a stint at Hunslet, Crossley’s career saw him chalk up a total of 285 appearances, with 44 tries scored in addition to a solitary goal, converting in Bradford’s 82-0 victory over Oldham in August 2016.
With games on his CV for Dewsbury Rams, Featherstone Rovers, Castleford Tigers and Toronto Wolfpack as well as the Bulls and Hunslet, he now returns to Odsal in a coaching capacity.
Bradford stalwart seals Bulls return as coaching appointment confirmed
Set to turn 36 later this month, Crossley spent 2018 as Bradford’s captain, leading the Bulls to promotion back up to the Championship that year.
As his return to the club was announced, he said: “It is a proud moment to be back, just as it was in my playing days.
“Schoey (Jonathan Schofield, Pathways head coach) and (Head of Youth) Ryan Hunkin gave me a call a few weeks ago to invite me down for a chat to see if I could assist with the Elite Academy and Reserves, and whenever there is a chance to come back to Bradford, I would always jump at it because of how proud I’ve been to represent the club.
“I came through the scholarship system all the way through to the first-team, there’s everything here for the younger lads to progress themselves and make themselves into a potential first-team Super League player at the Bulls.
“I’m very excited to share my story but also put them through what it takes to be able to do that in terms of discipline, attitude, work ethic and mental toughness.”
‘I was one of the last to come through and make the step up whilst in Super League, so it’s exciting to share those experiences’
Crossley was picked up by the Bulls from local side Clayton RLFC in his youth and went on to make his first-team debut in June 2010 away against Crusaders.
His playing career saw him feature in each of the top three tiers – with experience in Super League, the Championship and League 1 which he can now pass on to the next generation.
The ex-forward added: “I am a Bradford lad who was fortunate to captain his club for five years and there’s every opportunity for the younger lads to learn how to come through our system, I’ve still got a lot to offer them to help develop them and progress.
“I was one of the last to come through and make the step up whilst in Super League, so it’s exciting to share those experiences.
“I thought after hanging my boots up, I would walk away from the sport, but after a year out I got the itch again. I got asked by Queensbury, one of Bradford’s community clubs, to take them on and we ran away with the league.
“That gave me the buzz back. I have a lot of ideas I want to pass forward and I would like to go into being a head coach at some stage in my career.
“I’ve already been in touch with (Bradford head coach) Kurt Haggerty, who I’ve played with and against, he’s had an excellent apprenticeship under Paul Rowley and will be an exciting addition for the Bulls.
“He’s going to play some exciting, free-flowing rugby and defend aggressively and that is my coaching philosophy too. It’s going to be an exciting year and I’m looking forward to it.”
