Bradford Bulls have announced that six members of the first-team squad will not be offered new contracts and will leave the club at the end of the 2026 season.
Players affected
The club confirmed the list of departing players on Thursday. Those not being retained are:
- Chris Atkin, 33 — half-back
- Guy Armitage, 34 — centre
- Sam Hallas, 29 — forward
- Dan Russell, 30 — forward
- Joe Keyes, 30 — half-back
- Mitchel Souter, 25 — hooker
A simple table of the departures is shown below for quick reference.
| Player | Age | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Atkin | 33 | Half-back |
| Guy Armitage | 34 | Centre |
| Sam Hallas | 29 | Forward |
| Dan Russell | 30 | Forward |
| Joe Keyes | 30 | Half-back |
| Mitchel Souter | 25 | Hooker |
Coach explains timing
Head coach Kurt Haggerty told the club website that the decision was communicated now to allow the players an opportunity to secure new contracts ahead of the transfer deadline.
"I wanted to be open and honest to give them that opportunity to find something instead of waiting until the deadline on 31 August, so we've done it as respectfully as we can,"
Haggerty added that such conversations are difficult and stressed the club's approach: "The conversations are always very difficult but as we've always spoken about, there are no grey areas at this club."
Context and immediate impact
The announcement comes with seven Super League matches remaining in the season. The Bulls, who were promoted back to the top flight last year, sit third from bottom in the table at the time of the statement. The squad changes will affect depth in key positions, notably at half-back and in the forwards.
Chris Atkin joined the Bulls on a short-term deal in March that was due to run until the end of the year and has made 16 Super League appearances for the club. The other players named have varying levels of recent first-team involvement.
For supporters and local stakeholders, the move signals decisive squad management from the coaching team as they try to secure Super League status this season. It also gives the departing players time to pursue alternative opportunities in the game.
InfoRadar will monitor further developments, including any signings, loan moves or additional departures as the transfer window progresses and the Bulls conclude their season.
