Bradford Bulls got their pre-season started with a win as they beat Championship outfit Doncaster with a number of the club’s signings starring.

The Bulls have made 16 signings since returning to Super League with a dozen of them playing against Doncaster, seven of whom were on debut with the other five having previously played for the club.

Several debutants were among the try scorers with centre Esan Marsters scoring the opener, whilst his former Salford Red Devils teammate Jayden Nikorima also scored in the first half.

Nikorima and NRL recruit Ryan Sutton had been named as vice-captains earlier in the week but they shared the role of captaincy today as skipper Joe Mellor was one of the club’s four recruits to miss out, alongside Loghan Lewis, Ed Chamberlain and Will Gardiner.

That quartet could get a chance in a fortnight’s time when Bradford travel to Headingley to take on Leeds Rhinos for Cameron Smith’s testimonial, but for now the Bulls will be celebrating after their 30-12 win over Doncaster.

Bradford Bulls impress in pre-season opener

A new-look spine was named, made entirely of new signings, with Caleb Aekins at full-back, Nikorima and Rowan Milnes in the halves, whilst ex-Leeds man Andy Ackers started at hooker.

The starting forward pack was made up almost entirely of new signings with Zac Fulton the only man to have played for the club in 2025 and it was the Australian who got the second-half scoring underway.

Having opened up a 16-0 lead through tries from Marsters, Nikorima and Waqa Blake, Doncaster pulled one back but Fulton’s score two minutes into the second stanza ended any hope of a Doncaster comeback.

Doncaster did hit back through Cory Aston and strong defensive helped repel more attacks from the home side before Bradford kicked on, scoring through a brilliant Luke Hooley try before Jamie Gill added one to make it 30-12

The only real worry from the game came with the fact that Rowan Milnes was sent to the sin bin for a high shot, something that may get looked at by the disciplinary panel though the half-back is carrying zero penalty points into the 2026 campaign so shouldn’t have too much to worry about in terms of a ban.

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