Former Hull KR back snapped up by Championship club for 2025

Ben Olawumi
Will Oakes

Will Oakes in action for Hull KR in 2017

Former Hull KR ace Will Oakes has linked up with Championship outfit Batley Bulldogs for 2025 following his short stint at Bradford Bulls.

Oakes, who turns 26 later this month, didn’t register an appearance for Bradford after joining them ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Featuring as the unused 18th man in three games last February, he would develop chronic ankle instability, and never managed to take to the field for the Bulls.

Having also sat out of Batley’s win at Newcastle Thunder in the Second Round of the Challenge Cup last weekend, he still awaits a first senior appearance since July 2022.

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Former Hull KR back Will Oakes snapped up by Championship club for 2025

The 25-year-old has 83 senior appearances on his CV, including six on the international scene for Scotland which came between 2017 and 2021, the first in a 50-4 defeat to Tonga during the group stages of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

Oakes’ KR career saw him score 10 tries in 24 first-team appearances – forming part of the squad which won promotion back to Super League under the tutelage of Tim Sheens in 2017.

Born in Halifax, the outside-back enjoyed stints on loan/dual-registration with both York and Dewsbury Rams during his time in East Hull, and he has since gone on to join both of those teams on a permanent basis.

Batley announced his arrival at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium ahead of their cup tie against Newcastle last weekend, with their victory in the North East setting up a Third Round tie at home against Dewsbury Rams on February 9.

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