Hull KR confirm signings of Bradford five

James Gordon

Hull KR have signed five players from Bradford a combined fee believed to be in the region of £100,000.

The deal will help the Bulls pay off a number of debts following their takeover earlier this week which saw Ottawa president Eric Perez appointed as interim chairman.

Half-backs Joe Keyes and Rowan Milnes, back-rowers Elliot Minchella and Matthew Storton and prop Anesu Mudoti have all left Odsal to sign three-year deals with Rovers.

Rovers had already confirmed the signing of winger Ethan Ryan from the Bulls, and this recruitment takes them up to 17 new faces in Tony Smith’s squad for 2020.

Smith said: “We are delighted to have these five players on board, and it was important that the deal benefited both clubs.

“To add young, ambitious and talented players is what we are striving to achieve and each of these signings are exactly that.

“Regardless of their experience, if they are doing their job, they are in consideration for the first team. They all see themselves as Super League players of the future and some have ambitions to go even further than that.

“They fit our recruitment remit and we are delighted to have each and every one of them on board at Hull KR.”

As part of the agreement, Milnes will spend the entire 2020 campaign on loan at Bradford with another unnamed Rovers player also set to spend the season at Odsal on loan.

Former London Broncos half-back Keyes, 24, made 58 appearances for the Bulls having played in Super League for the Broncos in 2014.

Minchella made his Super League debut with Leeds in 2013 and has also spent time with London Broncos and Sheffield.