BULLS have brought in second-rower Connor Farrell to fill the second-row gap left by the unlucky James Laithwaite.

The former Wigan youngster has arrived at Odsal on a two-year deal from Featherstone.

Farrell played 25 times last season, scoring nine tries, despite missing three months of the season with a broken leg.

The 24-year-old recovered in time to feature for Rovers in their successful Championship Shield campaign.

Farrell is the latest piece of the jigsaw for John Kear after Laithwaite announced his retirement following the broken leg that ended his season for the Bulls at Hunslet.

Kear said: “I’m really pleased that Connor has agreed to join us – with James Laithwaite deciding to retire it obviously left an edge-second rower down and we have brought a player in who has proven ability at Championship level.

“He had a really good season last year at Featherstone despite suffering a broken leg and he came back from that very strong and played really well. So we just feel that that tidies up our back-row options.

“He’s pretty similar to Laithwaite in that he is tough, hard-working and a very good defender.

“That is what he will bring to us and he will complement our other back-rowers in Matty Storton, Elliot Minchella and Matty Garside.

“His experience is going to be vital next year because we have seen teams like Toronto’s recruitment and plenty of others, it is going to prove to be a very strong competition.

“He has come through the Wigan system as a youngster. Anybody who can come through that system is tough, technically good and hard-working, which is just what we want.”

Farrell, who follows team-mate Matty Wildie to the Bulls, began his career with his hometown club in 2013, spending a spell on loan at South Wales during that same season.

He also had spells with Workington, Swinton and Widnes before former Lions boss John Duffy took him to Rovers in 2017.