The Bulls have appointed a new player performance manager.

Stuart Barrow, who previously worked with Castleford Tigers, comes in at Odsal as part of a new two-man team.

Current player performance manager Paul Medley is promoted to a fresh title – head of youth development – as Bradford bid to get ahead of the rest in an increasingly competitive field.

“It’s a vital role and such a huge area that it’s certainly too big for one man to cover,” said head coach Steve McNamara.

“Paul Medley has done an outstanding job along with the other Academy and Scholarship staff but it needs two people if you are going to do it properly.

“It’s great that we’ve attracted someone of Stuart calibre, someone who is very highly respected by everyone at the Rugby League in terms of his person, ability and quality of work.”

Barrow, closely involved with the development of Super League Young Player of the Year Joe Westerman at Castleford, said: “This is a massive opportunity for me at a really big club and I can’t wait for the challenge ahead.”

He spent three years at The Jungle, leading their Academy team into the play-offs for the first time last season, has a sports science degree and was formerly sports develop-ment officer at Luton Univer-sity.

Meanwhile, Medley welcomed the new arrival on board at Grattan Stadium and said: “I am really looking forward to working alongside Stuart and together continuing the work that has already been put in place at the Bulls. "We have a rich crop of outstanding young talent and we are both very excited about what the future will bring for the club."