Bradford Bulls world champion sees son get Australia talking

At the age of just 17, Cooper Bai has been handed a full-time train and trial with NRL heavyweights Gold Coast Titans for 2025.

The loose forward has impressed at junior level in Australia, starring in the Mal Meninga Cup Grand Final a few months ago and representing Queensland against New South Wales, but even so, this is a huge show of faith in him.

The youngster’s dad is Marcus Bai, who played for Gold Coast in the 1997 season, before moving on to Melbourne Storm, where he won the NRL Grand Final in 1999.

Bai moved to Leeds Rhinos ahead of the 2004 season, helping to win their first-ever Super League Grand final in his debut campaign.

Marcus Bai scores for Leeds in a big home win over Castleford in 2004, the year the Rhinos went on to win their first-ever Super League Grand Final. (Image: Gareth Copley/PA Wire.)

To date, the winger is one of only seven players to have won both a Super League and an NRL Grand Final.

The following year proved more disappointing for Bai, as Leeds suffered a shock Challenge Cup final defeat to Hull FC, while they also lost the Grand Final to Bulls at Old Trafford.

The try-scoring machine subsequently crossed the divide, linking up with Bulls ahead of the 2006 season.

He made his debut under Brian Noble in Bradford’s World Club Challenge triumph over Wests Tigers, scoring two tries to begin life at the club with a bang.

Despite missing two months with a knee injury, he was named as Bulls’ Back of the Year at the club’s end of season awards, after scoring 12 tries in 26 appearances.

He signed a new one-year deal with Bulls in September 2006 but changed his mind and decided to retire from the sport that December at the age of 34.

Bai immediately moved into a coaching role with his native Papua New Guinea and did make one final appearance in rugby league for his national side in 2007.