BRADFORD star Sam Hallas believes that the club’s star-studded additions in the off-season will only act as a positive for Brian Noble’s Bulls next season.
The side from West Yorkshire have been fairly busy in the transfer market, both in terms of recruiting players and also retaining key members of the current squad.
Bulls haven’t looked for just quantity either, but instead the emphasis has been on adding real quality to the group.
And Hallas admitted to being impressed with how well the club have gone about their business.
Speaking to the T&A, he said: “I think we’ve recruited extremely well in the off-season. Players like Matty Gee, Emmanuel Waine, Waga Blake, James Meadows, Joe Keyes and James Donaldson will all add quality and something different to the group.
“On top of that we’ve retained extremely well too with the likes of Tom Holmes and OK (Jayden Okunbor), so it’s an exciting time.
“Guy Armitage is coming over from Toulouse as well, and he scored one of the tries to knock us out of the play-offs so we’re fully aware of his talent.
“The names I’ve just mentioned offer genuine quality and it will only make the players who were already here, like myself, better.”
He said: “Following the last two seasons we’ve had; I think these signings are only going to make us stronger.
“The club has brought in some really good middle players too, so for someone like me, I need to be playing at my best to stand any chance of getting into this team.
“Some players might look at that as a problem, but I think it only bodes well for me and the rest of the squad.
“Iron sharpens iron at the end of the day and having a strong squad to compete with one another can only be seen as a positive in my eyes.”
Hallas went on to add: “As well as that, it’s always nice to get new faces into the group because it creates a new dynamic and can give the squad a bit of a lift.
“Hopefully we can keep close-knit and have another strong season together.”
Despite a number of new faces arriving at Bradford, Hallas is expecting a seamless transition into life at Odsal for the players who have joined.
He said: “One of the best things about rugby league is that you don’t really meet bad people. I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a bad bunch, so I’m expecting all of the new arrivals to fit in well.
“We’ll welcome them with open arms, and I’m sure they’ll love being at Bradford because it’s a great club and we’re all a family.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming Betfred Championship campaign, where Bulls’ main goal is to edge further towards a Super League spot, Hallas said: “I think we’ve got everything here to achieve that.
“The squad has been shaping up nicely for the past two seasons and there is a very strong bond between the players, the staff and the fans.
“We know each other’s game well and even with Nobby (Brian Noble) coming in, he’s been around the club for the past couple of seasons anyway, so he’s got a good knowledge and understanding of the group.
“As mentioned, the players we’ve brought in will only help us improve, so it’s an exciting time for the club, for sure.”
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