More power added to Batley Bulldogs’ pack with recruitment of duo
More firepower has been added to Batley Bulldogs pack with the recruitment of forwards Lewis Hagan and Leo Aliyu.
Young back-rower Hagan has signed from Bradford Bulls while forward Aliyu joins from Keighley Cougars.
Hagan began his rugby journey at Oulton Raiders before joining the Bulls for the 2025 season. He had a breakout campaign in the reserves which ended with him receiving the Reserves Coach’s Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year awards.
He then had a stint at Hunslet RLFC this year.
Batley head coach James Ford told the club’s social media accounts: “Lewis is a talented young player who has played in a number of positions over his career. He was highly recommended from a coach I trust at Bradford and the footage backs up his opinions.
“If Lewis works hard at developing himself and his game, we will be excited to see him challenge for a spot in our back row.”
Aliyu is a product of the Leeds Rhinos system having joined the Headingley club in 2022 before progressing through the academy and reserve sides. He has then spent the last two years at Cougar Park.
Known for his exploding runs and athleticism, Ford added: “I am very pleased with the signing of Leo. He is a very athletic young player with his best years ahead of him. I was particularly impressed by his ambition and drive to improve.
“He’s been coached by some very talented coaches recently and we will be aiming to build on the progress they and he made. I’m very confident our supporters will enjoy his strength of carry.
“I’d like to thank Joe Harrison and the club for helping this come to fruition.”
The Bulldogs have also been boosted with Jonah Parsons signing on for the 2027 season. Since joining Batley in 2025 he has made 35 appearances, with 25 of those being an impact player from the bench.
Ford told the club’s official social media pages: “We are all delighted to continue working with Jonah. He’s young, athletic, and driven which are key elements for us going forward.
“He’s already demonstrated that he can cause teams problems with his speed and running game, his service is high quality and his effort areas in defence are very strong.
“Jonah will be competing for a spot in our 17 against two other young nines and that competition excites us all.”