Former Wigan Warriors man makes permanent Championship move after seven years in Super League
Former Wigan Warriors prop Joe Bullock has made a permanent move to Championship side Barrow Raiders from Salford Red Devils, having put pen to paper on a deal until the end of the 2027 season.
The 32-year-old made more than 100 appearances for Barrow between 2014 and 2018 before earning a move to Super League giants Wigan ahead of the 2019 campaign.
Bullock played 59 games over three seasons with the Warriors between 2019 and 2021, featuring for Adrian Lam’s side in their 8-4 defeat to St Helens in the 2020 Grand Final.
The Wigan academy product went on to spend three seasons with Warrington Wolves before joining Salford Red Devils midway through last season. He made 16 appearances for Paul Rowley’s side, but having recently spent time back at Barrow via dual-registration, Bullock has now made his move to Cumbria permanent on a contract until the end of 2027.
“I’m really glad to be back,” said Blackpool-born Bullock. “It’s a club I hold dearly in my heart.
“Getting the opportunity to come back and play under Cresta (Paul Crarey) feels like a nice little homecoming.
“It’s really exciting to think about what the next couple of years could hold for us. We know we’re going to be pushing as a top Championship club, and I want to be part of that.
“It’s been a tough year at Salford, on and off the field. To get that security for myself has been most important, and Barrow have been really accommodating with that.
“Now, it’s all about bringing that Super League experience back to this club. We’re an ambitious group of players, and hopefully we can all be successful together.”
Meanwhile, Barrow boss Paul Crarey is delighted to secure the services of Bullock on a permanent basis.
“It’s a big signing for us,” Crarey said. “In the games Joe has played this year, he’s been absolutely outstanding.
“He just needs a bit of love, and we’ll give him that. Joe has been fantastic, and it’s on us to get him back feeling confident and playing well.
“We want him to get that hunger again, and we’ve spoken about that already. The crowd love him, and it’s another great signing to bolster a pack which I think could be formidable next season.”