Finn Bradon now key weapon in Leeds Knights' armoury as he signs extended deal

Still only 19, it’s easy to forget how far he has come in such a short space of time, initially splitting his time in 2022-23 on a two-way deal between the Knights and the club where he developed as a junior, Billingham Stars.

It was no surprise when a full contract followed at the end of that league and play-off double-winning campaign.

Last night saw the Knights tie the right-handed centre down until at least the end of the 2026-27 season. You find it hard to imagine that being the end of their working relationship.

Bradon is, quite simply, one of the hottest British players in the sport right now, this season seeing him spot in between Oli Endicott and Innes Gallacher - themselves only 20-years-old - to form a highly-effective third line.

It’s not just his ability to bring others into the game that has made him so highly thought of, though.

He has also returned to the kind of goalscoring form he last enjoyed in his days as an Under-18 at Billingham.

He is currently the third-highest goalscorer for the Knights - behind only captain Kieran Brown and Canadian Matt Barron - scoring 23 goals in 43 games, with an overall points haul of 47.

He has also proved an invaluable part of the team’s power play and is second overall in goals on the man advantage with 10.

The player and the team are clearly a good fit, hence the easy decision to extend their partnership.

“I feel like this season is the first one where I’ve had a proper place in the team and been able to show what I can do and make an impact,” said Bradon, who scored twice in Tuesday’s 6-0 win at Sheffield Steeldogs.

“I’d like to think that I’ve earned the role that I now have on the team. I’m always going to want to win and being in Leeds is the perfect place for that.”

Head coach Ryan Aldridge regards Bradon as a huge part of the club’s future plans.

“He wants his future to be in Leeds - we want his future to be in Leeds as we build and grow the club - hopefully he’ll be a massive part of that,” said Aldridge.

“This year he has just turned himself into a real player. He acts like a professional, he treats himself like a professional, he’s team-first, he obviously wants to get points on the board, but he wants to get points for the team more.

“He’s a great human being and he’s everything that we want to have from somebody in Leeds.”