Luke Broadbent is joining his hometown club Barrow for the 2023 Betfred Championship season.
The Warrington Wolves full-back has agreed a deal to join Barrow Raiders three years after he joined the Super League club.
Back in 2019, the former Walney Central youngster left Cumbria at the age of 16 to take up a professional deal with Warrington.
He featured a number of times for the club’s Academy side, and also spent time on loan at Whitehaven and Workington Town last season, making a combined total of 10 appearances.
Broadbent has also represented his national team at England Youth (Under 16’s) level.
He is the son of Gary Broadbent, who enjoyed a 17-year career playing for Widnes, Salford, Whitehaven and Barrow. Gary made 79 appearances for the Raiders over three seasons
Discussing his move to the Raiders, Broadbent said: “When the opportunity came to sign for my hometown club, it was a no-brainer. I had to jump on it straight away.
“I like to bring a lot of energy, I’m a hard-worker and want to bring a bit of aggression and effort.
“I saw how well the club did last year, on and off the pitch. When your hometown club comes knocking and you see the success they’ve had, there was never any doubt in my mind.
“Even though I enjoyed my time at Whitehaven and Workington, it was always going to be Barrow for me.”
He also insists that the chance to grow in a professional environment at Warrington, as well as the time he spent away from the club on loan, will benefit him moving forward.
“I learned a lot in a professional environment, training five days a week,” he said.
“Last year I got to play a handful of games in the Championship, and that was a great experience because I was playing against proper blokes. It helped me come on along as a player.
“Anyone can beat anyone in this league. I enjoyed the challenge, and that’s why I’m so keen to keep playing at this level.”
Barrow Raiders chairman Steve Neale said: “We are delighted to sign another talented local player, and we are sure Luke has an exciting future for the Raiders.
“We have been tracking his progress from Warrington to West Cumbria, but it was most pleasing that he wanted to prove himself at his hometown club despite offers from elsewhere.”
Director of rugby Andy Gaffney added: “Luke is a young back with plenty of promise, and we are sure he can take his game to the next level over the forthcoming season.
“He is one of the best local products in the area, and we are delighted to be able to attract a player of his calibre back to Barrow.”
