Hull born; Bailey linked up with the Leopards towards the end of the 2024 season after playing in the NSW Cup competition for Blacktown. He came through the ranks of West Hull community club before joining Castleford Tigers where his strike power and speed at fullback or across the three-quarter line earned him England youth international honours and marked him out as an emerging young talent.

He made his Super League debut as an 18-year-old for the Tigers in a 38-24 victory over Hull KR in October 2020. The nephew of England and NRL hooker Josh Hodgson, he signed a three-year contract with Newcastle Knights in November 2020 and later moved to Manly.

Though not making his NRL debut he gained extensive experience in the high-quality competition of the NSW Cup, playing for Newcastle from 2021-23 and in 2024 for Blacktown and came back to to the UK to press his claims for a regular place in Super League.

He made a try-scoring Leopards debut in the Challenge Cup tie at Workington Town and went on to enjoy a superb season, making the second most metres, nearly 4,000, in Super League. He became the club’s regular fullback following the season-ending injury to David Armstrong and excelled in that position, being voted LISA Player of the Year.