He played junior rugby league for Emerald Tigers, winning premierships in under-15s and under-17s.[3] Crossing to Emerald Seagulls, he also represented the Central Queensland side in 1996.
In 2000, he scored a club high 18 tries from 22 games, earning representative selection for the Queensland City and Queensland Residents rugby league team.[3] Bell was named the Norths Player of the Year in 2000[4] and scored 45 tries for the club in the Queensland Cup.[5]
Bell was on the losing team in the 2007 NRL Grand Final won by his old team Melbourne Storm.[7] A year later, in his last game for Manly, Bell was on the winning side in the 2008 NRL Grand Final defeating Melbourne 40–0.[8]
Catalans Dragons 2009-2010
Bell joined French Super League side Catalans Dragons on a two-year contract from the 2009 season.[9][10]