11 father-son duos who played for the same Super League club after Will Pryce’s Hull FC move

‘It’s a small world’ is a phrase evidenced by rugby league: with so many families producing numerous players for the same club spanning generations.

The number of siblings alone in the game is remarkable, and even the list of dads and lads is a pretty long one.

Another duo are about to be added to the father-son list, with Will Pryce having signed for Hull FC, who dad Leon featured 38 times for between 2015 and 2016.

On the back of that transfer, here, we’ve picked out 11 father-son duos who have pulled a shirt on for the same Super League club at some stage in their respective careers.

N.B. Some of those profiled didn’t play for the club in question in the Super League era/while they were in Super League

John and Dane Dorahy – Hull KR

A mainstay of KR’s 1983/84 and 1984/85 Championship winning teams, dad John – a two-time Kangaroos international – played just shy of 100 games for KR between 1983 and 1987. Now 70, he also scooped the Harry Sunderland Trophy for a man-of-the-match performance in the 1983/84 Premiership final against Castleford, who beat the Robins in the 1986 Challenge Cup final.

Son Dane, 47, made the move from Down Under into the British game just before the millennium and spent 2002 at Craven Park, playing 23 games. At that stage, KR were still in the second tier. His last involvement on these shores was a half-season stint as an assistant coach at Castleford in 2023.

Ian and Oliver Gildart – Wigan Warriors

It’s a big old family affair at Wigan, and the number of inclusions they’ve got in this article proves just that. The Gildarts are first up, with 55-year-old dad Ian donning the famous cherry and white shirt between 1987 and 1994 during a highly successful period in the club’s history. Two World Club Challenges titles, five Championships, a Challenge Cup and a Regal Trophy.

Son Oliver also began his career with the Warriors, featuring 143 times before heading off to the NRL in 2022. Crowned the Super League Young Player of the Year in 2017, the 28-year-old won two Grand Finals during his time at Wigan and is back in the British game now with Hull KR.

Ellery and Umyla Hanley – Wigan Warriors

Continuing along the Wigan theme, dad Ellery is both a Warriors club icon and a Super League icon. During his time at the club, between 1985 and 1991, the 64-year-old played over 200 games. He was crowned Man of Steel three times as well as the side scooping an absolute glut of silverware.

Son Umyla, who turned 23 earlier this month, came through Wigan’s youth ranks to make 11 senior appearances before moving on to Leigh in 2023. The outside-back remains with the Leopards today.

David and Liam Marshall – Wigan Warriors

Ending our mini-Wigan run are the Marshalls, with dad David representing his hometown club between 1987 and 1991 and winning a Challenge Cup, a Championship title, a Regal Trophy as well as a Lancashire Cup.

Son Liam, now 28, made his senior debut for the Warriors back in 2017 and has now scored over 650 points in their colours, never permanently leaving the club. Having earned a first England cap at the end of 2024, the prolific winger has scored 158 tries in 192 Wigan appearances at the time of writing.

Steve and Ben McNamara – Hull FC

Dad Steve, who has been the head coach of Super League side Catalans Dragons since 2017, began his playing career with boyhood club Hull having been picked up at the age of 17 from local amateur side Skirlaugh Bulls. Now 53, he played over 160 games for the Airlie Birds between 1989 and 1996.

Son Ben, 23, also played for Skirlaugh Bulls before joining FC’s youth ranks as a teenager. His senior bow came in 2020, and he represented Hull 33 times in total before departing for Leigh ahead of the 2024 campaign. The youngster remains with the Leopards today.

Keiron and Sean O’Loughlin – Wigan Warriors

The O’Loughlin/Farrell family has a very rich history synonymous with Wigan as both a town and a club. Dad Keiron, now 72, donned a shirt for his hometown club more than 250 times between 1970 and 1979, picking up his first few caps for Lancashire in the process.

Son Sean, who turned 42 in November, is now an assistant coach at the club having established himself as one of the greatest players in Super League history over a highly successful near 20-year playing career. Never playing for any club except Wigan, the forward amassed 459 appearances and won 10 major honours including four Super League titles. An absolute icon.

Julian and Ethan O’Neill – Leigh

Dad Julian – 52 – rounded off his playing career with a short stint at Leigh in 2006 which saw him play 12 games. Then under the ‘Centurions’ tagline, the club were in the second tier – and the one-time Kangaroos international scored over 100 points in their colours.

Fast forward 19 years and son Ethan is now wearing a Leopards shirt in Super League, with this his first taste of ‘professional’ rugby league having never featured at first-grade level Down Under. The 25-year-old has hit the ground running, too.

Eric and Steve Prescott – St Helens

Widnes-born dad Eric, who died at the age of 75 back in 2023, began his career with St Helens. Making just shy of 100 appearances for the Merseyside outfit between 1968 and 1972, winning a Championship title as well as a Floodlit Trophy.

Son Steve came through the Saints youth ranks to make a senior bow in September 1993, and won two Challenge Cups as well as the inaugural Super League title before departing for Hull in 1998.

Steve was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in September 2006 and eventually lost his battle aged 39 in November 2013 with his legacy continuing through the foundation he’d set up in his name shortly after diagnosis to raise funds for both the Christie Hospital and the RFL’s benevolent fund.

Having been awarded an MBE in 2009, Super League’s Man of Steel award has proudly adorned his name since 2014.

Jason Robinson and Lewis Tierney – Wigan Warriors

The final Wigan mention in this article comes through father-son duo Robinson and Tierney, who both played for Wigan. Dad Jason – now 50 – is a Warriors icon having never played for another rugby league club, with over 300 appearances to his name in a Wigan shirt and an absolute wealth of honours won.

Tierney took the surname of his mother’s new husband, Premier League referee Paul. The 30-year-old began his career at Wigan and made exactly 40 appearances at first-team level for the Cherry and Whites before departing for Catalans in July 2017. Via his heritage, the back earned six caps for Scotland before announcing his retirement in 2021.

Jamie and Fletcher Rooney – Castleford Tigers

A four-time England international, dad Jamie played for eight clubs during his career and is most well known for his stints at Featherstone and Wakefield. He did however have a very brief stint at Castleford in 2001, playing three games and kicking six goals in the process.

Son Fletcher, who turned 19 in January, came through the youth ranks at The Jungle and made his senior bow for the Tigers in 2023. Currently sidelined with a thigh injury, the teenager has four tries to his name in nine first-team appearances at the time of writing.

Kevin and Jack Sinfield – Leeds Rhinos

Dad Kevin is a bonafide Leeds legend and an icon of the game having spent 19 seasons donning a Rhinos shirt between 1997 and 2015. The former Great Britain and England stalwart, now 44, won 15 major honours during his playing career – including six Super League titles. He has gone on to hold numerous different roles with the club post-retirement, including interim head coach.

Son Jack is now 20, and made his senior bow against Castleford back in 2022. His 21 appearances at first-team level in the game to date have all come in a Leeds’ colours, with six tries scored – including four in six games so far this year across all competitions.