Ambitious Championship club ‘beat Super League competition’ to secure signature of experienced forward who follows in father’s footsteps

Doncaster have confirmed the signing of Tyla Hepi on a one-year deal for the 2024 campaign, with the forward following in father Brad’s footsteps.

The 30-year-old joins the newly-promoted Dons having departed Featherstone Rovers at the end of the season just gone, one of 17 to leave Post Office Road in a mass exodus.

Hepi hadn’t featured at all this year having undergone ACL surgery at the end of January, but will return to action in the Championship come 2024 at the Eco-Power Stadium.

His dad – Brad – too featured for Doncaster towards the back end of his career, enjoying two stints in 2001 and 2003 respectively.

Forward Hepi Jr joins the seventh club of his career, with experience in Super League, the Championship and League 1 already to his name.

Doncaster ‘beat Super League competition’ to secure signature of Tyla Hepi for 2024 Championship season

Between Hull KR, Gloucestershire All Golds, Whitehaven, Toulouse Olympique, Castleford Tigers, York and Featherstone, he has so far amassed 189 appearances, scoring 23 tries.

Having put pen to paper on his deal at the Eco-Power, the forward – who turned 30 in June – told the Dons’ club website: “I’m really excited to get over and meet the boys, and get into training.

“I’m even more excited to see where this year can take us. The squad is looking lovely with real quality, knowledge and decent boys all round.”

In their announcement, alongside stating they had ‘beaten Super League competition’ for his signature, Doncaster confirmed that Hepi would be the club’s last permanent signing ahead of the 2024 season.

Richard Horne’s side have made their lofty ambitions clear with some impressive action in the transfer market following promotion via the League 1 play-offs a few months ago.

Former Hull FC ace and Fiji international Joe Lovodua signed on the dotted line at the start of this week, with a plethora of big name signings for the second tier already recruited beforehand.

Alongside Lovodua, Hepi will join the sextet of Suaia Matagi, Craig Hall, Alex Sutcliffe, Reece Lyne, Luke Briscoe and Pauli Pauli in South Yorkshire come 2024.

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