Decision made on Hull FC young gun’s Super League loan as impact hailed

Catalans have agreed to extend the loan of Hull FC’s Denive Balmforth until the end of the season, with the Dragons hailing a ‘strong impression’ made by the hooker during his time in Perpignan so far.

Youngster Balmforth – who joined Hull from fellow Super League outfit Warrington Wolves back in 2022 – linked up with Catalans at the back end of June.

Initially making the move to the Stade Gilbert Brutus on a one-month deal, the idea was for the 21-year-old to earn himself a longer stay.

And he has done just that, catching the eye across his first four appearances in a Dragons shirt, with a brace of tries against Warrington the highlight.

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Decision made on Hull FC young gun’s Super League loan as impact hailed

Those four games have taken Balmforth‘s senior appearance tally up to 59 having donned a shirt on loan/dual-registration for both Newcastle Thunder and Swinton Lions prior to Catalans.

The Leeds-born ace – who put in a man-of-the-match performance for Yorkshire Academy in a 2021 War of the Roses clash – has now scored 15 tries at first-team level, including six in his 28 games in a Hull shirt to date.

Catalans’ decision to extend his stay in the South of France was announced via a press release on Wednesday morning, and in that release, the Dragons had plenty of praise for the Stanningley junior’s early impact.

That press release reads: “Catalans Dragons and Hull FC have reached an agreement to extend Denive Balmforth’s loan until the end of the season.

“The 21-year-old hooker initially joined the club on a one-month loan deal in June and has made a strong impression since making his debut for the Dragons.

“He has made four appearances for the club so far, scoring a brace against Warrington.”

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