Featherstone enter dual reg agreement with Hunslet

Correspondent

Hunslet Hawks have confirmed that their dual registration partners for 2016 will be Championship outfit Featherstone Rovers.

The Hawks have been in partnership with Leeds Rhinos over the last few seasons, but next season Leeds will be partnering up with Featherstone instead.

“The DR arrangement with Leeds has proved very successful in recent years, not least in helping us secure players such as Liam Hood, Jimmy Watson, Luke Briscoe and James Duckworth on permanent contracts following successful stints on DR,” said Hunslety chairman Neil Hampshire.

“We also managed to get Andy Yates a move back in to Super League, and have contributed to the development of Brad Singleton, Jimmy Keinhorst, Rob Mulhern, Robbie Ward, Jordan Lilley and Josh Walters, who of course scored the winning try in last years SL Grand Final, so it’s not all been one way traffic.

“Following our relegation into League 1 we had discussions with Leeds and both clubs agreed it would be in our mutual interests to end that part of our partnership operation.

“Instead, both clubs will now DR with Featherstone, with Leeds supplying their players on DR to them and Featherstone, in turn, supplying their players on DR to us.

“There remains the opportunity for us to still take players on loan from Leeds and that is obviously something we will consider further in due course.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Gary Hetherington and Mark Campbell for their positive approach to the situation.” The Hawks will also play pre season friendlies against both Clubs, at home to Leeds in the Lazenby Cup on Friday January 8 and away at Featherstone on Sunday January 24.”