Seven ex-Super League man in Halifax’s 2026 squad as key man set for role change

Halifax Panthers have revealed their 2026 Championship squad – and it includes plenty of top-flight Super League experience as well as a clutch of young stars.

In total, the Panthers have seven players in their 22-man squad who have either played in Super League or been part of a Super League squad in the recent past. That is headlined by star fullback David Nofoaluma, who has committed to the Panthers for 2026 and been given the number one shirt as a result.

France international Tanguy Zenon is awarded the number three shirt after his move to the club while former Warrington Wolves player Alfie Johnson is given number four.

That means a new number and a position change for veteran Ben Crooks, who switches to 11 – hinting that he will move from the centres into the back for for Kyle Eastmond’s side going into 2026.

New signing Jesse Soric takes number six and will line up alongside Jack Hansen in the halves, with Hansen keeping the number seven shirt.

Long-serving forwards including Adam O’Brien and Jacob Fairbank retain their squad numbers of nine and 13, while loanee Myles Lawford takes the number 17 after his arrival from Wakefield Trinity. Another new signing, ex-Bradford man Bayley Liu, is handed the 18 shirt.

It means Halifax have one of the smaller squads in the Championship once again, just as they did last year. However, they were fantastic under Eastmond in 2025 not only reaching the play-offs, but making it to within one game of the Grand Final. They will hope for a similar outcome again next year.

Fax also have a dual-registration agreement with St Helens to call upon again next season. In 2025, the likes of George Whitby and Konrad Hurrell appeared for the club on multiple occasions.

Halifax 2026 squad numbers: 1. David Nofoaluma, 2. Ben Tibbs, 3. Tanguy Zenon, 4. Alfie Johnson, 5. Charlie Graham, 6. Jesse Soric, 7. Jack Hansen, 8. Will Calcott, 9. Adam O’Brien, 10. Dan Okoro, 11. Ben Crooks, 12. Owen McCarron, 13. Jacob Fairbank, 14. Tom Inman, 15. Connor Davies, 16. Ronan Dixon, 17. Myles Lawford. 18. Bayley Liu, 19. Zack McComb, 20. Vila Halafihi, 21. Ben Forster, 22. Darius Carter.