Liam Watts lands Championship deal for 2026 following Hull FC release

Super League stalwart Liam Watts has joined Championship new boys Goole Vikings for 2026 following his release from Hull FC.

Having formed part of the FC squad which won back-to-back Challenge Cups in 2016 and 2017, prop Watts returned to the MKM Stadium early on in the 2025 campaign.

Amid injury issues and non-selection, he played just eight times for John Cartwright’s side, and was let go soon after the end of the 2025 campaign.

During the off-season, the veteran publicly shared his desire to play on, but admitted that he may have to drop into the Championship.

And he has done just that, linking up with Goole ahead of the new season as he reunites with former Hull team-mate Scott Taylor, now the Vikings’ head coach.

Goole finished seventh in League 1 last term and will play in the Championship in 2026 having seen the second and third tiers merge to form one bumper 21-team division.

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‘”I played with Scott and I know how committed he is as a person and a player, so to be playing under him will be a great opportunity’

With almost 400 senior appearances on his CV, Featherstone-born Watts was named in the Super League Dream Team back in 2019.

As his move to Goole was announced, the one-time England Knights international said: “I’m really looking forward to getting started and getting in and around Scott and the boys. It seems like a really tight-knit group.

“I’m excited to watch the club grow over the next few years, especially with the new stand opening soon.

“The club has done so well over the last year from a standing start, so it’s an exciting challenge in the Championship to help them continue to grow and see where we can take them – and hopefully get some wins on the board in 2026.

“I played with Scott and I know how committed he is as a person and a player, so to be playing under him will be a great opportunity.

“It’ll be interesting to see how far he’s come from playing into coaching, something I’d like to do myself down the track once I retire.

“I’d also like to thank everyone at the Vikings for the very warm welcome. I’m looking forward to playing my part in getting this club to where it wants to be in the future, on and off the field. It’s a great time to be a Viking.”

‘We identified the need to add experience and a pack leader who can bring leadership and raise those around him’

Watts featured in 54 games alongside Taylor for FC between 2016 and 2018, and before that, the pair had already played in 26 games together for cross-city rivals Hull KR between 2010 and 2012.

The Airlie Birds and the Robins are two of five clubs that Watts has represented so far in his career. Doncaster, Gateshead Thunder and Castleford Tigers are the other three, with the 35-year-old having scored 30 career tries to date.

Goole boss Taylor added: “Liam is a huge addition for us and a real boost to the squad ahead of the new season.

“He’s someone we know very well, a number of people around the club have worked with him before and we know exactly what we’re getting.

“We’ve been patient with our recruitment and we identified the need to add experience and a pack leader who can bring leadership and raise those around him if the right player became available.

“Liam fits that profile perfectly, having played Super League just a few months ago. He’s in great condition, he can play big minutes and is very good with the ball in hand.

“His offload game can be dangerous, and with his size and frame he’ll have a real impact for us.

“He’s a different type of forward to what we already have and that will really complement our pack. We’re excited to have him onboard and to see him make his mark this season.”