Released Hull KR forward makes move to Championship for 2026 season

Former Hull KR forward Leo Tennison has made the move to the Championship for the 2026 season after agreeing to join Newcastle Thunder.

Tennison was released from the final year of his contract with the Super League champions at the end of last season. At the time, the Robins confirmed he was joining another Super League club – and Tennison is understood to have inked a permanent deal with York Knights, which is yet to be announced.

And the forward will become the latest York player to make a switch to the Thunder as part of an affiliate partnership between the two clubs that will see Newcastle have access to Knights players out of Mark Applegarth’s first-team plans.

Tennison has agreed to head north to the Thunder for the entirety of the 2026 campaign, in a bid to help him gain valuable experience in the Championship.

Tennison has already featured in the lower leagues for the likes of Featherstone Rovers and Goole, but he will now link up with a new club. Bailey Antrobus and Sam Cook have also made the move from York to Newcastle, with more set to be available on dual-registration throughout the season.