Championship round-up: Salford make history as trio continue perfect starts

Aaron Bower 15 Feb 2026 4:54 PM

Brad Dwyer in action for Salford RLFC in 2026

Salford RLFC have won their first league matches since being reformed at the start of this year, as they ended their winless start to the Championship season with victory over Hunslet.

Mike Grady’s side were involved in a see-saw contest where the lead switched hands several times over the course of the afternoon at the CorpAcq Stadium. However, late tries from Ollie Garmston and loanee Nathan Lowe proved decisive, giving Salford their first league win at the third attempt.

That clash was a meeting of two winless sides, and there are now five of the 19 teams – excluding Halifax Panthers – that are yet to win a match in the Championship in 2026.

At the top, three teams have won three out of three – as Dewsbury Rams ended Newcastle Thunder’s own perfect start to 2026 to continue their flawless start to the new league campaign.

They are joined at the top of the division by another team who were in League 1 in 2026, Rochdale Hornets. They defeated Keighley Cougars 24-10 to make it three wins from three.

The other side still with a perfect record are Barrow Raiders, and they are the team that are top of the table following the opening month of the season. They hammered Whitehaven 30-0 as Paul Crarey’s side continued to show they will be a contender at the top end of the Championship in 2026.

Widnes Vikings made it back-to-back wins with another victory in Cumbria, as they defeated Workington Town 22-10.

The earlier kick-off was won by another team who are making a strong start to 2026, Richard Horne’s Doncaster. The Dons won 16-12 in a thrilling contest at Batley Bulldogs to move to two wins from three at the start of the new season.