Swinton Lions lock in 2026 squad numbers with former Super League starlets included
From left to right: A three-panel image of Aaron Willis, Harry Higham and Charlie McCurrie all form part of Swinton Lions squad for 2026 - Image credit: Castleford Tigers and Swinton Lions
Swinton have locked in their squad numbers for the 2026 Championship campaign, with the number of former Super League youngsters in the Lions’ roster in double figures.
Having taken charge at Heywood Road ahead of 2025, Warrington Wolves icon Paul Wood led Swinton to a third-place finish in League 1 this year.
Come 2026, his Lions side will be competing in a 21-team second tier, with the Championship and League 1 merging to form one bumper division.
Earlier this week, the Greater Manchester outfit saw veteran prop Adam Sidlow hang up his boots – leaving a gap in their squad to potentially be filled, with the number eight shirt left vacant.
26 squad numbers have been dished out in total by Wood for 2026, with the #19 also empty, and plenty of the shirts are filled by products of Super League systems.
Swinton Lions lock in 2026 squad numbers with former Super League youngsters aplenty included
The sons of Super League cult heroes Micky Higham, Harry, and Lee Briers, Reece, take #5 and #6 respectively.
Outside-back Harry came through Wigan Warriors’ youth system before joining Swinton ahead of 2025.
Reece spent time in the academy of Warrington Wolves before heading Down Under as dad Lee landed an assistant coach role with Australian outfit Brisbane Broncos, now the champions of the NRL.
He also joined the Lions this time last year as his dad returned to Super League with St Helens.
Former Saints youngsters Louie Roberts (#1) and Ellis Anderson (#3) also feature in Wood’s Swinton squad for 2026 alongside ex-Castleford Tigers starlet Aaron Willis (#12), who has been recruited from Midlands Hurricanes.
23-year-old Jack Stevens, who came through the system at Salford Red Devils and made one Super League appearance against Warrington in September 2022, remains with the Lions and will wear #7 in 2026.
On the back of the Red Devils’ financial saga this year, another trio have made the short pilgrimage from Salford to Swinton in the shape of Charlie McCurrie (#26), Lucas Coan (#27) and Jimmy Shields (#28).
Ex-Wigan trio Finley Beardsworth (#16), Trent Kelly-Duffy (#17) and Tom Ratchford (#21) are all also now Lions players.
Here are Swinton’s squad numbers for 2026 in full…
1. Louie Roberts
2. Connor Parkinson
3. Ellis Anderson
4. Aaron Lynch
5. Harry Higham
6. Reece Briers
7. Jack Stevens
9. George Roby
10. Ben Killan
11. Gavin Rodden
12. Aaron Willis
13. Kenny Baker (captain)
14. Jonny Openshaw
15. Jamie Reddecliff
16. Finley Beardsworth
17. Trent Kelly-Duffy
18. Bobby Shingler
20. Adam Jones
21. Tom Ratchford
22. Jordan Brown
23. Deane Meadows
24. Ethan Fitzgerald
25. Kye Jacobson
26. Charlie McCurrie
27. Lucas Coan
28. Jimmy Shields
