Challenge Cup winning coach Lee Radford will help conduct the first round of the 2017 competition.
The draw be joined by RFL President, Air Commodore Dean Andrew on Thursday, January 5 (from 7.00pm)
The draw will be conducted at The Deep in Hull on January 5 to celebrate the city being named 2017 UK City of Culture and Hull FC’s efforts in 2016. Radford will be joined by RFL President, Air Commodore Dean Andrew on Thursday, January 5 (from 7.00pm).
Thirty-two sides will go into the draw to participate in one of the country’s oldest sporting tournaments and will form the first two rounds of the 2017 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup, which will be played on January 28 – 29 and February 11 – 12.
The Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Great Britain Police all represent the Services, while Kingstone Press National Conference League champions Siddal will be looking to pull off another shock in 2016 on the back of their eye-catching 30-4 win over Kingstone Press League 1 side Newcastle Thunder last year.
Joining them from the NCL are beaten Grand Finalists Leigh Miners Rangers and 2016 Challenge Trophy winners, Rochdale Mayfield.
The city of Hull boasts no fewer than five clubs in the first round draw, with Hull Dockers, West Hull, Myton Warriors and Skirlaugh from the NCL joined by Hull University, who are the student game’s representatives this year.
Lock Lane from Castleford, who were the only community club to make it to the fifth round in 2016, feature in the competition again, alongside fellow NCL clubs Wath Brow Hornets, Wigan St Patricks, Pilkington Recs, Egremont Rangers, York Acorn, Thatto Heath Crusaders, Featherstone Lions, Milford Marlins and Normanton Knights.
BARLA National Cup winners Thornhill Trojans, who ply their trade in NCL Division Two, are also in the draw, alongside Fryston Warriors, reigning champions of the winter Pennine League.
Elsewhere, Conference League South champions London Chargers are joined by first-time entrants, Wests Warriors, who were winners of the Harry Jepson Trophy this year.
Aberdeen Warriors, champions of Scotland, are joined in the first round by Welsh League winners, Bridgend Blue Bulls.
Cumbria Men’s League champions Distington enter the world’s oldest Rugby League competition for a second successive year, while North West Men’s League champions Haydock will be involved, as well as Yorkshire Men’s League champions, West Bowling.
Full list of first round draw numbers:
1. Aberdeen Warriors
2. Bridgend Blue Bulls
3. Distington
4. Egremont Rangers
5. Featherstone Lions
6. Fryston Warriors
7. Great Britain Police Rugby League
8. Haydock
9. Hull Dockers
10. Hull University
11. Kells
12. Leigh Miners Rangers
13. Lock Lane
14. London Chargers
15. Milford Marlins
16. Myton Warriors
17. Normanton Knights
18. Pilkington Recs
19. Rochdale Mayfield
20. Royal Air Force
21. Royal Navy
22. Siddal
23. Skirlaugh
24. Thatto Heath Crusaders
25. The Army
26. Thornhill Trojans
27. Wath Brow Hornets
28. West Bowling
29. West Hull
30. Wests Warriors
31. Wigan St Patricks
32. York Acorn
The first round draw for the 2017 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup will to take place on Thursday, January 5 from 7.00pm with fixtures scheduled for January 28-29.
