HALIFAX PANTHERS have signed outside back Alfie Johnson (pictured) from Warrington Wolves on a one-year deal after he impressed on loan this year.

They have also recruited Ben Forster from Oldham on terms to 2027, agreed a two-year contract extension with prop Will Calcott and kept hold of his fellow backrows Connor Davies and Jacob Fairbank as well as Vila Halafihi, the experienced hooker coach Kyle Eastmond prised out of retirement during the season.

That trio have penned one-year extensions, but Halifax have lost the French flair of fullback or halfback Louis Jouffret, another spine star in James Woodburn-Hall, popular pack man Adam Tangata and Bradford-bound prop Brandon Douglas.  

Guildford-born former rugby union player Johnson, 24, who represented England in the sevens format, had a spell at Leeds before signing a two-year deal with Warrington twelve months ago.

He played twice for the Wolves this year, and after dual-registration appearances for Widnes and London Broncos, scored four tries in eight appearances in an injury-affected loan at Halifax, one of them in the Championship play-off semi-final defeat at York.

“Myself and Kyle have a great relationship. I think he understands me as a player and person,” he explained.

“He’s helped me navigate a positional change from wing to centre, and his knowledge for the game and the level of detail he brings is unbelievable. I really want to continue improving under his watch.”

Forster said: “The deal gives me stability to work on my game and build confidence.” 

France international Jouffret made 111 appearances for Halifax, with 41 tries and 229 goals, after previously playing for Whitehaven (two spells), Toulouse, Batley, Featherstone and Avignon.

He took the man-of-the-match award when Halifax lifted the 1895 Cup by beating Batley at Wembley in 2023.

Woodburn-Hall was at Halifax for ten seasons while Tangata was in his third spell there. Douglas joined from Sheffield in 2024.