HALIFAX PANTHERS coach Kyle Eastmond accepts that his side is no longer a surprise package after having exceeded the expectations of many outside observers by making the Championship play-offs – and wrecking his hometown club Oldham’s title ambitions.
In former dual-code England international Eastmond’s first season as Shay team chief, Halifax bounced back from a challenging 2024 campaign, when Liam Finn’s charges finished ninth in the old second tier amid financial issues that at one stage threatened the club’s existence.
The Panthers finished fifth this year, and came within a win of the Grand Final, their hopes ended at York after a thumping 40-4 victory at Oldham, who were reportedly keen on Eastmond coming in to replace departed coach Sean Long.
However, the 36-year-old former St Helens back, who played union for Bath, Wasps and Leicester, is still at Halifax, and deep into preparations for a new season in which he wants to go one better than last.
“There were many lessons for me in being a coach and many lessons in the performances about where we can do better as a group,” he told the club’s television channel.
“Overall, it was a really enjoyable year, and we have put our heads together to research the season and plan ahead.
“The aim is for us all to do a better job and to keep improving training session by training session, and match by match.”
Asked if some sides underestimated Halifax, who won their first six games and finished a 24-match league fixture list with 14 victories and a draw, Eastmond responded: “Maybe that’s the case.
“But that’s not our problem, and it’s not something we can control. We’ll concentrate on ourselves and work as hard as we can to put ourselves in a good spot.”
Halifax face Rochdale at The Shay in retired winger James Saltonstall’s testimonial match on Sunday, January 4, and visit Doncaster in round one of the new Championship a fortnight after.