PERHAPS the most disillusioning Championship side in 2025 were Sheffield Eagles.
After being a consistent play-off side under previous head coach Mark Aston, the Eagles were in dire straits last season, winning just six of their 24 league games and finishing third bottom.
New head coach Craig Lingard struggled to get to grips with his new side following his exit from Super League side Castleford Tigers the year before and the impact of Aston being found guilty of breaching the rules around a player returning from a head injury seemed to effect the players on the field.
Aston officially left the club, and ended a near 40-year association with them, in August.
Ahead of the 2026 season, Lingard has recruited well, bringing in Super League men Josh Hodson, George Griffin and Kai Morgan with Bradford veterans Kieran Gill and Jordan Lilley also arriving.
Losing the likes of Cory Aston, Tyler Dickinson, Danny Craven and Kris Welham could be an issue for the Eagles, but a lot better things are expected under Lingard next season.
One to watch
Kai Morgan began to establish himself as a Super League player in 2025 after making 15 appearances and scoring eight tries for the beleaguered Salford Red Devils.
Able to play in the halves and at hooker, Morgan is still only 21 yet has been through what some players don’t go through in a full career.
That experience at Salford will undoubtedly have hardened the playmaker and replacing Cory Aston/Danny Craven will take some doing.
Squad: 1 Matty Marsh, 2 Joe Brown, 3 Josh Hodson, 4 Kieran Gill, 5 Billy Walkley, 6 Kai Morgan, 7 Jordan Lilley, 8 Conor Fitzsimmons, 9 Corey Johnson, 10 Martyn Reilly, 11 Connor Bower, 12 Joel Farrell, 13 Jack Bussey, 14 Reiss Butterworth, 15 George Griffin, 16 Blake Broadbent, 17 Harry Bowes, 18 Lennie Ellis, 19 Will Oakes, 20 Lewis Peachey, 21 Ryan Millar, 22 Masi Matongo, 23 Alex Foster, 24 Marcus Green, 25 Jayden Billy
Ins: Joe Brown (York), Harry Bowes (Keighley), Conor Fitzsimmons (York), Josh Hodson, George Griffin (both Castleford), Marcus Green (Midlands), Kieran Gill, Jordan Lilley (both Bradford), Lennie Ellis (Hull KR), Kai Morgan (Salford)
Outs: Kris Welham (retired), Titus Gwaze (released), Danny Craven (Midlands), Oliver Roberts (Midlands), Eddie Battye (Hunslet), Nick Staveley (Goole), Tyler Dickinson (Midlands), Cory Aston (Doncaster), Jack Mallinson (released), Evan Hodgson (Batley), Matty Dawson-Jones (Hunslet)