DONCASTER have secured the first five additions to Richard Horne’s squad for the 2025 Championship season.
Beverley-born prop Josh Bowden has signed a one-year deal after departing Championship winners Wakefield Trinity at the end of the campaign, bringing him back to the Eco-Power Stadium after a brief loan period in 2015.
The 32-year-old spent the entirety of his senior career on the books of Super League clubs but opted to remain with Trinity last term and made 31 appearances as they secured a return to the top flight at the first time of asking, as well as winning the 1895 Cup.
Bowden has more than 180 Super League appearances on his CV after spending 11 seasons with Hull FC – where he twice lifted the Challenge Cup – before joining Wakefield in 2022.
Fellow forward Jordan Baldwinson has also committed to the Dons for the next two years.
The Leeds-born 30-year-old spent the previous three seasons with Bradford Bulls, with his time at Odsal punctuated by a cruciate ligament injury.
An experienced operator at Championship level, Baldwinson has made more than 80 appearances in the second tier with the likes of York and Featherstone as well as playing top flight rugby at Leeds Rhinos and Bradford.
Baldwinson had a spell in the Antipodes with New Zealand Warriors early in his career.
Second row Jacob Jones is on board for two years following his departure from Leigh Leopards.
The 25-year-old made 25 Super League appearances last season while on loan at London Broncos, where he was named supporters’ player of the year.
Birmingham-born Jones started his career with Midlands Hurricanes before beginning his first spell at London in 2017. He was also on the books of Coventry Bears, with loans at Widnes and Rochdale during his time at Leigh.
New Zealand-born hooker Isaac Misky will earn his first taste of English rugby league with the Dons.
Misky has spent the last two seasons in with Saint Gaudens Bears in the top flight of French rugby league. He has also captained the Tokelau national team.
Previously, the 30-year-old has featured for South Pacific Raiders, the representative Canterbury Bulls and New Zealand Universities.
The fantastic five is rounded off with the addition of Papua New Guinea utility back Edene Gebbie.
The 29-year-old arrived in England earlier this year with Whitehaven, for whom he scored ten tries in 16 appearances in the Championship last season.
Gebbie – who can play at full back, centre or winger – previously featured for South Sydney Rabbitohs and Wests Tigers and represented Townsville Blackhawks in the Queensland Cup.
After returning to his native PNG in 2023 with Port Moresby Vipers, he made the switch to Cumbria at the start of 2024.
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