KEIGHLEY COUGARS coach Alan Kilshaw is ready to field a younger side in 2026 – and aims to use his first pre-season with the club to create a more cohesive squad.

Following a period working in Australia, the former Rochdale, Hunslet and Swinton coach arrived in West Yorkshire in April, succeeding interim coach Jordie Hedges after Jake Webster left just one League One game into the season.

Having inherited a side who had lost each of their first four League One games, Kilshaw oversaw six wins in the 14 outings which followed, with his charges suffering a number of narrow defeats.

He believes there is plenty to build on, and that new additions, wingers David Foggin-Johnston (back after a drugs ban), Alfie Dean (from Batley) and Dylan Proud (Leeds), outside back Waldimar Matahwa (from the student game) and centres or second rowers Max Clarke (Workington) and Leo Skerrett-Evans (Castleford), can all make key contributions.

“There have been a few departures, but we are happy with our retentions, and we have kept hold of some exciting prospects like (fullback) Connor Sayner, (winger) Oliver Whitford and (prop) Leo Aliyu,” said Kilshaw.

“We needed to bring the average age of the squad down, and we are trying to create a situation which provides room for players to develop and a bit of stability and continuity going forward, because there has been a lot of chopping and changing at the club over recent years.

“Coming in when I did limited the time I had to work on cohesion and embedding ideas and tactics, because there was often a match coming up, but pre-season provides an opportunity.

“The players have come back in good shape, so there is less need to work on fitness because it is already there. That means more time to work on other areas, and we have to make that count.

“We found a bit more consistency towards the end of last season, and that will help going forward.”