Around the grounds

[bosman69]

We are approaching 'silly season' with the signing deadline for championship clubs looming large - Thursday the 21st of August for our division. After this date clubs cannot add new players. 

The added factor is the additional places available in Super league. Are clubs recruiting for a higher league or another year in the championship?

We have seen some clubs around us making moves.. York have announced that irrespective of which division they are in they will be full time. They have signed Paul Vaughan from the Wolves on a 2yr deal and they are strongly rumoured to have signed Josh Griffin.  Today they have been linked with Regan Grace who has barely played since he left saints at the end of the 2022 season. 

The Bulls have signed Chris Hill. The veteran International front tower is still featuring regularly in super league and at 37 is deemed to be playing well enough to feature in the England train on squad.  They have also been linked with a Ethan Ryan (he is an ex bull) and Jack Ormonroyd as Salford implode.

Touloose have been quieter but signed Wallace from Hull KR for the remainder of 2025 in the last few weeks. 

We know Widnes have signed Adam Lawton but they have also added Roberts.. a talented half from Saints on loan for the rest of 2025 and Jon Bennison a short term loan for 2 weeks. They have also added Jack Bibby on loan from Huddersfield..Jack has played for oldham on two short term spells in the past.  A recent much publicised signing at last weeks fans forum turned out to be the re-signing  of ex Yed Liam Bent and not one of our widnes mob.

Batley bulldogs have been very busy in the loan market.. Jack billington from the giants and waine and Ott from the Bulls. A prop.. 2nd row and winger.

Doncaster have added backrower Luis Johnson from Cas on a permanent deal. 

I am sure the next few weeks will get even busier and equally I am sure we will be in the thick of it. 

Zane has 2 gamed to go and his return will be like a new signing but our front row stocks are not plentiful imo. 

Anyone else picked up on other stories?

I will look to update this as we go along. 

Edited August 4 by bosman69

[shrewsbury roughyed]

14 hours ago, bosman69 said:

We are approaching 'silly season' with the signing deadline for championship clubs looming large - Thursday the 21st of August for our division. After this date clubs cannot add new players. 

The added factor is the additional places available in Super league. Are clubs recruiting for a higher league or another year in the championship?

We have seen some clubs around us making moves.. York have announced that irrespective of which division they are in they will be full time. They have signed Paul Vaughan from the Wolves on a 2yr deal and they are strongly rumoured to have signed Josh Griffin.  Today they have been linked with Regan Grace who has barely played since he left saints at the end of the 2022 season. 

The Bulls have signed Chris Hill. The veteran International front tower is still featuring regularly in super league and at 37 is deemed to be playing well enough to feature in the England train on squad.  They have also been linked with a Ethan Ryan (he is an ex bull) and Jack Ormonroyd as Salford implode.

Touloose have been quieter but signed Wallace from Hull KR for the remainder of 2025 in the last few weeks. 

We know Widnes have signed Adam Lawton but they have also added Roberts.. a talented half from Saints on loan for the rest of 2025 and Jon Bennison a short term loan for 2 weeks. They have also added Jack Bibby on loan from Huddersfield..Jack has played for oldham on two short term spells in the past.  A recent much publicised signing at last weeks fans forum turned out to be the re-signing  of ex Yed Liam Bent and not one of our widnes mob.

Batley bulldogs have been very busy in the loan market.. Jack billington from the giants and waine and Ott from the Bulls. A prop.. 2nd row and winger.

Doncaster have added backrower Luis Johnson from Cas on a permanent deal. 

I am sure the next few weeks will get even busier and equally I am sure we will be in the thick of it. 

Zane has 2 gamed to go and his return will be like a new signing but our front row stocks are not plentiful imo. 

Anyone else picked up on other stories?

I will look to update this as we go along. 

Paul Vaughan to York? Someone’s got deep pockets! He won’t come cheap. Still SL level imo. Regan Grace a big injury risk unfortunately for him. Chris Hill will do a job at this level; surely his last season. Hopefully there’ll be some Yeds’ recruitment news coming up soon. Btw I wouldn’t treat the 21st August as a deadline deadline. Given the SL reorganisation shenanigans there could well be all sorts of shiftings and readjustments to come. 

[Blind side johnny]

4 hours ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

Paul Vaughan to York? Someone’s got deep pockets! He won’t come cheap. Still SL level imo. Regan Grace a big injury risk unfortunately for him. Chris Hill will do a job at this level; surely his last season. Hopefully there’ll be some Yeds’ recruitment news coming up soon. Btw I wouldn’t treat the 21st August as a deadline deadline. Given the SL reorganisation shenanigans there could well be all sorts of shiftings and readjustments to come. 

The deadline is for players that can play in 2025.

[m brooksy]

Ormonroyd and Brierley are rumoured to be coming to us but I'm not sure if they've signed yet or just talks. Marsters apparently signed for York. 

I'll drop a bit of behind the scenes info here. Vaughan was very close to signing for us and was the one of the players I was referencing in the 2026 thread about being one of the best players we'd had for a long time. York apparently came in and more than doubled our offer but he would have been an outstanding signing.

[bosman69]

York have just announced the signing of Harry Fraser - a young aussie half from the Newcastle Knights feeder system for the rest of the year. 

[bosman69]

5 minutes ago, m brooksy said:

Ormonroyd and Brierley are rumoured to be coming to us but I'm not sure if they've signed yet or just talks. Marsters apparently signed for York. 

I'll drop a bit of behind the scenes info here. Vaughan was very close to signing for us and was the one of the players I was referencing in the 2026 thread about being one of the best players we'd had for a long time. York apparently came in and more than doubled our offer but he would have been an outstanding signing.

We have been strongly linked with Brierley. I have also seen reference to us signing Sangare.

Marsters would be a great signing for York. 

[bosman69]

Vaughan is a fabulous player and has been excellent for Warrington since he signed.  So many props have been acquired from Australia over the years at the end of there careers with great reputations only to flop. The difference with Vaughan is that he has a great skill set rather than the more typical physical specimen that has too many miles on the clock. I noticed that he was top of the pile in SL for offloads and he has certainly looked after himself. 

I am sure he will be great for York if his body holds up but if York doubled our offer then good luck to them.  A sensible decision to walk away imo as good as he is.

Edited August 6 by bosman69

[ChampagneCharlieReturns]

Looks like danny Richardson about to join york too

Edited August 6 by ChampagneCharlieReturns

[Stevos Barber]

York are definitely making a play for the top table

[wozzeryedhead]

I was told yesterday that Vaughan is on a two years contract 250k a year and also that york would be in sl, but I don't know if any of this is true  

[wozzeryedhead]

Just now, wozzeryedhead said:

I was told yesterday that Vaughan is on a two years contract 250k a year and also that york would be in sl, but I don't know if any of this is true  

The story came from someone in Warrington???

[shrewsbury roughyed]

46 minutes ago, wozzeryedhead said:

I was told yesterday that Vaughan is on a two years contract 250k a year and also that york would be in sl, but I don't know if any of this is true  

If they’re paying that much (If!!!)  it makes you wonder if they’ve been tipped the wink re SL entry. Big risk though. If he gets a significant injury that’s a lot of money down the drain.

[wozzeryedhead]

Just now, shrewsbury roughyed said:

If they’re paying that much (If!!!)  it makes you wonder if they’ve been tipped the wink re SL entry. Big risk though. If he gets a significant injury that’s a lot of money down the drain.

Exactly  

[bosman69]

Danny Richardson has always been a talent but he is 28 now and he has managed 126 games in 9 seasons..he is even injured now and is not due to be fit again until the play offs..if they sign Regan Grace as well the next addition York need will be another physio!

Edited August 6 by bosman69

[bosman69]

A little more quiet this week after a flurry of activity.. including a very busy Oldham.  

Gaps are appearing in certain squads and what becomes apparent is who has the budget and has to male do. 

Doncaster and Barrow both travelled with depleted squads to Bradford ourselves.. both gave it a real go.. but both ultimately lost.. albeit Bradford scored 2 late tries to win at Odsal.

[Happyed]

3 hours ago, bosman69 said:

A little more quiet this week after a flurry of activity.. including a very busy Oldham. 

From what longy had to say on AORL we may still be after one more signing 

[Happyed]

.

Edited August 11 by Happyed

[sheddingswasus]

Thought BQ said more signings not signing?

[chiefgeneral]

3 hours ago, Happyed said:

From what longy had to say on AORL we may still be after one more signing 

'Look for't sign another'

He's funny Longy

[m brooksy]

He mentioned we were after Hankinson before he signed for Leeds so it's likely to be a back

[sheddingswasus]

Ethan Ryan?

[Happyed]

Nene?

[bosman69]

York have confirmed that Josh Griffin has signed for 2026. Still a regular second row starter for Trinity at 35. 

[bosman69]

21 hours ago, sheddingswasus said:

Thought BQ said more signings not signing?

I think there is a distinction between players for 2025 and beyond like the Salford duo and new additions for 2026.

[canadian roughyed]

3 hours ago, Happyed said:

Nene?

It was nice to have a flair player like Nene but I thought he disrupted our playing style. I would pass.