2026 Squad

[Eyeball]

FB
David Nofoaluma

Tanguy Zenon

Wing/Centre

Ben Crooks

Charlie Graham

Alfie Johnson

Darius Carter

Ben Tibbs

Half
Jack Hansen 

Myles Lawford

Prop
Ronan Dixon

Wil Calcott

Daniel Okoro

Hooker
Adam O'Brien
Tom Inman 

Second Row / Loose Forward
Brad Graham 

Zack McComb

Owen McCarron 

Bailey Lui 

Vila Halafihi

Connor Davies

Jacob Fairbank 

 

 

Confirmed Leaving

James Saltonstall (Retired)

Owen Restall (Midlands Hurricanes)

Louis Jouffret (France)

Brandon Douglas 

Adam Tangata

James Woodburn-Hall 

Edited November 16, 2025 by Eyeball

[Magicsponge]

Interesting..unfortunately for Eastmond 2/3 that shouldn't be contracted.Thought Hird had left so assume he must have gone on loan somewhere.

[Faxpanthers2025]

Hird left the club in June - didn’t see him pop up anywhere else. Hansen was posting the other day about being back at fax in 2026

[Ilkley Fax]

Hard to understand when we're trying to push season ticket sales why there's been absolutely nothing about new/resignings  - can only hope there's some movement after tomorrow's confirmation of which teams are going up to superleague. Just hope that news isn't players like Nofaluma moving to one of these teams.

[Magicman]

Pretty close to calling it a do tbh , when the game is played off the pitch then I really dont see the point , sport is supposed to be an escape from corruption and politics not a part of it , time for reflection is think.

[A Fax fan]

As a newcomer to this site, ( I have previously like others been on another site), and living some 7000 miles east of  Halifax I rely on the media to give me upto date information. 
As I understand things, most of Fax employees will be on holiday after the season ended, that should not mean a complete silence. About the club and its progress including who is on the board of directors, recently reads like musical chairs. 

I also understand the reluctance of signing players until the debacle of the new format has been publicly announced as there may be players of a quality higher than at present become available.

Like lots of others I am disappointed that Fax did not throw their hat into the ring for inclusion to Super League, not that they stood much of a chance, but with the Bulls, their unfit stadium, debatable attendance figures, use of the ‘old boy’ network, and pointing to S/L history  for automatic inclusion beggars belief they should be considered.

Hoping the the Shay debacle is also sorted, whether Ken Daley buys the place or someone does at least put some stability into where Fax play for the foreseeable future.

However until Fax find a sugar daddy or fairy godmother I suppose things will bumble on as previous, there are a few good things , coach, some players who are probably the best championship players and possibly a higher quality, just hoping they can be kept and built around, but as always time will tell. 

[Magicman]

Our squad will need a complete revamp and the leader of our pack will no doubt depart to the corruptabulls, actually feel sick to my stomach.

[Ainley Top]

11 hours ago, Magicman said:

Pretty close to calling it a do tbh , when the game is played off the pitch then I really dont see the point , sport is supposed to be an escape from corruption and politics not a part of it , time for reflection is think.

I feel exactly the same mate. Seriously, what is the point? The people behind all this should hang their heads in shame!

[Magicsponge]

33 minutes ago, Ainley Top said:

I feel exactly the same mate. Seriously, what is the point? The people behind all this should hang their heads in shame!

Or should be hung.

[Ainley Top]

Well there you have it. I have to be careful what i say as the people in charge of this board have said anyone saying things they don't like will be permanently barred. Let's just say the circus has finally arrived in town and the clowns in charge, masquerading as leaders of our game, have done the inevitable and disgraceful action we all knew was going to happen. It's wrong, it's an abonimation, it's appalling. Corruption at it's absolute finest.

[Magicman]

What i dont understand is when all these people are sat in a boardroom coming up with new fandangled ideas why doesn't someone stand up and say no or even better f off , stick your stupid agenda where the sun dont shine , I've always said it like minded clubs should get together and form a new league with on the field promotion and relegation, leave the god damn game alone and let us enjoy our sport.

[Boots]

Tough not to think about what’s going on and not really sure if any of the clubs do especially those outside of SL. 

On the squad for next season there’s probably a connection such as who’s going to who’s coming.

Season ticket sales don’t look to hot and that’s likely connected as well and not bought ours this time yet for uncertainty reasons but the last Facebook post from the club was a bit of a head scratcher when saying we were into our final batch and when there gone there gone but it still mentioned that the first 200 would get the opportunity to buy the half price challenge cup tickets. So how can they be on the last batch if that offer is still on for just the first 200?

Edited October 16, 2025 by Boots
Typo error

[Magicman]

Big ask for the club to sell tickets especially if the format is no promotion or relegation in either division, essentially everyone is playing for nothing add to that some weird spreadsheet grading system that makes no sense to anybody. Struggling with Sport in general but this is probably the strangest interpretation of sport I've ever seen.

[Boots]

4 hours ago, Magicman said:

Big ask for the club to sell tickets especially if the format is no promotion or relegation in either division, essentially everyone is playing for nothing add to that some weird spreadsheet grading system that makes no sense to anybody. Struggling with Sport in general but this is probably the strangest interpretation of sport I've ever seen.

Normal P&R through on the field performance would be most people’s choice but no one in the higher echelons takes a blind bit of notice, bit of an irony having a fandom criteria then!? Your welcome to come and pay but you can’t have a say.

The proponents of the grading system will argue that is the way to go up by getting more points than those already there which is precisely what’s been done by all and every means.

Now that’s happened it will be scrapped soon with IMG paid off and any further expansion will be without full central funding at the discretion of the independent  panel which sets another precedent for who dominates and controls everything, don’t think that was a one off, just eased in, accepted this time round and then adopted for whenever needed.

Edited October 16, 2025 by Boots
Typo

[A Fax fan]

As has been said, the need to watch my p & q. 
Seems freedom of speech is frowned upon, even when it is accepted as known by the majority of people.

However it is still a travesty that it has happened. Just a shame there is no promotion or relegation  so teams are safe until the next time img has a bright and revolutionary idea. 

[The Blues Ox]

Bradford were always going back in to SL while the sport is using a grading system that can be gamed and while Nigel Wood has fingers in both the Bradford and RFL pie. They have some big money backers and I don't blame them for doing what they can to get back in there as the sport is pretty much dead at the semi pro level and If they played the game better than everyone else to finish 10th then fair play to them but we all know that stadium should be nowhere near SL. My only disappointment in them going up is that we lose one of about 2 or 3 games that I genuinely look forward to during the season to be replaced by teams from League 2 who, no disrespect, but I can't really see many people wanting to watch us play.

Unfortunately for our club we are stuck in this division until we get someone with deep pockets to help us do the same. I have no doubt that if that were to happen we could make a better success of it than the likes of Huddersfield and Salford have been doing recently but more worryingly for us and the game at this level in general is that we are one of three teams that has a winding up petition against them and that dark cloud needs to be removed.

That is all pretty depressing but the good news is, this is RL and in a year or two this system will likely be gone and we might have another one that gives us some hope, until then we are lucky that we have some pretty good amateur teams in the area so we still get to have a rugby fix at the weekends if we so desire.

[Boots]

As regards our squad we weren’t far off against York, sadly LJ had a nightmare Woody and Tangata would have made a big difference and Tom’s slack high shot when we got to within 4 was another frustrating daft poor choice moment but he has them in his game.

If Eastmond can keep some of the better players and add a few with a bit of quality and desire then we should be competitive.

Finances will play a big part and can understand when I’m giving a lot of thought whether to buy a ticket for a season why someone else would be doing the same on whether to by a rugby club for life!

Either way there’s always been another team who are having their moment with a lot more cash, Toronto, Leigh, Toulouse, Wakefield etc who dominate the division and next year it will be London.

Oldham will be an interesting one to watch to see if Quinn and Ford still pump the same amount of money in or whether they think it’s not worth it.

[Cowfax]

Regarding the three new teams placed in super league:

After years of IMG and millions spent on their strange work at "grading", the top three teams in the championship go up. Why waste all that money? Some Americans laughing all the way to the bank.

[The Blues Ox]

Heard today that Nofoaluma and Johnson will be staying next season. Not sure how reliable the source is but if true then that would be a great start for next season. Also with the 3 teams going up we will start as the highest ranked team on the field next season.

[Faxpanthers2025]

19 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Heard today that Nofoaluma and Johnson will be staying next season. Not sure how reliable the source is but if true then that would be a great start for next season. Also with the 3 teams going up we will start as the highest ranked team on the field next season.

That would be cracking if we could keep those two. Sounds like Douglas is bulls bound for a fee

[Faxpanthers2025]

When does pre-season normally start? Early November? 

[Magicman]

2 hours ago, Faxpanthers2025 said:

When does pre-season normally start? Early November? 

Last season it was 16th of November 2024.

[Boots]

2 hours ago, Faxpanthers2025 said:

That would be cracking if we could keep those two. Sounds like Douglas is bulls bound for a fee

Bad news if he goes though he was part of their academy as far as I can recall before going to Cas.

Figure I’ve heard from MM is he’s on 35k at Fax and Bulls have offered double that with a transfer release fee of around 25k so approaching 95 grand for the first year and 70 grand after that.

Does that sound a lot to be paying for him?

Edited October 19, 2025 by Boots

[Magicman]

I asked chat gpt the question around salary

While there’s no publicly‐published figure that breaks down average salary specifically for a prop in the Super League (UK Rugby League) by position, here’s what we do know — and how a prop’s salary likely fits in.
What we do know
The average salary for a Super League player is quoted at about £74,000 per year. �
Serious About Rugby League +1
The league’s salary cap for 2024 is £2.1 m per club for first-team players (subject to certain conditions and dispensations). �
Rugby League +1
Salary spends vary by club: for example in 2024, one club’s total spend was estimated at ~£3.1 m while another was ~£1.4 m. �
Love Rugby League +1
Estimating for a prop
Props (forwards, in the front row) in rugby league tend to be physical players, often experienced, but can vary widely in market value (domestic vs overseas, star vs squad role). Given the average salary is ~£74k, a prop’s salary might fall:
For a mid-level domestic prop who is a regular first-team starter: perhaps somewhere near the league average (i.e., £60k-£90k).
For a top prop (domestic star or high value overseas import): could be significantly higher, possibly £100k+ depending on club and contract, but still within cap constraints.
For a younger/less established prop: likely less than average.
Conclusion
So, if you ask “What’s the average salary for a Super League prop?” a reasonable ballpark would be around £70,000–£80,000 per annum, recognising that there will be a wide range around that depending on experience, club, star status, and contract specifics.
 

Edited October 19, 2025 by Magicman

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, Boots said:

Bad news if he goes though he was part of their academy as far as I can recall before going to Cas.

Figure I’ve heard from MM is he’s on 35k at Fax and Bulls have offered double that with a transfer release fee of around 25k so approaching 95 grand for the first year and 70 grand after that.

Does that sound a lot to be paying for him?

Yeah props, especially of Douglas standard are not earning 70k in SL.