GOOLE VIKINGS have made their first pack addition and their sixth signing for 2025 with the arrival of versatile forward Alex Holdstock.
The powerful forward, who can play through the middle or in the back row, has performed highly at both Championship and Super League academy level.
The 23-year-old joins from Doncaster RLFC, having previously come through the junior ranks at Hull Kingston Rovers.
The Vikings’ sixth new signing for 2025 was impressive for the Dons, racking up 56 appearances and eight tries since his debut as an 18-year-old in 2020.
His notable performances saw him earn the Don Brooks Future Star Award in 2023.
Holdstock is well-known to some of his new teammates, having played alongside fellow new recruits Tom Halliday and Josh Guzdek at Doncaster.
At 18 years old he joined Doncaster RLFC ahead of the 2020 campaign after performing well in pre-season Friendlies against Sheffield Eagles and Wakefield Trinity reserves.
Holdstock helped Doncaster RLFC to gain promotion to the Championship in 2023, playing a key role in their campaign across the 13 appearances he made.
Having fought off competition from a number of other Championship and League One clubs, Vikings’ head coach Scott Taylor feels it is another promising addition to the growing squad.
“This is another really positive signing for us, Alex is a young player with his best years ahead of him and we feel we can help him achieve some of his goals here at Goole,” Taylor commented.
“It takes time for forwards to develop and with over 50 first-grade games under his belt already, he has a fantastic foundation on which to build from – he has all the ingredients to be a very good player.
“He knows the areas of his game he needs to improve and is working hard on that already, and the really pleasing aspect for us was the positive references we had on his ability and character from a number of people around the game that we trust.”
Holdstock himself shares in the excitement of the opportunity ahead. He said: “I am really excited about the challenge ahead, and hopefully we can play our part in helping us creative something special and make our own history.
“Everyone at the club has been very professional and are determined to make it successful, so that really appealed to me.
“I can’t wait to get started, I really feel like this is a fantastic opportunity for me to get back to playing my best rugby, with a smile on my face, and I’m particularly looking forward to working with the coaching staff to improve areas of my game.”
Holdstock becomes the sixth addition for the new campaign, alongside former Doncaster team mates Josh Guzdek and Tom Halliday, local boy Ben Hodder, and former Super League players Jamie Shaul and Thomas Minns.
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