HUNSLET coach Kyle Trout hailed a first home win since 2024 – and said achieving it with a high proportion of players with local links made it even more meaningful.
The South Leeds Stadium has hardly been a happy hunting ground, with all 14 games played there in all competitions last year and the first four of this ending in defeat.
However Hunslet added to league victories away to Rochdale and Keighley by edging out Newcastle 34-32 courtesy of Billy Jowitt’s penalty-goal after the full-time hooter.
That ended a wait for home success stretching back to September 2024, when Midlands Hurricanes were seen off 18-14 in the old League One play-offs (Hunslet went on to clinch promotion) – and sparked scenes of celebration involving both the players and loyal supporters.
“It was good to see that unity after we finally got the monkey off our back,” said Trout. “There’s a good community feel about this place and a connection between everyone and the atmosphere was as good as I’ve known here.”
That connection extends to Super League neighbours Leeds, with four of their players – centre Ned McCormack, props Tom Nicholson-Watton and Joe Butterfield and secondrow Ben Littlewood – featuring alongside Doncaster forward Jordan Baldwinson, who was born in Leeds, as loanees as Trout continues to work with a squad reduced by injuries and some members departing the club.
“We’ve seen the value in playing lads with local links, from whatever part of Leeds or Rhinos-affiliated, because they have that feel for the club and the city, and have family and friends who have it too,” explained Trout.
“All the loan players really bought in and you could see what it meant to them at the end.”
Hunslet travel to Oldham on Sunday in the first round of the 1895 Cup.