NEW head coach Dean Muir hasn’t exactly taken a new broom to his first Hunslet squad, but he has certainly made his mark on it.
As well as retaining experienced key members of the squad including Matty Beharrell, Jack Render, Harvey Hallas and Michael Knowles, he has called on some old friends to add more winning mentality to a side that won 14 out of their 18 games last season.
Keenan Dyer-Dixon, Toby Everett, Billy Gaylor, Aaron Levy and Aidan Scully, who all won promotion with unbeaten Keighley in 2022, have moved to Hunslet to link back up with Muir, who was their assistant coach at the Cougars.
It was injuries that eventually scuppered Hunslet’s promotion charge last season, losing both their play-off games, but if they can avoid a similar fate this year, Championship rugby could await the south Leeds club for the first time since 2015.
Watch out for… FORMER Keighley assistant Dean Muir is heading into his first season as a head coach in the professional game having recently led West Bowling to the NCL First Division Title. He knows what it takes to win, but can he make the step up to this level? He’ll need to if Hunslet are to realise their Championship dream.
2024 squad: 1 Jimmy Watson, 2 Dan McGrath, 4 Jude Ferreira, 5 Alfie Goddard, 6 Harry Williams, 7 Matty Beharrell, 8 Harvey Hallas, 9 Billy Gaylor, 10 Toby Everett, 11 Josh Jordan-Roberts, 12 Aaron Levy, 13 Michael Knowles, 14 Jack Mallinson, 15 Ross Whitmore, 16 Jordan Syme, 17 Lewis Wray, 18 Cam Berry, 19 Spencer Darley, 20 Rhys Davies, 21 Brandan Wilkinson, 22 Liam Carr, 23 Iwan Orr, 24 Ben Shiels, 25 Aidan Scully, 26 Ethan O’Hanlon, 27 Nathan Carter, 28 Keenan Dyer-Dixon, 29 Donald Kudangirana, 30 Jack Coventry, 31 Jack Render, 32 Will Adams.
Rugby League World predicts: 3rd
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 494 (March 2024)
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