LEEDS RHINOS winger Liam Tindall has joined a Super League rival club after a difficult number of years at Headingley.
Tindall has been only a bit-part player for the Rhinos since making his may through the club’s academy, but now the winger has the chance to nail down a starting spot at Hull FC following the departure of Adam Swift to Huddersfield.
The 21-year-old winger has signed an initial two-year deal at the MKM Stadium, with the club also holding the option to extend the contract.
One of the competition’s most promising young outside-backs, Tindall has already earned valuable first-grade experience in his fledgling career, notching up 40 senior appearances since making his professional debut back in 2020.
Selected for the England Knights training squads, the 6ft winger has also represented the England and Yorkshire Academy sides, as well as successful spells in the Betfred Championship on loan with Bradford over the past two seasons.
Tindall will add further competition to the club’s young and upcoming back-line alongside the emerging Davy Litten, strong running centre Cam Scott, new recruit Jack Walker and fellow pacey wingers Harvey Barron and Lewis Martin – in addition to experienced heads like Liam Sutcliffe, Darnell McIntosh and club captain Carlos Tuimavave.
Tindall is Hull’s fifth signing ahead of the new campaign, alongside NRL recruits Herman Ese’ese, Jayden Okunbor, and Franklin Pele, and domestic signing Walker.
Speaking to hullfc.com, Tindall said: “I’m really excited about the opportunity that lies ahead for me at Hull in 2024.
“ It’s a big club with a big fanbase, which I’ve been lucky to sample when I’ve visited the MKM Stadium before – when the fans get going, the atmosphere is absolutely brilliant.
“I’ve had some really positive conversations with Tony Smith and James Clark and they have both shown a keenness for me to join the club, which has been really nice for me.
“They are a club building for the future and there’s a good chance for me to get some strong minutes under my belt next year which was a big draw for me to come to Hull FC because it’s been a frustrating couple of years in terms of getting consistent game time.”
Tindall added: “But at the same time, I know I’ve still got to get my head down and work hard with some of the young talent coming through at the club at the moment. Davy Litten has had a good year and Lewis Martin had a strong debut recently, so I know I’ve got to work hard and I’m excited for the challenge ahead.
“I pride myself on being a hardworking player. I’ll always take the tough carries out of back-field, but I also like to think of myself as an outside back with a lot of pace and I’m confident in beating players in front of me.
“I’ve enjoyed my time at Bradford this year and it’s given me a lot of confidence. I feel like I’m playing well, and now that Bradford have made it into the play-offs, I can hopefully carry that confidence across into the start of my time at Hull FC.”
Hull FC head coach, Tony Smith, added: “Liam is a young and enthusiastic individual, and he is keen to make himself a regular player in Super League on the wing.
“His strongest attributes are his speed and his back-field carry, something we have identified as an area of focus, but what I really like about Liam is his willingness to learn.
“Liam’s really hungry to succeed and he is at an exciting stage of his career with his best years ahead of him, which makes him a great fit for us at our club.”
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