NEWCASTLE THUNDER and Keighley Cougars were the bottom two clubs in League 1 in 2025, but this season the fortunes of both clubs have been transformed, with both of them in the top ten, where Thunder sit with three wins from five games, while the Cougars have two wins and a draw from their five games.

Both sides will come into Sunday’s game at Blaydon RFC (kick-off 3.00pm) with high hopes of making further progress.

Last week Thunder had a convincing win at Workington Town in the prelminary round of the 1895 Cup and their coach Graham Steadman (pictured above) makes two changes to his squad, with Bailey Antrobus and King Vuniyayawa introduced to replace Sam Cook, who played for York against Wigan on Thursday night, and Jack Brown.

Keighley coach Ian Hardman has made a raft of changes to the side beaten by York in the Challenge Cup, with two loanees from Oldham (Emmanuel Waine and Sam Littler) joining Leeds loanees Jacob Stead and Joe Diskin, while prop Will McCardle is recalled to the squad after featuring recently for Huddersfield Giants reserves.

SQUADS

Thunder: 1 Myles Harrison, 2 Andy Djeukessi, 3 Joe Law, 5 Brad Ward, 6 Cody Hunter, 7 Will Roberts, 8 Bailey Antrobus, 9 Taylor Pemberton, 11 Harvey Reynolds, 12 Noah Whittingham, 15 Brenden Santi, 16 Leo Tennison, 17 King Vuniyayawa, 18 Ukuma Ta’ai, 22 John Sagaga, 24 Matty Foster, 25 Jack Smith, 27 Jordan Lipp, 28 Tyler Walton, 30 Tom Inman
Outs: 13 Sam Cook, 19 Jack Brown,
Ins: 8 Bailey Antrobus, 17 King Vuniyayawa,

Cougars: 1 Connor Sayner, 2 Brad Holroyd, 5 Dylan Proud, 6 Izaac Farrell, 8 Dan Parker, 11 Lucas Green, 14 George Flanagan, 16 Leo Aliyu , 17 Jordan Schofield, 19 David Foggin-Johnston, 20 Leo Sterrett-Evans, 21 Alfie Dean, 23 Brandon Pickersgill, 24 Ben Dean, 25 Will McCardle, 26 Nathan Rushworth, 27 George Hill, Emmanuel Waine, Jacob Stead, Sam Littler, Joe Diskin
Outs: 4 Max Clarke, 9 Oli Burton, 12 Lachlan Lanskey, 18 Oliver Whitford,
Ins: 25 Will McCardle, Emmanuel Waine, Jacob Stead, Sam Littler, Joe Diskin

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas

STATS

Keighley’s DAN PARKER has scored a try in each of the Cougars’ last three meetings with Newcastle.

Last ten meetings:
Keighley 56, Newcastle 0 (L1R19, 10/8/25)
Newcastle 0, Keighley 52 (L1R11, 1/6/25)
Keighley 72, Newcastle 12 (L1R19, 4/8/24)
Newcastle 6, Keighley 82 (L1R6, 21/4/24)
(at Kingston Park)
Newcastle 18, Keighley 16 (ChR15, 18/6/23)
(at Kingston Park)
Keighley 44, Newcastle 24 (ChR3, 19/2/23)
Keighley 12, Newcastle 16 (CCR3, 15/2/20)
Keighley 22, Newcastle 32 (L1R22, 8/9/19)
Newcastle 40, Keighley 12 (L1R9, 19/5/19)
(at Kingston Park)
Newcastle 38, Keighley 12 (1895C-R1, 4/5/19)
(at Kingston Park)