Warrington Wolves have signed Hull FC winger Tom Lineham on a four-year contract starting in the 2016 season.
With a transfer fee of £140,000, the news suggests that Warrington captain Joel Monaghan will leave the Wolves at the end of the season.
Lineham, 22, originally from York, won the Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Medal in 2013, and scored a hat-trick of tries last Thursday at Hull FC triumphed 12-25 at Widnes Vikings.
With Curtis Naughton and Callum Lancaster both having impressed on the wing, Hull are not short of potential internal replacements for Lineham and they are unlikely to go into the transfer market to seek to replace him.
Originally a product of Rugby Union with York RUFC, Lineham switched codes with a move to York City Knights before signing for Hull in 2011, having now made 59 appearances to date. He has scored a total of 44 tries, including 15 so far this season. He currently occupies second spot in the overall Super League try-scoring chart.
Warrington head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith said: “We are delighted to have captured the services of such an outstanding talent; we are always keen to recruit elite, young British players. Tom’s try-scoring speaks for itself and he is a player I have greatly admired for years since he came on the scene. His size and speed are also greatly suited to the wing position in Rugby League. I look forward to working with him next year and we hope he continues his good form. I have no doubt he will be a representative player in the near future. He was keen to join our club and we will look forward to welcoming him when the time comes. ”
On signing for the Wolves, Lineham said: “Warrington is a good club with some great players, coaches and a strong fan base. It is very similar to Hull FC in many ways and I’m looking forward to being part of that.
“The circumstances are right for me to make the move so I’ll be looking forward to finishing the season on a high at Hull and hit the ground running when I join up with my new team-mates for pre-season.
“It is a new chapter in my life and I am looking forward to seeing where that takes me with Warrington over the coming years as they’re a club that will always be in and around the top of the league challenging for honours.”
