DESPITE some head coach musical chairs, Keighley finished second and fell just short in the play-offs after defeat to promoted Hunslet in 2024, and will be expecting to be among the contenders again this time around.
Jake Webster is still at the helm, having been named interim head coach following Matt Foster’s controversial mid-season sacking and then confirmed in the job full-time after now-Whitehaven boss Anthony Murray had seemed set to take over for 2025.
The former New Zealand international has been busy reshaping his squad following the departure of eight players. Signings include former loan player Izaac Farrell, who will become the first Cougars player for 10 years to wear the No 6 shirt in a season which sees Keighley honour the legacy of Danny Jones and the work done by his wife Lizzie in the wake of the Wales international’s death.
Off the field, the club received a boost by rising 11 places in the IMG gradings and are progressing with plans to redevelop Cougar Park. Can the on-field performances match those ambition though as Keighley aim to be part of the Super 8s shake-up?
Watch out for… Keighley’s annual Pride game. Under the ownership of married couple Ryan O’Neill and Kaure Garcia, the club have become trailblazers for championing the LGBTQ+ community in rugby league and beyond. Details for which fixture will serve as the Cougars’ sixth annual celebration of inclusivity are still to be confirmed, but it should once again see a bumper crowd in attendance with plenty happening both on and off the pitch.
Squad: 1 Brandon Pickersgill, 2 Brad Holroyd, 3 Adam Ryder, 4 Junior Sa’u, 5 Billy Walkley, 6 Izaac Farrell, 7 Jack Miller, 8 Lewis Hatton, 9 George Flanagan, 10 Mark Ioane, 11 Brad England, 12 Lachlan Lanksey, 13 Aaron Brown, 14 Harry Bowes, 15 Dan Parker, 16 Jordan Schofield, 17 Josh Lynam, 18 Ben Dean, 19 Junior Nuu, 20 Oliver Whitford, 21 Max Lambourne, 22 Valu Tane Bentley, 23 Leo Aliyu, 24 Elliott Cousins, 25 Will McCardle, 26 Ryan Hogg, 28 Bobby Hartley, 34 Jarrod Sammut, – Jack Gillard, – Connor Sayner.
Rugby League World predicts: 1st
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 505 (February 2025)
