T’Other Side: Swinton Lions

T’Other Side: Swinton Lions

2019 Matches

FIRST TEAM SQUAD

LAST TIME OUT

Head Coach: Stuart Littler

Stuart Littler was promoted to the position of Head Coach in July 2017 last year when John Duffy moved to Fev. He guided them to survival in the Championship, avoiding relegation by one place in the Championship Shield. Then last year he repeated the survival by virtue of the Championship being increased to 14 teams and a play-off against Workington.

His playing career was primarily as a centre. He began with Salford in 1998 and stayed there until moving to Leigh in 2011. In 2014 he played for Rochdale on loan and then spent the final two years of his playing career with Swinton in 2015 and 2016. He also played 19 games for Ireland.

Captain: Rhodri Lloyd

Rhodri Lloyd is now in his first year as the Swinton Lions captain. His professional career began with South Wales Scorpions in 2011 (on loan from Crusaders RL) and then in 2012 he was signed by Wigan but during his 4 years there he only played 7 games spending most of his time on loan or dual reg with South Wales (2012 and 2013), Leigh (2013), London Broncos (2013), Whitehaven (2014) Workington (2015) and Swinton (2015). He then signed for Swinton during 2016 and has remained there ever since.

He has played 15 times for Wales including in the 2013 and 2017 World Cups.

New signings for 2019

Like several other clubs, Swinton have had a large turnover in playing personnel for 2019 with 11 new players joining their squad. Of the Sheffield team that turned out against us last September only 6 are still at the club.

Four players have been signed from nearby amateur clubs. They are:

Matty Ashton, a back, from Rochdale Mayfield. From Leigh Miners Rangers they have picked up Joe Digby (centre) and Frankie Halton (second row), who is one of six players to have played in all 6 matches so far. Ashley Warne (also second row) has joined the Lions from Bury Broncos.

Billy Brickhill, who can play as either a forward or centre, has been signed from Rochdale Hornets. He played for North Wales in 2016 and Gloucestershire All Golds in 2017.

Also signing from Rochdale Hornets is prop-forward Lewis Hatton whose career started there in 2017.

Michael Ratu had been with Rochdale Hornets since 2013 but didn’t play professionally last year. His career began with Leeds in 2007, playing for Halifax in loan in 2008. In 2010 he joined Hull KR and he played one game for Halifax in 2011. Ratu is a Fijian international.

Harry Aaronson (yet to play this year) has been signed from Keighley Cougars, as has Jose Kenga. Aaronson joined the Cougars in 2017 having played with Swinton in 2015 and North Wales in 2016. Kenga was with Hunslet in 2016 and 2017.

Adam Jones (prop or second row) has returned to Swinton from Oldham. He started at Swinton in 2017 and also played for Gloucestershire All Golds that year.

Jamie Acton, a no holds barred prop, has joined from Leigh. In 2012 he played for both Oldham and South Wales, spent 2013 at Workington and then joined Leigh in 2014.

Oscar Thomas, who is a Scottish international, has joined from Sheffield. He started with London Broncos but first played for Skolars on dual reg in 2013. He moved to Bradford in 2016 and joined Sheffield last year. He usually plays at either stand-off or full back.

Swinton have signed centre Daley Williams from Hunslet. He has previously played for Keighley, Salford, Batley and Dewsbury.

Dual Registration and Loans

Swinton Lions do not have any players currently on loan but they have a dual registration agreement this year with Wigan Warriors. So far this season there have been 7 Wigan players who have appeared for Swinton. They are: Liam Byrne (2 appearances, loose forward), Liam Forsyth (5 appearances, back), Josh Ganson (1 sub appearance, hooker), Chris Hankinson* (3 appearances, centre), Liam Paisley (3 appearances, second row/centre) Oliver Partington (3 appearances [1 as sub], loose forward) and Harry Smith (5 appearances, stand-off)

* Wigan signed Chris Hankinson from Swinton last July

The Fev Connection

here aren’t any members of the current Rovers squad who have previously played for Swinton.

The only member of the Swinton squad who has played for Fev is Gavin Bennion. He made one substitute for Rovers in 2014 while on loan from Warrington.