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.

At the back

Matty Ashton is a winger or centre who has made a remarkable start to his professional career. Last year he was playing for Rochdale Mayfield ARL. So far this year he has scored 5 tries in 5 matches and a fortnight ago was named by League Express as man of the match against Fev.

Mike Butt is a winger and is also a regular try scorer. He has been with Swinton since making his professional début in 2015. Last year he was played for the Wales.

This season Jack Hansen has been playing at fullback although in his career to date he has usually played at halfback. He started with North Wales Crusaders in 2016 and transferred to Swinton in July 2017.

Daley Williams is an experienced centre whose career began back in 2005 with Keighley. The following year he was signed by Salford and then in 2009 he returned to Keighley. In 2011 he joined Batley and then, in June 2012, Dewsbury. 2013 saw him return for his 3rd spell at Keighley before joining Hunslet last season.

In the halves

Last year scrum-half Rob Fairclough had two loans spells with Swinton from Saint Helens last year. Although he never got to play in the Saints first team he did play for the England Academy in 2016.

Oscar Thomas who is a Scottish international. He 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 and is a goal-kicker.

At Hooker

Luke Waterworth has been Swinton’s starting hooker in all their games so far this year. He made his professional début for Wigan against Hull KR in March 2016 and later that year went to Swinton on loan. He signed for Swinton in 2017.

In the pack

Frankie Halton who was signed this year from Leigh Miners Rangers ARL is a second row forward and has played in all bar one match so far this year despite it being his first season as a professional.

Prop forward Lewis Hatton has also played seven out of eight matches. He is a prop forward who joined Swinton this year having been at Rochdale Hornets in 2017 and 2018.

Kyle Shelford plays at either second row or loose forward. His career started at Wigan in 2016 and that year also played for Swinton on loan. He had a further loan spell with Workington in 2017 and then he joined Swinton last year. He is the son of former New Zealand, Wigan and Wakefield player Adrian Shelford.

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 (7 appearances, back), Josh Ganson (1 sub appearance, hooker), Chris Hankinson* (5 appearances, centre), Liam Paisley (5 appearances, second row/centre) Oliver Partington (3 appearances [1 as sub], loose forward) and Harry Smith (7 appearances, stand-off)

* Wigan signed Chris Hankinson from Swinton last July

Although it is unusual for dual reg players to be allowed to play in the Challenge Cup it has been suggested that Wigan have agreed to Liam Forsyth and Harry Smith staying with Swinton for the whole season so they may be available.

The Fev Connection

There 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.