Kyle Eastmond provides 'imminent' recruitment update as pre-season inroads made

Halifax Panthers head coach Kyle Eastmond is hoping to make some 'imminent' signings to bolster his squad. Eastmond is preparing for his first professional coaching job at the Championship club, who have been one of the competition's high flyers in recent seasons.

The former dual-code player has made several signings already ahead of the 2025 season, recruiting former Dewsbury Rams trio Owen Restall, Ronan Dixon, and Brad Graham. Elsewhere, Jack Hansen has joined from Sheffield Eagles, with Owen McCarron arriving from Whitehaven. Former Hull FC back Charlie Graham has also made his loan from Keighley Cougars permanent.

And now more new recruits are expected to be on the way, with Eastmond, who has signed a three-year deal at the West Yorkshire outfit, looking to bolster his numbers.

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"We’ve got our 20 or 21 players now on board, which I‘m comfortable with and happy with," Eastmond said via the club's YouTube channel. "We’ve got some more players that hopefully imminently will be on board with us as well. It bolsters our squad, as we just keep working hard together as a unit. Let’s see where we go.

"There's some good characters in there. The lads have really welcomed them, the existing players, and the lads coming in; I’m sure they feel welcomed. They’ve been working really hard, and I’m looking forward to carrying on working with them."

Eastmond has replaced Liam Finn at the Shay, who has joined Luke Robinson at Super League outfit Huddersfield Giants. And while the real challenges come in the new year with the start of the Challenge Cup and Championship campaigns, the 35-year-old, who debuted as a player at St Helens in 2007 before a brief cameo with Leeds Rhinos in 2021, is content with what he's seen in pre-season so far.

He added: "It’s been a good few weeks; I’ve settled in pretty well. It’s been good. The players have been receptive, and they're working hard, so yeah, it's been a good start. It’s about building those relationships and putting the hard work in. You can’t hide away from the fact that’s what is needed at this time of the year. We’ve done plenty of hard work, plenty of skill work, and we're building relationships. The lads are doing well. We’ve got to keep going now until Christmas."

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