
Sheffield Eagles have announced their new captain for the upcoming 2025 Championship season. It’s been a period of change for the Eagles with Craig Lingard coming in to pick up the head coach reins and some senior figures leaving the club.
Anthony Thackeray was one of those to leave the South Yorkshire outfit, with the playmaker opting to hang up his boots and that has created a leadership vacancy. However, as they build up to this weekend’s friendly clash with Doncaster at the Eco-Power Stadium, the Eagles have announced their new skipper.
Joel Farrell will be leading Sheffield out this season, with the back-rower taking on the role as he enters his seventh season at the club. Farrell, the son of former Leeds Rhinos man Anthony Farrell, initially joined Sheffield in 2019 after spells with Dewsbury Rams and Batley Bulldogs. The Jamaica international has made 120 appearances in that time with 40 tries coming along the way.
He will be part of a three-man leadership group with ex-Wakefield Trinity man Titus Gwaze taking on vice-captaincy duties alongside former Hull KR full-back Matty Marsh.
๐ Joel Farrell has been confirmed as our new captain for 2025!
The 2024 Menโs Player of the Year takes over the role, which recently became vacant following the retirement of Anthony Thackeray.
๐ค Daniel Crofts
Joel will be joined in the captaincy department this season byโฆ pic.twitter.com/lAIivaGciP
โ Sheffield Eagles (@SheffieldEagles) January 12, 2025
As mentioned above, Sheffield take on Doncaster this weekend in a friendly before facing off against West Bowling or Cutsyke Raiders in the second round of the Challenge Cup over the weekend of January 25.
Lingard’s side will then get their league campaign underway against Halifax Panthers at Olympic Legacy Park, with that Yorkshire derby being played on February 16. Sheffield finished seventh last season and missed out on a play-off spot through points difference. As such, they’ll be determined to go one better next season in what promises to be a very competitive division.
