Former Castleford Tigers and Hull KR forward locks in club for 2023

Halifax Panthers have announced the signing of Will Maher from Super League side Hull Kingston Rovers on a two year deal ahead of the 2023 Betfred Championship season.

It’s a major coup for the Panthers who today let go of former Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers halfback Cory Ashton and is the ideal response to Bradford Bulls’ signing of Bodene Thompson from the Rhinos with the two rivals gearing up for big seasons in 2023.

26 year old Maher will be no stranger to Panthers fans, having spent time at The Shay on loan from Castleford Tigers during 2018, also enjoying a spell in the Championship with Batley Bulldogs in 2017.

The Towering Cumbrian prop is the clubs first signing ahead of our special 150th anniversary, and the big man up front was happy to be back on board in Calderdale on a permanent basis.

“I’m really excited to be joining the Panthers, it’s a brilliant club,” said Maher after putting pen to paper on a deal until the end of 2024. “I was here maybe 4 or 5 years ago now in 2018 and I had a fantastic time on a loan spell then and I’m just looking forward to getting started with the lads really. I played with Simon in my previous spell with the club, he was a fantastic player and I know his coaching has clearly gone from strength to strength with the last couple of years where the Panthers have finished. It was a tough discussion at first, it’s a big decision but I’m really happy with the choice I’ve made and I think it’s going to be a really beneficial one.”

“I think personally I’ve definitely still got my best rugby left to play and I’m trying to prioritise my happiness if I’m honest. I’m putting that at the forefront of everything really and I feel this is the place to do that. There’s a fantastic sets of lads, I’ve played with a lot of them before. I’ve got a lot of people here that I can call genuine friends and I think that makes a big difference on the field and I think it’s exciting times for the club so it’s going to be great.”