
Keighley Cougars have confirmed new opponents for this weekend’s upcoming friendly after Salford Red Devils pulled out of the fixture.
The Cougars had been slated to face Salford this Sunday on the 26th of January with the League One side not in Challenge Cup action on account of their opponents York Knights facing Hull KR in Amsterdam.
Keighley had first offered to play the friendly against the Red Devils in a bid to help out the financially troubled Super League club who have been ordered by the RFL to trim their overheads by £800,000.
Salford confirmed that last week with confirmation of the arranged fixture against Keighley coming the following day as the Cougars announced that they were ‘answering an SOS’ from Salford.
Travel was to be paid for by Keighley to accommodate Salford whilst it was also planned that charity buckets would be taken around the ground in a bid to help raise money for the Red Devils.
It was confirmed yesterday that the fixture was to be cancelled given a “number of injuries” and “clustered first team fixtures” for Salford, whilst Keighley revealed that the search to find a new opponent was on.
New Keighley opponent named after Salford Red Devils pull out
We will now face Bradford Bulls on Saturday 25th January with a kick off time of 2:00pm at Cougar Park.
Tickets available online soon! pic.twitter.com/F0roqETeeP
— Keighley Cougars (@Cougarmania) January 20, 2025
That new opponent has been confirmed as Bradford Bulls with the Championship side set to take a young side to Cougar Park on Saturday the 25th of January.
Bradford’s first team are in Challenge Cup action against Doncaster but they have revealed that those not involved will travel to face their local rivals, who they played prior to Christmas in the first friendly of the pre-season.
A statement on Bradford’s website confirmed the fixture, announcing: “We will be making the short trip to Cougar Park on Saturday 25th January to face Keighley Cougars in a pre-season fixture (2pm kick off).
“The match has been arranged following the postponement of yesterday’s clash with Newcastle Thunder and Keighley’s fixture with Salford that was originally planned for this coming weekend.
“Those not named in our ASN Doors 21-Man Squad for this weekend’s Challenge Cup clash with Doncaster could feature alongside players in need of match fitness ahead of the start of the eagerly anticipated 2025 season.”
It had been anticipated that Salford would send a young team to Keighley given that Paul Rowley’s side also face St Helens in Morgan Knowles’ testimonial next weekend, a fixture that is still scheduled to be played.
