Super League hopefuls add another international to boost squad

Keighley Cougars have made some huge splashes in pre-season with the most notable being the signing of former Man of Steel Luke Gale but the former England  international will be joined by another international as their latest signing.

The Cougars swept League One in 2022 as they won the league with an invincible season winning all 20 of their league games and they’ll head into 2023 with plenty of confidence too.

Whilst it hasn’t been declared publicly that they’re making a push for back-to-back promotions the ‘Invincibles’ will be quietly confident following their impressive recruiting.

Keenen Tomlinson is the latest name that they’ve added with the Jamaican international signing a one-year contract from Dewsbury Rams.

𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙍𝙊𝘿𝙐𝘾𝙄𝙉𝙂 @KeenenTomlinson

As revealed in last night's squad numbers announcement, the @JAMRugbyLeague international joins the club on a one-year deal from @DewsburyRams following a successful trial.

Read ➡️ https://t.co/KqPGBbG7pa#JoinThePride pic.twitter.com/ezMPVeacTi

— Keighley Cougars (@Cougarmania) January 12, 2023

The Championship side announced the news via Twitter and their website.

“As revealed in our 2023 squad number announcement last night, Keenen, son of former Cougars winger Max Tomlinson, has signed a one-year deal and joins the club from the Dewsbury Rams.

“Fresh of a history making Rugby League World Cup with Jamaica over the autumn, the versatile Tomlinson was on the lookout for a new club and has found a home at Cougar Park following a successful trial period with Rhys Lovegrove’s side.”

Head coach Rhys Lovegrove who has also overseen the acquisition of  Ben Crooks from Hull KR and the talented Brad Walker from Wakefield Trinity, commented on the signing of Tomlinson.

“Keenen is a player I know well from my time last year in camp with Jamaica,” admitted Lovegrove.

“He offers me versatility as he can cover a number of positions and a player with his attributes will also be useful in a 30 plus game season like the one we are about to embark on.

“We had Keenen on trial a couple of years back, but he opted at the time to sign with Dewsbury who were of course in a higher league than us at that point.

“He is fast, athletic, and a fantastic human being, which are the attributes I was looking for when we first brought him on trial after the World Cup.”

The 19-year-old could be set to feature in the Cougars first pre-season game which is set to take place on Saturday against Newcastle Thunder.