Workington Town have strengthened their squad with the addition of two players on loan from Catalan Dragons.
The Super League club pair of Romain Franco and Florian Vailhen will link up with the club for initially a month.
Neither will be involved with Town at Newcastle tomorrow but will be available for next week’s home game against Widnes Vikings.
Franco, 24, is a Spanish international winger or full-back who has played in four Super League games for the Dragons and scored one try.
Vailhen, 22, has yet to make a Super League appearance but is an extremely well regarded 18 stone middle forward.
A Town statement said: “We would like to thank Catalan head coach Steve McNamara and General Manager Alex Chan for their help in making the signings so straight forward.
“We would also say a big thank-you to the Blue Knights Support group for their continued assistance that has allowed us to make these signings happen.”
Matty Henson, who has been an absentee recently, returns to the squad for tomorrow’s trip to Newcastle, along with Malik Steele who has also recovered from injury.
Loan signings Will Tate and Tom Wilkinson have both returned to Hull KR while Ciaran Walker completes the final game of his four game suspension.
Stevie Scholey continues to get ever closer to a return to first team action while prop Jake Lightowler had successful knee surgery last week and now starts the road to recovery.
Dec O’Donnell remains on loan at Oldham RLFC as he gains valuable game time and fitness with the League One club.
The squad is: Caine Barnes, Ethan Bickerdike, Joe Brown, Alex Clegg, Rhys Clarke, Curtis Davies, Connor Davies, Jamie Doran, Carl Forber, Conor Fitzsimmons, John Hutchings, Matty Henson, Marcus O’Brien, Glenn Riley, Evan Simons, Malik Steele, Jordan Thomson, Curtis Teare, Oscar Thomas, Dave Weetman and Alex Young.
New signing Ollie Roberts is in line to make his Newcastle Thunder debut as he is named in the club’s 21-man squad for the visit of Workington (ko 3pm).
Roberts joined from Huddersfield Giants on a deal through to the end of the 2024 season and is one of five changes from the side announced in the build-up to the trip to Batley, as Thunder look to get back to winning ways.
Craig Mullen and Gideon Boafo return to fitness this week and return to the ranks, as does Pat Moran.
Dual registration partners Wigan Warriors have made Sam Halsall available to Thunder for this week’s fixture, along with team-mate Umyla Hanley.
The changes see Alex Donaghy, Dan Coates and Josh McDermott drop out of the squad and in line for reserves action this weekend, while Jake Anderson begins his loan spell at Hunslet RLFC and Jack Croft returns to parent outfit Wakefield Trinity.
The squad is: Craig Mullen, Jack Johnson, Sam Halsall, Gideon Boafo, Josh Woods, Nathan Wilde, Josh Eaves, Mitch Clark, Alex Foster, Brad Day, Connor Bailey, Ukuma Ta’ai, Pat Moran, Brad Gallagher, Lewis Peachey, Isaac Nokes, Nathan Clemmitt, Riley Dean, Ellis Robson, Ollie Roberts, Umyla Hanley.
