TEAM NEWS: Betfred Championship - 2026 Round 4

Round 3 team news and match official appointments for the UK's second division competition as they come to hand.

The Championship is played with 20 clubs across 26 rounds with a top-ten playoffs to be played later in the year.

In 2026, the Championship was merged with the third division competition - League One - to form one single second tier. 2025 Championship teams York, Toulouse and Bradford were all promoted while 2025 Super League side Salford, who went into liquidation and are now reborn as a new entity, were demoted to Championship. All other clubs from both divisions last year will play in Championship this year, with the exception of Featherstone, who entered admnistration late in 2025 and were confirmed on 9 January 2026 not to be granted RFL membership for this season.

Referee appointments are announced Tuesday afternoon UK time, and each club names a squad of up to 21 players approximately 48 hours from kickoff in their match each week, from which the final 17 and concussion sub are selected an hour before the game. Where squad numbers exist between 90 and 99, squad numbers have not yet been assigned for relevant players.

All times are listed in GMT (UK local time) unless otherwise noted. Add 11 hours for AEDT.

Broadcast: Championship currently has no formal broadcast agreement. Any games to be broadcast will be advised week-to-week and will normally be via streaming platforms or club websites. For any updates, we recommend www.rugbyleagueontv.com.

Note: head-to-head stats shown in this article are derived from Rugby League Project records and may be incomplete.

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Oldham RLFC v Widnes Vikings
Fri February 20 2026, 7:45pm at Bower Fold, Stalybridge

1. Jack Walker 21. Tom Nisbet 4. Ben Davies 5. Jake Bibby 2. Kieran Dixon 6. Morgan Smith 23. Josh Drinkwater 8. Jack Ormondroyd 9. Matty Wildie 10. Owen Farnworth 11. Matty Ashurst 26. Brad Day 13. Adam Milner 14. Cole Geyer 15. Ted Chapelhow 17. Emmanuel Waine 18. Jaron Purcell
18th player: 19. Harvey Makin

Also in 21-man squad: 12. Ryan Lannon 16. Ewan Moore 25. Sam Littler

23. Nathan Connell 2. Mike Butt 1. Matty Fleming 4. Joe Edge 5. Ryan Ince 22. Jordan Abdull 7. Tom Gilmore 8. Dan Murray 9. Jordan Johnstone 21. Jay Chapelhow 12. Max Roberts 16. Danny Langtree 13. Nick Gregson 14. Matty Fozard 15. Lewis Hall 18. Morgan McWhirter 19. Adam Lawton
18th player: 20. Jack Bibby

Also in 21-man squad: 3. Jack Owens 6. Joe Lyons 29. Jumah Sambou

Match Officials
Referees: Tara Jones;Sideline Officials: Warren Turley, Thomas Gibbs;

Head to head since 1895: Played 196, Oldham 107, Widnes 80, nine draws
Last met: 2025 Second Division, Round 16 - Oldham 22-4 at Park Lane

Dewsbury Rams v Goole Vikings
Sat February 21 2026, 2:00pm at FLAIR Stadium, Dewsbury

1. Craig McShane 2. Tom Delaney 29. Bailey O'Connor 4. George Senior 5. Liam Copland 6. Dan Coates 7. Jacob Hookem 8. Luke Nelmes 9. Jack McShane 28. Jamie Gill 11. Joe Summers 23. Brad Graham 16. Louis Collinson 13. Dec Tomlinson 14. Jacob Parkinson 17. Harvey Roberts 20. Valu Tanē Bentley
18th player: 12. Luke Mearns

Also in 21-man squad: 3. Caelum Jordan 15. Jacob Bateman 19. Louie Walker

1. Josh Guzdek 18. Connor Barley 3. Cooper Howlett 4. Keenen Tomlinson 5. Callum Shaw 22. Callum Rutland 7. Jack Miller 8. Tyler Craig 9. Jeylan Hodgson 30. Liam Watts 11. Brett Ferres 32. Andre Savelio 13. Harry Aldous 12. Nick Staveley 15. Jack Aldous 16. Harry Medlicott 34. Will Jubb
18th player: 20. Shane Tuohey

Also in 21-man squad: 2. Tom Halliday 10. Jack Arnold 14. Oli Morgan

Match Officials
Referees: Kevin Moore;Sideline Officials: George Cox, Carl Hughes;

Head to head since 2025: Played 2, Dewsbury 1, Goole 1
Last met: 2025 Third Division, Round 12 - Goole 20-14 at FLAIR

Sheffield Eagles v Barrow Raiders
Sat February 21 2026, 3:00pm at Steel City Stadium, Sheffield

1. Matty Marsh 2. Joe Brown 3. Josh Hodson 4. Kieran Gill 5. Billy Walkley 6. Kai Morgan 7. Jordan Lilley 22. Masi Matongo 17. Harry Bowes 10. Martyn Reilly 11. Connor Bower 12. Joel Farrell 15. George Griffin 8. Conor Fitzsimmons 9. Corey Johnson 20. Lewis Peachey 23. Alex Foster
18th player: 16. Blake Broadbent

Also in 21-man squad: 14. Reiss Butterworth 18. Lennie Ellis 21. Ryan Millar

1. Luke Creswell 2. Andrew Bulman 4. Curtis Teare 5. Luke Broadbent 25. Tee Ritson 6. Brad Walker 7. Ryan Johnston 8. Tom Walker 9. Josh Wood 10. Joe Bullock 11. Ellis Robson 12. Matt Costello 13. Ryan King 14. Aiden Doolan 15. Charlie Emslie 17. Alex Bishop 32. Ryan Brown
18th player: Ellis Archer

Also in 21-man squad: 19. Seth Woodend 31. Stevie Watson, Max Anderson-Moore

Match Officials
Referees: Ryan Cox;Sideline Officials: Peter Brooke, Lucas Seal;

Head to head since 1986: Played 52, Sheffield 31, Barrow 20, one draw
Last met: 2025 Second Division, Round 26 - Sheffield 26-12 at Steel City

Midlands Hurricanes v Batley Bulldogs
Sun February 22 2026, 2:30pm at Avery Fields, Birmingham

1. Todd Horner 2. Matty Chrimes 3. Ryan Johnson 11. Tom Wilkinson 18. Owen Restall 19. Sully Medforth 7. Lewis Else 8. Jon Luke Kirby 14. Brandon Moore 10. Tyler Dickinson 12. Oliver Roberts 20. Toby Warren 13. Mikey Wood 9. Aiden Roden 16. Zeus Silk 26. Ethan Newboult 28. Isaac Shaw
18th player: 17. Kieran Moran

Also in 21-man squad: 5. Luis Roberts 21. Zach Jebson 27. Louis Beattie

6. Ben Reynolds 2. Joe Burton 33. Will Oakes 3. Oli Greensmith 25. Derrell Olpherts 14. Ben White 7. Josh Woods 17. Liam Kirk 9. Alistair Leak 13. Robson Stevens 11. Dane Manning 12. Lucas Walshaw 18. Evan Hodgson 15. Nyle Flynn 19. Jonah Parsons 21. Luca Atkinson 24. Akim Matvejev
18th player: 1. Robbie Butterworth

Also in 21-man squad: 4. Wesley Bruines 10. Luke Cooper 16. Michael Ward

Match Officials
Referees: Adam Williams;Sideline Officials: Liam Breheny, Ollie Maddock;

Head to head: first meeting

Keighley Cougars v Whitehaven RLFC
Sun February 22 2026, 3:00pm at Cougar Park, Keighley

1. Connor Saynor 2. Brad Holroyd 4. Max Clarke 5. Dylan Proud 18. Oli Whitford 6. Izaac Farrell 7. Matty Beharrell 17. Jordan Schofield 9. Oliver Burton 30. Ronan Michael 21. Alfie Dean 12. Lachlan Lanskey 27. George Hill 8. Dan Parker 11. Lucas Green 14. George Flanagan 29. Joe Bajer
18th player: 26. Nathan Rushworth

Also in 21-man squad: 19. David Foggin-Johnston 23. Brandon Pickersgill 24. Ben Dean

4. Ethan Bickerdike 31. Xenden Callander 19. Dave Eccleston 2. Mitchell Todd 5. Jay Weatherill 21. Joe Lowe 7. Jack Newbegin 8. Jake Pearce 9. Ellison Holgate 20. Marc Shackley 11. Connor Holliday 12. Rio McQuistan 13. Jack Kellett 15. Ellis Nixon 16. Brad Brennan 32. Liam Williamson 35. Jackson Smith
18th player: 24. Lewis Brown

Also in 21-man squad: 6. Ciaran Walker 14. Josh Blinkhorn 23. Ben Pearce

Match Officials
Referees: Luke Bland;Sideline Officials: Freddie Lincoln, Andy Sweet;

Head to head since 1948: Played 94, Keighley 44, Whitehaven 43, seven draws
Last met: 2025 Third Division, Round 17 - Keighley 26-14 at Cougar

Newcastle Thunder v North Wales Crusaders
Sun February 22 2026, 3:00pm at Crow Trees Ground, Swalwell

27. Jordan Lipp 25. Jack Smith 1. Myles Harrison 3. Joe Law 5. Brad Ward 6. Cody Hunter 7. Will Roberts 15. Brenden Santi 9. Taylor Pemberton 10. Ryan Jackson 11. Harvey Reynolds 12. Noah Whittingham 30. Tom Inman 14. Maxime Rostang 16. Leo Tennison 18. Ukuma Ta'ai 28. Tyler Walton
18th player: 19. Jack Brown

Also in 19-man squad: 29. Sean Croston

1. Lloyd Roby 23. Greg Eden 3. Jayden Hatton 26. Patrick Ah Van 5. Luke Forber 6. Declan Patton 7. Jordy Gibson 16. Mark Ioane 9. Josh Eaves 10. Chris Barratt 4. Jake Spedding 12. Cole Oakley 25. Danny Addy 8. Ant Walker 13. Pat Moran 14. Joe Baldwin 17. Ashton Robinson
18th player: 18. Junior Westwood

Also in 21-man squad: 11. Brad England 15. Brad Foster 20. Thomas Bridge

Match Officials
Referees: Matt Lynn;Sideline Officials: Oliver Salmon, Sam Jenkinson;

Head to head since 2012: Played 21, North Wales 16, Newcastle 6
Last met: 2025 Third Division, Round 17 - North Wales 72-6 at Crow Trees

Rochdale Hornets v Hunslet RLFC
Sun February 22 2026, 3:00pm at Crown Oil Arena, Rochdale

25. Jack Hansen 2. Dan Nixon 3. Tom Ashton 4. Junior Sa'u 22. TJ Boyd 6. Jamie Dallimore 20. Joe Hickey 8. Jaden Dayes 9. Ross Whitmore 17. Dylan Kelly-Duffy 28. Kieran Taylor 12. Ethan Wood 13. Jordan Syme 10. Lewis Hatton 19. Luke Waterworth 23. Marcus Green 24. Ben Metcalfe
18th player: 34. Isaac Coleman

Also in 21-man squad: 16. Danny Lynch 18. Dan Lloyd 21. Jack Holmes

1. Billy Jowitt 99. Bureta Faraimo 3. Myles Dalton-Harrop 4. Charlie Graham 5. Mo Agoro 6. Lee Gaskell 7. Dan Abram 8. Harvey Hallas 98. Isaac Misky 10. Keelan Foster 11. Harrison Gilmore 15. Emmerson Whittel 13. Eddie Battye 16. Elijah Simpson 19. Mason Corbett 26. Ethan O'Hanlon 97. Alfie Leake
18th player: 14. Cameron Berry

Also in 21-man squad: 2. Coby Nichol 18. Jimmy Watson 20. Liam Carr

Match Officials
Referees: Aaryn Belafonte;Sideline Officials: Alan Billington, Liam O'Brien;

Head to head since 1895: Played 85, Hunslet 46, Rochdale 37, two draws
Last met: 2024 Third Division, Final Eliminator - Hunslet 46-26 at Crown Oil

Swinton Lions v London Broncos
Sun February 22 2026, 3:00pm at Morson Stadium, Sale

1. Louie Roberts 24. Ethan Fitzgerald 20. Adam Jones 29. Hamza Butt 2. Connor Parkinson 7. Jack Stevens 6. Reece Briers 18. Bobby Shingler 21. Tom Ratchford 22. Jordan Brown 12. Aaron Willis 31. Finlay Irwin 11. Gav Rodden 9. George Roby 17. Trent Kelly-Duffy 26. Charlie Mccurrie 32. Cameron Bate
18th player: 27. Lucas Coan

Also in 21-man squad: 3. Ellis Anderson 4. Aaron Lynch 23. Deane Meadows

1. Morea Morea 5. Liam Tindall 20. Brandon Webster-Mansfield 2. Elliot Wallis 26. Neil Tchamambe 18. Jimmy Meadows 23. Gairo Voro 10. Emarly Bitugane 9. Sam Davis 16. Epel Kapinias 11. Luke Smith 12. Jack Croft 17. Marcus Stock 6. Connor O'Beirne 14. Finley Glare 15. Sadiq Adebiyi 19. Ben Hursey
18th player: 27. Ted Davidson

Also in 21-man squad: 21. Will Lovell 22. Alex Walker 28. Bobby Hartley

Match Officials
Referees: Scott Mikalauskas;Sideline Officials: Paul Marklove, Joe Stearne;

Head to head since 1980: Played 32, London 23, Swinton 8, one draw
Last met: 2023 Second Division, Round 19 - London 12-6 at Heywood