Whitehaven sign trio for 2023 including former St Helens hooker

Josh McAllister 25 Sep 2022 2:12 PM

Whitehaven have confirmed the signings of Lachlan Lanskey, Lasarusa Tabu and former St Helens hooker Josh Eaves for the 2023 Championship season.

24-year-old Eaves returns to the club for his second stint, having made his professional debut with the club in 2018 on loan from St Helens. He makes the switch from Newcastle Thunder, who are returning to a part-time model next season.

He made 27 appearances for Thunder, scoring eight tries.

Meanwhile, Fijian prop forward Tabu joins the club having played in the France Elite 1 competition since 2017 for Albi, Villeneuve and Carcassonne.

He had been named in the train-on squad for Fiji for this year’s World Cup but missed out on selection for the tournament.

Lanskey joins the Championship outfit having come through the junior systems at NRL side Brisbane Broncos. He also represented Queensland at under-16s, under-18s and under-20s.

Whitehaven delighted to bring in trio

Interim CEO Ashley Kilpatrick said: “We’re delighted to able to bring a player of the quality of Lachlan over from Australia.

“He comes highly recommended to us. Lachlan has played for Queensland at 16s, 18s and 20s and has also been at Brisbane right through their systems.

“People in Australia tell us he was very unlucky to not play NRL for them. He’s been playing for Brisbane Tigers in the Queensland Cup. Speaking to Lachlan, he’s excited to get over.

“He was meant to come over a couple of years ago to a Super League side, but that move fell through for him at the time.”

On Eaves and Tabu, Kilpatrick added: “It’s great to get Evo (Josh) back to the club. He was good for us when he was on loan here in 2018 and he tells me loved his time here then.

‘He tells me he loved his time here’

“Obviously with what’s happened at Newcastle, Josh sees his future away from there and has signed for us. He has played in Super League since his time with us for St Helens, Leigh and Wakefield and this season has became an established Championship hooker in his time at Newcastle.

“We are also ecstatic to be able to bring Las over. He has been playing in France in Elite 1 for the past few seasons. Las is a big, rough front-rower, your typical Fijian front-rower.

“He hits hard and runs even harder. I really can’t wait to see him play for us.”

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