York lock in 2025 squad numbers with Super League alumni aplenty included

Ben Olawumi
Ukuma Ta'ai, Paul McShane, Jack Teanby, Jacques O'Neill, LNER Community Stadium as background

From left to right: Ukuma Ta'ai, Paul McShane, Jack Teanby and Jacques O'Neill all feature in York's squad for 2025

Ambitious Championship outfit York have confirmed their squad numbers for 2025, with plenty of Super League alumni in Mark Applegarth’s ranks, including ex-Love Island star Jacques O’Neill.

All being well, 25-year-old O’Neill will return to the field for the first time since his appearances on series eight of the ITV reality show back in 2022.

With 27 Super League appearances on his CV, all made for Castleford Tigers, he will don number 22 for the Knights in the upcoming campaign.

Elsewhere, former Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR man Will Dagger – who is into the second of a third-year deal at the LNER Community Stadium – will don #1.

Castleford legend Paul McShane has also been recruited by York ahead of 2025 and has been handed #9 following his retirement from full-time rugby league, while Scotland international prop Jack Teanby takes #15.

Ex-Leigh Leopards ace Jacob Gannon takes #16 and former Huddersfield Giants powerhouse Ukuma Ta’ai, a 14-time Tonga international, will enter his third successive season with the Knights. He will wear number #17.

Youngster Kieran Hudson was officially brought in from Castleford too, but spent just a few weeks back with the Tigers having linked up with them from Leeds Rhinos before joining York.

Hudson has played just one senior game in the last two seasons, and that came on dual-registration for Halifax Panthers last March. He will don shirt number 31 for Applegarth’s side.

31 shirts have been dished out in total at the LNER Community Stadium, and with no number 18, the final one comes in the shape of #32 – which will be worn by Jack Brown.

Teenage prop Brown, an Ireland youth international, will be on dual-registration with Oulton Raiders’ under-18s throughout the year.

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York lock in 2025 squad numbers

2025 will be York’s seventh successive campaign in the Championship having won the League 1 title back in 2018.

Here are the Knights’ squad numbers for the upcoming season, in full…

1. Will Dagger

2. Joe Brown

3. Kieran Buchanan

4. Joe Law

5. Brad Ward

6. Ata Hingano

7. Liam Harris

8. Jack Martin

9. Paul McShane

10. Brenden Santi

11. Jesse Dee

12. Connor Bailey

13. Jordan Thompson

14. Taylor Pemberton

15. Jack Teanby

16. Jacob Gannon

17. Ukuma Ta’ai

19. Sam Cook

20. Oli Field

21. Conor Fitzsimmons

22. Jacques O’Neill

23. Levi Edwards

24. Harvey Reynolds

25. Bailey Antrobus

26. Myles Harrison

27. James Farrar

28. Jack Potter

29. Jude Ferreira

30. Mac Walsh

31. Kieran Hudson

32. Jack Brown

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