Former Super League star named captain as League 1 club lock in 2025 squad numbers

Former New Zealand and Samoa international Junior Sa’u has been named captain of Keighley Cougars for 2025, with the League 1 outfit also releasing their squad numbers.

Auckland-born centre Sa’u, now 37, has been with Keighley since 2022 – scoring 24 tries in 38 appearances across all competitions for the Cougars to date.

21 of those appearances came in a turbulent 2024 campaign which saw plenty of change at Cougar Park as ex-Castleford Tigers ace Jake Webster move from Director of Rugby to head coach following the dismissal of Matt Foster.

Webster remains in the head coach role for the 2025 League 1 campaign, and has chosen Sa’u as his captain, appointing a veteran with close to 300 senior career appearances in the 13-a-side code.

Having also donned a shirt in rugby union for Washington-based side Old Glory DC, the experienced back has featured for Newcastle Knights, Melbourne Storm, Salford Red Devils, Wakefield Trinity and Leigh – then Centurions – as well as Keighley in league.

George Flanagan and Dan Parker have been appointed as vice-captains for 2025, with boss Webster saying: “Junior exhibits all the credentials of a leader.

“He’s a tough competitor and leads with his actions. I am challenging him to move out of his comfort zone and lead with his words and really steer this side around the field. The boys respect him, his experience speaks for itself.

“With George and Dan alongside him, I have three great leaders in this team who have bought into what we are trying to achieve at this club.”

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Former Super League star named captain as League 1 club lock in 2025 squad numbers

Alongside their announcement of next year’s leadership group, Keighley also confirmed their squad numbers for 2025.

Notably, Izaac Farrell will become the first player in a decade to wear the club’s number 6 shirt, which was retired in 2015 following the tragic death of Danny Jones.

The shirt will be worn with ‘The Danny Jones Defibrillator’ logo on the back in memory of the late former Cougars star, and is a mark of the fantastic work done by wife Lizzie Jones since his passing.

Elsewhere, Jack Miller – League 1’s top points scorer in 2024 – retains the number 7 shirt and looks likely to partner Farrell in the halves, while former Leigh man Mark Ioane will don number 10.

Keighley’s 2025 squad numbers, in full, can be seen below…

1. Brandon Pickersgill

2. Brad Holroyd

3. Adam Ryder

4. Junior Sa’u (Captain)

5. Billy Walkley

6. Izaac Farrell

7. Jack Miller

8. Lewis Hatton

9. George Flanagan (Joint-Vice captain)

10. Mark Ioane

11. Brad England

12. Lachlan Lanskey

13. Aaron Brown

14. Harry Bowes

15. Dan Parker (Joint-Vice captain)

16. Jordan Schofield

17. Josh Lynam

18. Ben Dean

19. Junior Nuu

20. Oliver Whitford

21. Max Lambourne

22. Valu Tane Bentley

23. Leo Aliyu

24. Elliott Cousins

25. Will McCardle

26. Ryan Hogg

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