Swinton sign Wigan youngster Fell

Swinton Lions have signed full-back Gabe Fell from Wigan Warriors on a permanent deal for the 2018 season.

The 22-year-old made 11 appearances for Championship side Swinton on dual-registration and score three tries while in the Lions shirt.

He became a fan favourite at Swinton alongside Wigan teammate Liam Marshall, with the pair impressing for the Lions until an injury in July unfortunately ended his season.

The highly-rated full-back scored on his debut for Swinton in a win over Workington Town in April and went on to score in the wins over Batley Bulldogs and Whitehaven.

Fell came through the famous Wigan Warriors Academy, with Ince Rose Bridge being his amateur club.

He won the Under-19s Player of the Year award in 2015 and signed a two-year deal with the first team, but found chances limited at the Warriors and didn’t make a first team appearance.

And Swinton head coach Stuart Littler is a keen admirer of Fell.

He said: “I am made up to announce Gabe’s arrival as official.

“He is another player in our back-line with pace to burn who makes quality decisions when linking into the line. He is a real threat going forward and solid defensively. I see many great qualities within his game and I cannot wait to get started in assisting his further development.

“Gabe is really excited about the opportunity ahead. We feel this is a great fit both for the player and Swinton Lions.”