Half-back Jack Hansen joins club on permanent basis

Rochdale Hornets have completed the signing of talented half-back Jack Hansen on a deal until the end of the 2026 season.

Hansen arrives at the club following his departure from Halifax Panthers, who went into liquidation earlier this week.

Hansen enjoyed one full season in Halifax colours, scoring eight tries in 24 appearances.

Before then, the 29-year-old spent two seasons with Sheffield Eagles and five years at Swinton Lions, where he made more than 100 appearances.

The former Leigh East junior boasts excellent footwork, an elusive running style and a wealth of Betfred Championship experience, making him a welcome addition to our first team group. 

“I’m very excited to be joining Rochdale,” Hansen said. 

“It’s great to link back up with a couple old faces, which was a big reason why I signed here. The club looks like it’s heading in the right direction, and I want to be a part of it 

“It’s been a tough couple of days with what’s happened at Halifax. Things moved quickly, and I’m grateful for the opportunity Andy Mazey and Gary Thornton have given me to carry on playing in 2026. 

“I want to win every game, and I want to do something special with this club.”

Rochdale Hornets chairman Andy Mazey said: “Firstly, I was deeply saddened by the events which unfolded earlier this week leading to the liquidation of a fellow stakeholder club. Our thoughts as a club remain with everyone affected.

“As a consequence, the situation rendered many players as free agents, which created an unmissable opportunity for us to acquire a top-class player, and we wasted no time in doing so.

“Jack is a player Gary and I have discussed many times over the past four years, but he has always been out of our range as a high-end Championship quality player. 

“He is someone I know well from his time in the reserve team at Leigh, and we both later ended up moving  to Swinton, where Jack really made his name playing alongside Luke Waterworth and Lewis Hatton. 

“He's a top player but an even better person, and aligns perfectly with our ‘good people doing good things’ mantra. 

“I look forward to welcoming Sophie and Myla to the Hornets family, and can't wait to see Jack Hansen in our famous shirt.”

Hansen goes straight into contention to feature against Keighley Cougars this Sunday, in a fixture which Halifax 2026 season ticket holders can watch for free thanks to a special season ticket offer announced by the Hornets yesterday.