Former St Helens youngster Ellis Archer is among eight departures confirmed by this year’s League 1 runners-up Workington Town.
Utility Archer came progressed through the youth ranks at Saints and featured once for them at senior level.
Handed his debut by Kristian Woolf, that sole first-team appearance came in a Super League clash at home against Wakefield Trinity back in August 2022.
Trinity ended up 34-18 winners on the day, though Saints were en-route to the last of their four successive Super League titles.
Granted a release ahead of the following season, Archer spent 2023 with hometown club Barrow Raiders before making the move to fellow Cumbrian outfit Workington, who he has featured nine times for over the last two years.
Former St Helens youngster headlines 8 departures from League 1 heavyweights
Scoring his sole senior try to date for Town last June against North Wales Crusaders, the 21-year-old has now taken his total career appearance tally up to 15.
His exit comes alongside seven others, with Australian duo Cooper Howlett and Will Evans – who both featured in the Queensland Cup before their moves to the UK – also on the list of leaving players published by Workington on Friday afternoon.
Under the tutelage of Jonty Gorley, Town ended 2025 just a point behind League 1 champions Crusaders.
All being well, they will compete in a 21-team division next season with the Championship and League 1 set to merge.
Full details of that merger, including the name of the new competition, are still to be confirmed by the RFL.
Jonny Hutton, Ciaran Walker, Dave Eccleston, Max Clarke, Cole Walker-Taylor are the other five players departing the Fibrus Community Stadium ahead of 2026.
Eccleston (11) and Walker-Taylor (15) are the only two of those five that reached double figures in terms of appearances across all competitions for Gorley’s side this season.
The other three in the shape of Hutton (five), Walker (two) and Clarke (three) only managed ten between them.
As Workington announced the eight departures, their press release stated: “Each player over their time with us has helped the club to our ultimate goal of a strong 2025 season finish.
“We’d like to thank them for their efforts and contribution to Workington Town and wish them good luck in the future.
“Recruitment and retention is progressing well for 2026 and we will make our announcements soon, so stay tuned and all will be revealed!”
