Former Hull FC youngster Nick Staveley has turned his loan move into a permanent stay at Goole, penning a one-year deal with the Vikings for 2026.
Staveley, who will turn 22 in January, spent the majority of 2024 and 2025 sidelined through an ACL injury picked up in a training session.
The back-rower was released by Super League outfit Hull FC during his recovery and linked up with Championship side Sheffield earlier this year following an unsuccessful trial with Castleford Tigers.
He never actually played a game for the Eagles, though. Instead, as he continued his return to full fitness, the forward was sent out on loan to Goole in mid-July.
In the five appearances he made for the Vikings before the end of their maiden season in League 1, he scored a sole try against another of his former loan clubs in Newcastle Thunder, and that loan stint has now been turned permanent.
Former Hull FC young gun Nick Staveley seals League 1 switch for 2026 with injury nightmare behind him
Having also spent a brief period in the youth ranks of Warrington Wolves, Staveley has 26 senior appearances on his CV to date – with three tries scored having crossed the whitewash once apiece for Hull, Newcastle and Goole.
As his permanent signing was announced by the Vikings on Friday evening, the 21-year-old said: “I’m looking forward to joining the club full time after really enjoying my time on loan.
“I feel with the people and players in and around the club I can enjoy my rugby again and get back to being me after what’s been a really tough 18 months.
“Joining a new rugby league club that has only had one professional season is both an exciting and unique opportunity.
“There’s a real sense of starting from the ground up, being part of something fresh, with the chance to help shape the culture, values, and standards of the team from the outset.
“There’s a strong sense of pride that comes with helping to lay the foundation for a club’s future success and for the town, and everyone has really bought into that – it is a great group of lads.
“I want to repay the faith the club have shown in me by getting back to playing my best rugby.”
‘He believes in what the club is doing, he really wants to be here and I hope we can all play our part in getting him back to his best’
All being well, Goole will play in a 21-team division next year, with the Championship and League 1 set to merge. Full details of that merged, including the name of the newly-formed competition, are still to be confirmed by the RFL.
The Vikings have thus far added seven new recruits, with Jack Arnold, Jack Miller, Shane Touhey, Keenen Tomlinson, Cooper Howlett and Brad Bullock all snapped up already.
Head coach Scott Taylor added: “Nick is another young player who fits that mould of coming to us with a point to prove and that added motivation to succeed, both personally and within our team.
“He has had some tough luck over the last couple of years, but there were glimpses at the end of last season of the talent he has with his best years still ahead of him.
“We’ve challenged him on areas of his game and his fitness, and he has hit that head on which has been impressive – it has shown us a side of his character that we needed to see.
“He believes in what the club is doing, he really wants to be here and I hope we can all play our part in getting him back to his best, as Nick on his day can be a real handful for anyone in the Championship.”
