For the first time, during the 2023 season we will be running a Development squad. It’s open to anyone. If you’re interested, please get in touch with Malcolm Kielty on malcolm.kielty@outlook.com and he’ll fill you in on the details.
Author: halifaxwheelchairrugbyleague
Our 2023 kit and sponsors have been released and we’re really pleased with the new look for the new year.
We’d like to thank all our sponsors for helping the club to grow and look forward to sharing a very successful 2023 with them..
Playing Kit
The playing shirt, above, features the following:
Robert Lees Main Sponsor
Robert Wade Cars Shirt Rear
Chris Green ; Volunteer Arms Shirt sleeve
Calderdale Community Coaching Trust Shirt Sleeve
Leisure Kit
The new Leisure kit sponsor is ACL Industrial Flooring
We will also in season 2023 run a Development squad. ANYONE who wishes to join / have a go get in touch with Malcolm Kielty on malcolm.kielty@outlook.com for details.
If you’ve been inspired by England’s World cup triumph, you can give Wheelchair Rugby Leage a try in Halifax – sessions start Monday 28th November, are entirely free and are open to everyone.
Booking
Please book a session before turning up. Call Malcolm Kielty on 07946510900 or email with your preferred date/s and he will get back to you on availability: malcolm.kielty@outlook.com
Introduction to Wheelchair Rugby League – Download & Read a guide to the sport
Report: Roosters 42: Halifax Panthers 54
Venue: Medway Park
Part of a Festival in Kent, the last game of the season was a great game between two teams who have enjoyed close encounters all year and this was no different. The panthers started well with Wayne Boardman and Rob Hawkins in control and pushing the lead out to 18 points with some clever play in the first quarter. Jason Owen enjoyed a purple patch for the Roosters with innovative kicking and scored a quick fire hat trick to drag the Roosters back in to the game. Failing to capitalize, the
Roosters lost momentum and Halifax dominated the second quarter and racked up a 14-36 lead at half time. The Roosters rallied in the second half and enjoyed periods of dominance, but never quite catching up with the lead. Jack Linden scored a great individual try, reminiscent of NRL flying wingers before he capped off a great team effort where all players handled twice before he scored on the hooter. It was in vain as Fax had been too good and enjoyed a two score lead throughout and will face Wigan at home in two weeks whilst the Roosters will travel to Leeds
Home Team Coach Tom Coyd said ‘We are pleased with our effort today and learned that we can match anyone on the day. We play knockout football next time around and, with a couple of key players returning, have much to build on from this game
Away Team Coach Wayne Board said ‘We got the job done today. All six of our travelling players had a role to play and they made it work. The Roosters gave us a game and we enjoyed the match, executed our plays and put ourselves in a good place for a home semi final
Halifax Panthers Nathan Mulhall and Zak Dewhirst were up at Ryburn Valley High School last week, running wheelchair rugby sessions Year 7 pupils.
Any other school who wishes to receive this form of rugby league can email malcolm.kielty@outlook.com
16 June 2022:
Halifax Panthers Wheelchair Rugby League Club are pleased to announce that they will be sponsored by Robert Lee Distribution Ltd for the forthcoming year, arguably the UK’s largest independent distributor of bathrooms, showers and plumbing products, supplying retailers and merchants.
Their head office is located in Waltham Abbey and branches at Swindon, Tamworth & Manchester.
Donna Turner, chair of Halifax Wheelchair RLC, said “ the club were the trailblazers of the sport back in 2005, and finished top of the Wheelchair Super League’s 2022 regular season. We are now embarking on the play off rounds hoping to be crowned Grand Final winners in October.
Founder and current treasurer of the club Malcolm Kielty MBE highlighted that “ this is an expensive sport to run, costing some £15k a year in Venue hire, equipment and transport costs.
“Whilst the club members fund raise themselves, to have this support is a great boost and we cannot thank Daryl Catanach and Adele Green, of Robert Lee Distribution Ltd, enough for their help in the arrangements. Knowing that we have secured a main sponsor for the forthcoming twelve months means we can invest in the young players which will be the stars of the future .”
“We hope that our partners and the general business sector of Calderdale will support our new sponsors wherever they can.”
The story, which is Julio, total deafness, Halifax Panthers Wheelchair RL and the RLWC 2021
Julio was born in El Salvador on 30th September 1993.
Family sought asylum in the UK on 2nd January 2021.
They have lived in Halifax since 22nd January 2021.
Julio Cesar Hernandez Acevedo was first introduced to Halifax Panthers Wheelchair RLC after he had attended a running game along with Adrian Bell who is the Integration Programme Co-ordinator for St Augustine’s Centre based on Hanson Lane in Halifax. Adrian contacted the club and brought Julio along to his first training session.
Club volunteer Nicki Slingsby, single mother of three, now young men, one of whom is Harry Brown a disabled Paralympian Wheelchair GB basketball player living in Albacete, Spain and Jack Brown who captained and played for Halifax and England, now living in Townsville, Australia Plus her youngest son Joseph who currently plays for Calderdale Wheelchair Basketball Club and is still living in Halifax.
Nicki and several of the group liaise with Julio by Google translate which, works very well. He has grasped the essence of the game and loves the camaraderie, and his skills are growing with each session, as being a physically able person pushing the sports-chair isn’t a natural action. Sensory impairment has helped all the group to be patient and acknowledge they must be in front of Julio for him to realise his attention. Likewise, Julio has learned how to react and respect his peripheral vison to see where he should on the court due to him not being able to hear his teammates calls.
The exposure of the game from the RLWC has increased the clubs’ attendances and cultural mix, with Asian and European local young people coming along to try the sport.
Now with the expressions of interest being shown for the world cup in France in 2025 he just maybe able to play for his ‘ Home ‘ country?
Here’s the key info to come out of last Wednesday’s Mid-Season Wheelchair RL meeting, including the powerpoint pages of the meeting and the spreadsheet with post-split fixtures.
In addition, there are plans to host a development day between the end of season and the beginning of the World Cup where we will host the Level 2 Wheelchair RL Coaching Course and simultaneously a referee course.
Your club needs to know if you want to attend the session.
AWAY: WIGAN
Date: 11 th /12 th June TBC by Phil asap
Venue: TBC by Phil asap
Magic Weekend
versus Leeds
Date: Saturday 9 th July
Venue: National Basketball Centre Manchester
Kickoff: Times to be announced.
HOME: London
Date: Sunday 24 th July
Venue: Sedburgh LC Bradford
Kickoff: 2pm access from 1pm to set up
AWAY: LEEDS
Date: 30 th /31 st July TBC
Venue: TBC
Kickoff: TBC
HOME: Wigan
Date: Sunday 21 st August
Venue: Sedburgh LC Bradford
Kickoff: 2pm access from 1pm to set up
AWAY: London
Date: 3 rd /4 th September TBC
Venue: TBC
Kickoff: TBC
PLAY OFFS:
17 th / 18 th Sept TBC………1 st v 4 th and 2 nd v 3 rd
FINAL: UCLAN Preston Saturday October 1 st
The Rugby Football League announced on Saturday 28 May 2022 that Nathan Mulhall, EnglandRL Wheelchair international and Halifax Panthers regular is to be the inaugural recipient of the Matt King Educational Bursary. Here’s what they had to say about the award:
The RFL are delighted to announce Nathan Mulhall, an England Wheelchair international who plays for Halifax Panthers, as an inaugural recipient of the Matt King Educational Bursary – an award which has been introduced in memory of the former London Broncos Academy player who became such an inspiration after suffering a life-changing spinal injury.
Mulhall, who is 23 and has cerebral palsy, works as an Additional Needs Specialist at Ryburn Valley High School in Sowerby Bridge, and has been awarded the inaugural Matt King Educational Bursary after an application in which he pledged to use his influence as a teacher to promote the positive impact of playing Rugby League, and especially to encourage others to take up Wheelchair Rugby League, regardless of their ability.
His award will be presented at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today before the Betfred Challenge Cup Final. As Nathan is attending an England Wheelchair training weekend in Preston as part of the preparations for this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup, his mother, Ann Jackson, and sister, Georgia Mulhall have been invited to accept the award on his behalf.
The award is for £7,000 towards Nathan’s tuition fees to complete his teacher training. The remaining £3,000 of the £10,000 available annually through the bursary has been shared equally between two other strong applications.Lauren Chapman, who works as a sports therapist with Wakefield Trinity’s Women’s and Scholarship teams, has been awarded £1,500 to “upskill her medical qualifications.”
Taylor Prescott has been awarded the same sum to support his tuition fees and living expenses as he follows in the footsteps of his inspirational father raising funds for the Steve Prescott Foundation and the Rugby League Benevolent Fund.
Ralph Rimmer, the RFL Chief Executive, said: “There could be no more uplifting start to Challenge Cup Final day. The introduction of the Matt King Educational Bursary, which has been made possible by the generous support of a private benefactor who is a truly unsung Rugby League hero, is a cause for celebration in itself, as it allows us to remember the remarkable, inspirational life of Matt King.
“To see three such outstanding young people as Nathan Mulhall, Lauren Chapman and Taylor Prescott receiving recognition and significant financial assistance as a lasting legacy of Matt is the sport of Rugby League at its very best.
“I have been privileged in my RFL role to spend time with Nathan and the rest of the England Wheelchair squad. They are an inspirational group, and watching them in the Rugby League World Cup promises to be one of the highlights of the year.“It is wonderful to hear Nathan’s determination to encourage others to share in the unique experiences and challenges of playing Wheelchair Rugby League.”
Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club 