Doncaster RLFC: Hall hopes Paleaaesina can emulate Cooke

The 33-year-old former Wigan and New Zealand prop forward turned his dual registration spell at Doncaster into a permanent one yesterday.

Cooke arrived with similar fanfare in 2012 and helped the club win Championship One in his first season.

And as the Dons plot an escape route from League One at the second time of asking, Hall hopes Paleaaesina can help them on their way.

“With Iafeta coming towards the back end of his career, I hope he can leave a legacy here at Doncaster and have a similar impact to that of when we signed Paul Cooke,” said Hall.

“His career to date at the top level speaks for itself and I can’t wait to see him week in week out for the next two seasons.”

He added: “It is a great privilege to be able to bring Iafeta to the club on a two-year deal.

“He is a massive signing for us here at Doncaster, he is a fantastic character both on and off the field and I am sure a lot of our younger players will thrive from his experience.

“Iafeta will continue to play a part at both Hull FC and Doncaster, where he will combine his playing role here with a new off-field player welfare role at the KCOM Stadium.

“I’d like to place on record my thanks to Motu Tony and Hull FC for our continued dual registration partnership and for helping to make this move happen, without whom it would not have been possible.”

Paleaaesina represented New Zealand and Samoa at international level. He played for Salford, Wigan and Hull in the Super League.