Sheffield Eagles set to unveil seven more new recruits after signing Featherstone's Kris Welham

Head coach Mark Aston is believed to have almost finalised revamping his squad ahead of the club’s return to the Olympic Legacy Park for the 2022 Betfred Championship season, with announcements on new arrivals set to be made daily for the next week.

The Star also understands one more member of the 2021 Eagles’ squad is set to stay on for another year.

Fresh from featuring for last season’s Championship runners-up Featherstone Rovers in the Million Pound Game, 34-year-old Welham has put pen to paper on a one-year deal in South Yorkshire and is the pick of those who have arrived so far.

Versatile centre-turned-back row Bayley Liu has also joined Sheffield from Dewsbury Rams on a one-year deal, while youngster Jordan Bull has agreed to stay on for another year.

Hull-based Welham, who is now working in pest control alongside playing rugby league, also represented Salford in the 2019 Super League Grand Final and the Challenge Cup Final the following year.

“I wanted to play at another good club with high standards,” he said upon signing for the Eagles.

“When Mark showed his interest in myself, and I went to meet him in person, he said all the right things about his ambitions for the club.

“It was a no-brainer for me.”

Having vowed to ‘cleanse’ the ‘toxic environment’ which set in at the club towards the back end of the 2021 season, Aston was understandably delighted to a player of Welham’s character.

He said: “His experience will be invaluable. One of the things we always talk about is that players can mentor each other.

“Kris will certainly do that and it’ll help the likes of Ryan Johnson. He has good pedigree, a good attitude and he is a great bloke - he certainly fits the culture.”

The following players have also committed to Sheffield Eagles for the 2022 season: Connor Bower, James Davey, Josh Guzdek, Evan Hodgson, Anthony Thackeray, Joel Farrell, Izaac Farrell, Mikey Wood, Martyn Reilly, Harry Tyson-Wilson, Blake Broadbent, Vila Halafihi and Liam Kirk.