Sheffield Eagles: Brad Knowles arrives to make it 13 in

Director of rugby Mark Aston has signed the back-rower to a two-year deal with the latest addition capping a busy week for the Eagles who continue to strengthen for 2019.

The 25-year-old made 26 appearances in all competitions for Rovers last season, as the Flat Clappers eventually claimed the Championship Shield.

Knowles, who also bagged three tries in 2018, is the fourth signing this week alone after Aston confirmed the arrivals of Ben Pointer from Newcastle, Lewis Taylor from Hemel and Rory Dixon from York.

Knowles though is one of the stand-out additions, and Aston was again delighted to add some extra steel to his ranks for next season.

'He's tough, uncompromising, grubby '“ whatever you want to call it,' he told The Star.

'He's hard, and as I've said we have needed a bit of steel.

'There are a number of players in that pack we have now with some steel about them.'

'He is coming in and he wants to cement a starting shirt, because he didn't feel that he got that at Featherstone. We'll give him the best shot to do that, because again he is not that old so he still has his best years in front of him. He is willing to put his body where it needs to go, and again we are delighted to get him.'

Knowles has played his entire career with Rovers after breaking into their side in 2015, and is well-known to Aston who has watched his career develop over the years.

The Eagles supremo did his homework on his latest addition, not just by studying the footage, but he also consulted a number of his current and former players who have lined-up alongside his newest arrival during their playing days at Post Office Road.

'Cory (Aston) knows him well, he played with him at Featherstone and spoke very highly of him, and so have some of the other players too,' Aston explained.

'Players we have had here in the past, people like Scott Wheeldon and Keal Carlile, they rate him very highly as well. They are players I respect.'

Aston is still looking to add to his ranks as he aims to run a squad of around 24 for next season.'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹