Eagles announce 2025 departure list
16/09/2025
As the 2025 Betfred Championship season came to an end on Sunday afternoon, Sheffield Eagles can this evening confirm which players will be leaving us following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign.
We’d like to thank the following list of players for their commitment shown to Sheffield Eagles during the time that they have spent with the club.
Kris Welham (#530)
As announced last week, Kris Welham departs the Eagles after an enjoyable four seasons with the club as he hangs up his boots after a successful career in rugby league. Welham’s last game for the club was a successful one as he went over for his 50th try for the club on Sunday afternoon against Barrow, a game in which signified another major milestone as he made his 450th career appearance.
Matty Dawson-Jones (#545)
The winger joined the club from Bradford Bulls ahead of the 2023 Betfred Championship campaign. Over the course of the last three seasons, MDJ has become a key man on the left edge for the Eagles, and he has gone on to make a total of 78 appearances for the club, scoring 46 times. Nineteen of those came in 2024 as he finished as our joint-top try scorer alongside Matty Marsh, achieving his best-ever scoring season in rugby league.
Cory Aston (#401)
The half-back has made a total of 189 appearances for the club across the total of three spells for the club. After coming through the club’s academy, he made his first-team debut in 2013 and achieved a move to Super League a couple of seasons later with Leeds Rhinos. He made his return to the club briefly in 2022 with a short loan spell, before penning a permanent deal ahead of the 2023 campaign. Earlier this season, Cory managed to move himself up to second in the club’s all-time points scored list, moving ahead of Jonny Woodcock in the rankings.
Eddie Battye (#348)
Eddie departs after spending a total of two spells with the club. After coming through the Eagles’ ranks in the early 2010’s, he went on to enjoy spells away with London Broncos and Wakefield Trinity in the Betfred Super League, before he returned to where it all began in the Betfred Championship ahead of the start of last season on a two-year deal. Eddie departs the club having made a total number of 135 appearances for Sheffield Eagles.
Titus Gwaze (#542)
Titus joined the Eagles midway through the 2023 season from Halifax Panthers and firmly became a fan’s favourite over the course of the last two-and-a-half years. The forward became a regular in the Eagles side over the past three season, and he leaves the club having made a total of 75 appearances and scored 10 tries during his time at the Steel City Stadium.
Evan Hodgson (#522)
The forward originally joined the Eagles midway through the 2021 campaign from Bradford Bulls and is another player who has become a key part of the team over his time in South Yorkshire. He has made exactly 100 appearances for Sheffield Eagles, an occasion which was marked last month in our defeat against Halifax Panthers at Bartercard Odsal Stadium. Part of the team who helped the club reach the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final last year, he also scored in our Betfred Challenge Cup 6th Round tie against Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.
Oliver Roberts (#426)
Oli returned for his second spell with the club after he signed a three-year deal ahead of the 2023 Betfred Championship campaign. The former Bradford and Newcastle man is another individual who became a key player in the second row for the club, and over the course of his time in South Yorkshire, he has made a total of 50 appearances and scored seven times for Sheffield Eagles.
Danny Craven (#570)
The half-back joined the club back in July after making the switch from Oldham and made a try scoring debut against his former club in our defeat at Boundary Park. Since then, he’s made a further nine appearances for Sheffield and scored the opener in our recent victory at Hunslet two weeks ago.
On behalf of everyone connected with Sheffield Eagles, we thank them all for their contribution, and we wish them nothing but success in the next chapter with their future endeavours.
The club can also confirm that several existing and new players have been signed for 2026 and beyond, and we will bring you news of these signings in the coming weeks.
