A YORK Knights centurion has made the move to Halifax Panthers ahead of the 2025 season.
The West Yorkshire side have signed prop forward Kieran Dixon, who was at one point the Knights’ longest-tenured player, from Dewsbury Rams on a two-year deal.
Dixon first joined York from Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2017 season, going on to score 14 tries in 101 appearances during his time at the club.
There, he was a part of the sides that won the 2018 Betfred League One title, earned a third-placed Betfred Championship finish in 2019, and reached the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup final in 2021.
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After leaving York, the 27-year-old joined Dewsbury, whom he helped claim the League One title in 2023. A dismal 2024 then resulted in the club’s relegation, but their campaign did end on a high with a shock victory against play-off chasers Sheffield Eagles on the final day of the season.
He scored four times in 42 appearances during his two seasons with the Rams, but now makes the move across West Yorkshire, adding size to a Panthers pack also boosted by the off-season signings of Brad Graham and Owen McCarron.
“I am delighted to be joining Halifax for the next two seasons”, enthused Dixon, who has almost 150 career appearances to his name.
“Hopefully, I can nail down a spot in the team consistently and have a really good season.
“I am really looking forward to meeting the staff and all the lads and can’t wait to get stuck into pre-season.”
Elsewhere, Betfred Super League side Hull FC have confirmed that former Knight Morgan Smith has been released from the remainder of his contract after a sole season at the club.
The 26-year-old, who is the son of York cult hero John ‘The Bull’ Smith, made the move to North Yorkshire ahead of the 2021 season but failed to feature for the club after sustaining an ACL injury in pre-season.
After a year of rehabilitation, he penned a deal with hometown side Featherstone Rovers and also turned out for Wakefield Trinity before joining Hull last October.
Able to play at both half-back and hooker, he scored twice in 26 appearances as the Airlie Birds finished in 11th place.
