Thunder on the horizon in Keighley

4:12pm Monday 1st December 2008

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Cougars kick off the new season with a home match against the team they want to emulate – last year’s champions Gateshead Thunder.

Barry Eaton’s side entertain the north-east outfit in Northern Rail Cup action on Sunday, February 8 with further pool fixtures against Blackpool Panthers (a), Hunslet Hawks (h) and Barrow Raiders (a) to follow.

Keighley’s Co-Operative Championship 1 campaign then gets underway with a tough opener versus beaten 2008 Grand Finalists Oldham at Cougar Park on Sunday, March 22.

Their first away game is seven days later at Swinton Lions before playing host to York City Knights on Good Friday and visiting Hunslet Hawks on Easter Monday.

Eaton has finalised a deal for Australian half-back Daniel Evans, having met the player Down Under during the World Cup.

The Cougars chief had been monitoring the 24-year-old – on the books at NRL side Gold Coast Titans – for some time and returned with his signature safely tucked away.

Evans has been playing for the Titans’ Queensland Cup feeder team Tweed Heads and Eaton, who also visited Wynnum Manly during his trip, said: “The standard of that competition is really high.

“Every week he’s playing against three or four players contracted to NRL sides, he’s certainly a really tough player and can defend really well too for a smallish back player.

“He’s got great pace off the mark, great distribution and a good all-round kicking game; he’s a bit of everything really.

“He’s here for one year initially but his visa will allow him to stay for two.”

Evans joins fellow Aussie Brendan Rawlins at Cougar Park and will compete with Jon Presley, Danny Jones and Craig Fawcett for half-back roles next season meaning Eaton himself is able to take another step closer to complete retirement as a player.

Meanwhile, the Northern Rail Cup has a new format for 2009 with two pools of TEN teams each instead of four sides in a group.

Cougars join Halifax, Widnes, Sheffield, Gateshead, Barrow, Oldham, Blackpool and Hunslet - five from the Championship and five from Championship 1 - but all teams only play four matches.

Each side has two home ties and two away with the top four in each pool advancing to the quarter-finals.

Keighley are scheduling a friendly against Blackpool at Cougar Park on Sunday January 11.

• See the full fixture list in tomorrow's T&A