Former Warrington half-back Morgan Smith joins hometown club Featherstone Rovers

The 23-year-old, who has also played in Super League with London Broncos, joins from York City Knights although he never actually played for the club.

Smith missed the entire Championship campaign after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season training following his switch from London.

His grandad, the rugged loose-forward Peter Smith, played more than 400 games for Featherstone, including the famous 1983 Challenge Cup final win, and also represented Great Britain.

“I was surprised; I didn’t really expect it having been out for a full year, “ said Morgan Smith after making the switch.

“Featherstone are a top Championship side and they’re my hometown club.

“I’ve always thought I’d want to play for Fev. I didn’t think it’d come this quickly.

“It’s a massive club and, for me, it’s a place where I can test myself and a chance to play the big games, play against big teams and it’s obviously a club that’s going places.”

Having narrowly missed out on promotion to Super League following the loss against Toulouse Olympique in the Million Pound Game, Rovers are intent on finishing the job next term.

Smith’s arrival comes after the club also announced the signing of highly-rated Bradford Bulls full-back Brandon Pickersgill.

Featherstone football manager Ian Hardman added: “It’s great to have an athlete with Morgan’s potential with us at Fev. We’ve made a particular commitment to recruit young, hungry, English players for 2022 as well as some additional experienced talent alongside them to prepare us to go one step further in 2022.

“Morgan and Brandon [Pickersgill] are the first of many new faces we’ll be seeing when the squad reports for pre-season in a few weeks’ time.

“It’s certainly an exciting time to be at the club.”

Elsewhere, ex-Wakefield Trinity prop Titus Gwaze has joined Halifax Panthers from London and Hunslet have signed 18-year-old Huddersfield Giants back-row Jacob Beer.