Newcastle Thunder sign Workington Town forward Jake Lightowler

Newcastle Thunder is delighted to announce the signing of Jake Lightowler from Workington Town on a one-year deal.

A familiar face to Kingston Park, Lightowler returns to the Thunder fold after two seasons away with the West Cumbrian outfit.

In his two years at Workington Town the English Student international made 15 appearances for the club, scoring two tries.

The 23-year-old was a product of the Bradford Bulls academy before signing for Thunder in 2020, having moved to the North East to study at Northumbria University.

Speaking on his return to Newcastle Thunder, Lightowler said: “I’m delighted to have another chance to prove myself in the Championship and work under Chris Thorman again.

“Living in the North East, it’s also a lot easier to access the facilities and support I need to really help with the improvement of my game.

“I enjoyed my time at Thunder previously but needed to gain more experience. The last two seasons at Workington have really helped me develop my game and I’m coming back to Thunder a better player for it.

“I can’t wait to get stuck in and I’m looking forward to what the new season brings.”

Newcastle Thunder head coach Chris Thorman said: “Jake was another player that I took to Workington after he had spent time at Bradford in the Academy and Thunder. He is also a university student at Northumbria, so he's already got strong ties to the area.

“This is important to me for two reasons, firstly because we want players to care about the club and secondly in terms of how we're going to operate this year. Training on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, it's important that our facilities and sessions are easily accessible for the players.

“Jake’s a fantastic lad to work with, who is tough as teak. He’s a really hard worker and a no-nonsense front rower.

“I’m excited to work with Jake again and I know he’ll be a very popular member of the group.”

Lightowler is the third signing under Thorman after both Rhys Clarke and Nikau Williams were announced earlier in the month.