The young hooker is finding his feet alongside an influential figure at York Knights.
15:55, 25 Mar 2026Updated 16:22, 25 Mar 2026
Hull FC hooker Denive Balmforth is spending the 2026 season on loan at York.(Image: SW PIX)
Denive Balmforth is finding his feet at York Knights, with the on-loan Hull FC hooker labelled ‘one of the best’ in playing the impact role off the bench.
Balmforth is on a season-long loan at the Knights, with his parent club seeking game time for a player contracted to the Black and Whites until the end of the 2028 season. And so far, it seems the move is bearing fruit, with current coach Mark Applegarth praising the 22-year-old for his impact to date.
Featuring in all seven of York’s games, Balmforth has come off the bench to effect, scoring two tries after shaking off an early-season ankle issue.
“Denive is one of the best at playing that impact ;14; role – coming off the bench and bringing some energy,” Applegarth said. “I can;t speak highly enough of him.
“He played through the pain barrier for those first three weeks, so we probably didn;t see the best of him. He was playing with an ankle injury. Now he’s getting over that and he’s starting to find his feet again.”
Spelling the York hooking role with veteran Paul McShane, who has avoided any serious injury after copping a knock to his hand at Wigan last week, the duo are now set to play their part in Friday’s game against Wakefield Trinity.
“Thankfully, it was just some pretty nasty bruising,” Applegarth confirmed. “It has settled right down. It swelled up pretty bad in the game. He was struggling to grip a ball. He’s trained fully today, so there are no issues there.”
Outlining McShane’s influence on Balmforth and the rest of the York team, the head coach added: “He’s a former Man of Steel. He’s been right at the pinnacle of the game, hasn’t he?
“He’s a massive player for us, it goes without saying. It’s not only what he does ability-wise – I think that’s there for everyone to see – but he’s a bit of glue for us in that middle. He’s very good at directing us with structure through that middle first and bringing people together. That’s integral to what we do. I’m really glad that he gets to go again on Friday.”