Widnes Vikings are thrilled to announce our newest signing for the 2026 season, as forward Jay Chapelhow returns to the DCBL Stadium on a two-year deal.
The Vikings academy product rejoins the club after stints with Newcastle and Oldham over the last five seasons, where he made 100 appearances, scoring 13 tries.
Chapelhow, 30, came through alongside twin brother Ted and made his debut for the club in a 50-6 victory over Leigh in the 2015 qualifiers.
He went on to make 82 appearances for Widnes before departing at the end of the 2020 season.
After returning to the club, Chapelhow said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be back with Widnes. This is my hometown team, the place where I made my Super League debut, and gave me the chance to play at Wembley. I’ve got so many great memories here, and I can’t wait to get started.
“The ambition the club has is really impressive. When I compare what it was like six years ago to now, it’s incredible to see the transformation.
“The ambition is to get this club back to Super League, so it’s going to be really exciting.”
The powerful forward made 24 appearances for Oldham in 2025, crossing for two tries.
On the newest addition, Head Coach Allan Coleman said: “It’s fantastic to get Jay over the line. He played a good number of games for them and I think he was one of their most consistent performers.
“He’s a local lad, which is really important for me, you can see how excited he is to play for this club.
“He’ll add plenty of size and power to us, which will be massively important.
Welcome back, Jay. We can’t wait to see you back in action!
Chapelhow is sponsored by Skin Deep Aesthetics for the 2026 season!
Get your 2026 season tickets HERE