Former Hull KR half-back and Halifax Panthers legend Scott Murrell will come out of retirement in a one-off match as part of a testimonial fixture.
Murrell, who is currently the assistant coach of Castleford Tigers, and has been since 2023, will play for the Panthers one more time, as he dusts off the boots to be part of James Saltonstall’s testimonial.
He last played a professional game in 2023, where he appeared for Midlands Hurricanes. In his first season as assistant boss, he also played for the Tigers’ reserves due to the amount of injuries the side had at the time.
An ex-teammate of his for six seasons, Saltonstall retired from the game at the end of the most recent campaign, following 11 years at Halifax. His time at the club included a Challenge Cup Semi-Final appearance against St Helens, and an 1895 Cup win at Wembley.
Originally, his testimonial game was set to be played in pre-season last year, however adverse weather conditions meant that it had to be postponed.
In what will be the final game of his career, Saltonstall will now have Murrell on his side for one more game, as a Championship and Halifax stalwart is celebrated.
The game will take place on Saturday 4 January at The Shay, with Kyle Eastmond’s side taking on Rochdale Hornets.
You can find the full list of the 2026 rugby league pre-season friendlies here
Check out the latest episode of The Serious About Rugby League Show on our YouTube channel here.
SALTY TESTIMONIAL MATCH 🔵⚪️🐾 A Hall of Famer announced for James Saltonstall’s Testimonial game against @RochdaleHornets
Scott Murrell will once again pull on the Famous Blue and White Hoops in support of Salty on Sunday 4th January 2026. Muzza captained the club from… pic.twitter.com/cZTcVemKv6
— Halifax Panthers 🐾 (@HalifaxPanthers) December 21, 2025
