Halifax Panthers have confirmed the future of head coach Kyle Eastmond – insisting he WILL lead them in the Championship in 2027.
Eastmond stuck with Halifax after they were shockingly liquidated at the start of the season. He helped rebuild their playing squad as a new-look club was formed – but success on the field was always likely to be minimal after returning to play following a 12-point deduction imposed on them by the Rugby Football League.
Halifax ultimately finished 19th but their tally of eight victories would have seen them finish 11th with a cobbled-together squad – and now, the Panthers have insisted he is going nowhere.
Kyle Eastmond future confirmed
In a statement issued on social media on Tuesday morning, the club’s board revealed that Eastmond had committed to staying in charge for next year, with recruitment plans now well underway.
They said: “The objective for 2026 was survival and stability. We have achieved that. But survival was only ever the beginning. Our attention has already turned firmly towards next season And the work to strengthen the club on and off the field is underway.
“Kyle Eastmond is committed to leading the team into 2027, providing continuity as we build on the foundations established this season. Recruitment is already progressing, with new signings secured and more work taking place behind the scenes as we look to build a competitive squad capable of taking Halifax Panthers forward.”
That news will be positive for Halifax fans, with Eastmond a man understood to have admirers across the Championship and Super League. He guided the club to the play-offs last season before helping rebuild the Panthers in 2026.
Halifax board issue optimistic update
The Panthers also insisted that having navigated through a turbulent year off the field, they are now optimistic of a bright future for rugby league in the town.
They said: “As the curtain comes down on the 2026 season, it is worth reflecting on just how far Halifax Panthers has come in a remarkably short space of time. At the beginning of this year, the future of our club was uncertain. The immediate priority was not league positions, recruitment or next season. It was much more fundamental than that: to make sure Halifax Panthers survived.
“What followed has been one of the most challenging periods in the club’s history. There have been difficult decisions, long days and plenty of obstacles along the way. We started the season with a points deduction and, quite literally, a race back to zero. But through all of that, this club kept moving forward, and we did it together.
“Our supporters stood by us. Our sponsors and partners backed us. Players, coaches, staff and volunteers gave an enormous amount to ensure the club could continue.
“The Panthers Foundation continued its outstanding work across our community, while the achievements of our Wheelchair and Women’s teams have given everyone associated with Halifax Panthers something to be incredibly proud of.
“Off the field, we are equally ambitious; a new Halifax Panthers website will be launching soon, creating a much stronger digital home for the club and making it easier for supporters to follow the latest news, fixtures, results, tickets, commercial opportunities and everything happening across the wider Panthers family.
“Halifax Panthers should be more than a team that plays rugby league on a Sunday, we want this to be a club that makes a genuine difference within its community and one that the whole town can be proud to call its own.”
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