Beaten Championship Grand Finalists Doncaster have released six former Super League stars: with Chief Executive Carl Hall making clear their plans to earn promotion in 2027.
At the end of only their third season back in the Championship, having finished fourth in the regular season, the Dons made it into this year’s second tier showpiece.
Jason Demetriou’s all-conquering London Broncos side toppled them at Plough Lane in that Grand Final, but Richard Horne’s men earned plenty of admirers.
And with the club having previously made no secret of their desire to reach the top-flight, chief Hall has now publicly revealed their big goal of winning promotion next season – however that may come – as the Dons’ released list was confirmed.
Doncaster release 6 former Super League stars as 2027 promotion goal made clear
All six of the players released by Doncaster ahead of 2027 have Super League appearances to their name.
Released sextet Bureta Faraimo, Loui McConnell, Pauli Pauli, Alex Sutcliffe, Andre Savelio and Gadwin Springer have over 370 top-flight games under their belt in the British game.
Utility McConnell, who will turn 27 next month, is responsible for two of those having featured twice off the bench in Super League for Leeds Rhinos back in 2020.
Seven-time France international Springer played ten games for Doncaster in the season just gone, while 12-time United States international Faraimo departs having made 43 appearances for the Championship club since his debut back in 2023.
Sutcliffe made his 50th and last appearance for the Dons as they were beaten in the Grand Final at London earlier this month.
Having spent part of 2026 on loan at fellow Championship side Goole Vikings, Savelio meanwhile wore a Doncaster shirt just twice, with both of those appearances made last season.
Fellow Combined Nations All Stars representatives Pauli grabbed 21 tries in his 60 appearances for Horne’s side, and has already seen his next move announced, joining Dewsbury Rams ahead of 2027.
Elsewhere, Doncaster have also bid farewell to retiring trio Luke Briscoe, Reece Lyne and Connor Robinson in their press release.
All three men hanging up their boots have Super League experience, with Lyne a three-time England international and Briscoe bowing out with 274 professional career appearances to his name.
Stalwart half-back Robinson smashed the world record for consecutive successful goal kicks earlier this year, with his streak of 52 perfect attempts from the tee unlikely to be beaten anytime soon.
‘It’s been a wonderful year for us, and the plan now is to reach Super League next year’
“I want to thank every player leaving the club for what they have given during their time here. Each of them leaves this club in a better place than they found it, and that is all we ask.
“The plan was to finish in the top four in 2026 and the top two in 2027. We’ve jumped a year and finished in the top two. Three years ago, we were in League One, and this year we reached the Championship final.
“It’s been a wonderful year for us, and the plan now is to reach Super League next year.
“These players all wanted to leave us going up. They have left us very close, and now we need to do the rest.
“That will be our motivation going forward, as we continue the good work they started. The boys we sign will take us to the next level.
“We wish them the best of luck for the future and every success in the next chapter of their careers.”