BBC SPORT | Rugby League | Super League | Blue Sox get player lift

Halifax have been given a massive boost with the news that England A squad members Stuart Donlan and Andrew Brocklehurst have committed their future to cash-stricken club.

The Tetley's Super League side are re-negotiating the contracts of all their senior players as they attempt to deal with a debt of around �700,000 and an anticipated fall in central funding from 2004.

Stephen Pearson, spokesman for the advisory group brought in to get the struggling Super League club back on track, confirmed there would be departures but said that 17 players have already signed new deals.

Stuart Donlan goes on the attack for Halifax
Donlan will play for England A against New Zealand on 30 October
Full-back Donlan and Great Britain Academy forward Brocklehurst were thought to be among the targets for other clubs while Ireland international hooker Johnny Lawless and Australian forward Shayne McMenemy have also put pen to paper.

Lawless, in his second spell with the club, has been appointed as club captain for the 2003 season.

Pearson said a full retained list would be made available on Monday and that he anticipated influential scrum-half Gavin Clinch to be on it.

"We have the core of the team that is going to compete in Super League next year," said Pearson.

"We're very pleased with the tremendous progress we've made. We feel we've turned the corner."

Among the departures will be highly-rated Australian stand-off Andrew Dunemann, who is poised to join Leeds.


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