Hunslet RLFC are pleased to announce the signing of Australian duo Darcy and Elijah Simpson from Rochdale Hornets.

The brothers joined the Hornets in April 2025 from Cornwall and made a combined 16 appearances for Gary Thorntons men.

Darcy, 23 is a second-rower who made the move to Cornwall from Queensland, Australia, in December 2023 and holds both an Australian and British passport. He made 25 appearances for the Choughs before heading north to Rochdale.

Prior to arriving in the UK, Darcy played in the Queensland Cup for Brisbane Tigers – the competition winners in 2023.

He also gained state representative honours with Queensland’s under-21 side. In his early years, he was also part of North Queensland Cowboys’ regional academy, and he played with his brother Elijah at Brothers RLFC Cairns.

Elijah, 27 is a middle forward who enjoys a physical, fast-paced style of rugby league. He made 11 appearances for the Hornets in 2025.

He was part of the Brothers RLFC Cairns side that won their third premiership in three years, writing themselves into the history books.

Elijah featured in a blockbuster 18-14 FNQL (Far North Queensland Rugby League) grand final for Cairns last September before joining Darcy in the UK for 2025.

Darcy commented: “I am very grateful to have signed with Hunslet for the upcoming season. This is a great opportunity for my brother and I. After speaking with Kyle, Hunslet sounded like the perfect fit for us.

“It’s a new challenge and i am looking forward to playing for such a historic club with a great fan base who have ambitions to build and be successful in this new league format. I’m excited about meeting the lads and getting stuck in.”

Elijah commented: “I am looking forward to the new challenge and to keep improving and growing as a player at Hunslet.

“After speaking to Kyle and getting a better understanding of his expectations for the coming season as well as what his core values are, it made our decision quite easy, as it will be a great fit for us.

“I am keen to play my part in the clubs’ rich history and to get to work with the boys.”

Head Coach, Kyle Trout, commented on the signings: “After meeting with the Brothers and hearing what they were looking for going forward, and knowing the direction we want to take the team in, there was a clear alignment.

“They are both hungry, competitive and are looking to settle and make their mark at the club.

“Myself and Knozza are looking forward to them being in our environment and seeing them ripping in to pre-season.”