A couple of players from more modern times made their first appearances today.

From Mackay, Queensland, Colin Penola was signed from Oldham and his first game was against Kells at home in the Challenge Cup,  replacing Stan Warrener as substitute. Playing largely at centre or wing, with occasional games at full back, Colin made 74 appearances and scored 12 tries. He played his part in the 1986/87 promotion season and was on  the wing for the Premiership final at Old Trafford.

He had previously played for Carlisle and the short lived Kent / Southend Invicta set up (he was Kent’s player of the year in their first season). He returned to Australia after his Hunslet career ended.

As David Plange put together a team which won the 1999 Grand Final, many players were tried between 1996 and 1999. One of the more popular with supporters was in 1997 when stand-off Paul Mansson was signed from Salford Reds.

Making his debut today, Paul made 64 appearances scoring 30 tries and 20 goals in the 2 seasons he was with us. He had represented New Zealand Maori in 1994 and went on to play for the Northern Ford Premiership Select XIII in 1999. After Hunslet, he played for Widnes Vikings, Doncaster and Hull Kingston Rovers.

On this day in 1991 Michael Jackson and Tim Lumb were selected for the Great Britain Under-21s to play against France in Limoux. Both were playing substitutes and Tim scored a try as GB strolled to a 48-2 victory. Michael went on to play for the full Great Britain side 12 times, including as tourist to Australasia in 1992. After leaving Hunslet he played for Wakefield Trinity, Halifax and Sheffield Eagles.

In 2003 we played the wonderfully named Pia Donkeys in the Challenge Cup at SLS, winning 28-18.

From older times, Billy Hannah made his debut today in 1985. A winger from Maryport, he scored a try on his debut as he went on to amass 108 tries and 5 goals in 237 appearances. In the first season of Northern Union, he was top try scorer in the league with 15 and the following season became the first player to score 5 tries in a match (together with David Traynor of St Helens who did it on the same day).

He played in the 1898 Championship Play Off match and the 1899 Challenge Cup final. He represented both Cumberland and Yorkshire and was involved as trainer and other roles at Parkside into the 1940s.

In 1946, winger Bill O’Neill was scoring Cumberland’s only points against Lancashire in a 3-18 reverse at Workington.

1957 saw Geoff Gunney on duty for Great Britain against France, scoring a try in 45-12 win at Headingley.