Departing Players: 2024
Seven players to depart Midlands Hurricanes
Whilst the Canes have made significant progress already with their squad for 2025 and have announced a raft of retentions and new signings, we can confirm that seven players will be departing The Alexander Stadium following the end of the season:
Liam Welham (2020 - 2024)
A player known for giving 110% in every game he played for the club, the wiry veteran first joined the Canes during the 2020 season curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The soon-to-be 36 year old was very much a fan favourite for his impact as both a centre and second-row, where he regularly competed with his younger brother Matty for most tries between them each season (with mixed results). Known for both scoring and setting up tries from seemingly nothing, Liam rarely failed to feature in the first 13.
Liam leaves the Canes with the sixth-most appearances of any player for the club, taking to field no less than 72 times and scoring 32 tries (including a record-breaking four tries against Newcastle Thunder during our 66-4 win mid-way through the 2024 season).
Liam was sponsored by The Snowden Family for the 2024 season.
Brad Clavering (2021— 2024)
Clav, 26, first joined the club on a short-term loan deal from Hull Kingston Rovers during the 2018 season where he made an immediate impact. Following his release from the Robins at the end of 2019, Brad signed with the club permanently in 2020 and despite the season being curtailed chose to continue with the club for a further four seasons as he quickly became known for his trademark backwards carry and love of offloading (as well as being the self-appointed changing room DJ).
He went on to make 60 appearances for the Canes, scoring nine tries including our opening score against Hunslet in this year’s heart-breaking 18-14 defeat to the Parksiders in the Elimination Semi-Final.
Brad was sponsored by East Yorkshire Bathrooms for the 2024 season.
Elliott Windley (2021 - 2024)
Elliott, 25, has been a fan favourite since first joining the club at the start of the 2021 season, where he went on to score four tries in 49 appearances for the club.
Beginning as an impact-hooker from the bench, Elliott forced his way into the first 13 as a barnstorming 2022 season saw him pick up both the Supporters’ and Players’ Player of the Year awards. Those performances saw him retain a regular mix of first 13 and interchange appearances during the 2023 season, however the wily hooker struggled to break into the first team for 2024 as both Danny Barcoe and Chris Cullimore regularly featured at 9.
Elliott was sponsored by the Midlands Hurricanes Supporters Club for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Owen Maull (2024)
20-year old Maull joined the club this year and made his debut off the bench during our 40-4 defeat to Doncaster in the 1895 Cup Group Stage. Owen went on to make three further appearances from the bench for the club during our 30-16 defeat to Sheffield Eagles in the same competition, as well as our 70-16 and 18-10 wins over Newcastle Thunder and North Wales Crusaders respectively.
Davey Dixon (2024)
The 27-year old Scottish international joined the squad from Championship outfit Dewsbury Rams on a deal until the end of the 2025 season following several successful seasons with the Rams and Keighley Cougars. Davey went on to make four appearances for the club, scoring one try during our 44-10 away victory over Newcastle, before he made the difficult decision to retire following medical advice after suffering a concussion towards the end of the season.
Peceli Suguvanua (2024)
Suga joined the Canes at the start of this season along with Inoke Nakoronivalu, Joeli Varo and Wame Ratubuvalu as part of the Midlands Hurricanes’ strong ties with The Army (who are well known for producing good rugby league players). Suga made his debut for the club during our 30-16 home defeat to Sheffield Eagles during the 1895 Cup and went on to make two further appearances against Rochdale Hornets and Newcastle Thunder during the early rounds of the regular season.
Wame Ratubuvalu (2024)
Ratu, like Naks, Joe and Suga, joined the Canes at the start of the 2024 season as part of the club’s continuing relationship with The Army. Ratu trained regularly with the Canes but did not go on to make his professional debut with the club.
Everybody at the Midlands Hurricanes would like to thank each of the above players for their hard work and commitment to the Canes during their tenure with the club, and wish them nothing but the best going forwards with their futures. Once a Cane, always a Cane.