Fletcher Rooney

Last updated
Fletcher Rooney
Personal information
Full nameFletcher Rooney
Born (2006-01-12) 12 January 2006 (age 19)
West Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Position Fullback
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2023– Castleford Tigers 630012
Source: [1] [2]
As of 14 February 2025
Father Jamie Rooney

Fletcher Rooney (born 12 January 2006) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League.

Contents

Background

Rooney was born in West Yorkshire, England. He is the son of former England international rugby league footballer Jamie Rooney. [3]

Rooney played junior rugby league for Featherstone Lions and Lock Lane ARLFC. He joined the Castleford Tigers development system at scholarship level. [4] He overcame an ACL injury at the age of 14. [3]

In September 2022, Rooney progressed to Castleford's academy squad. [5] During the 2023 academy season, he made 11 appearances and scored 10 tries and 1 goal, as well as a further 5 appearances and 1 try at Reserves level, and was named Academy Player of the Year. [6]

Rooney represented Yorkshire in their Academy Origin fixture against Lancashire on 19 August 2023. [7] He played as a centre in the 44–16 defeat at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium. [8] [9]

Playing career

In September 2023, Rooney was introduced into first-team training with the Castleford senior squad, and was assigned squad number 47. [10] On 22 September, aged 17, he made his Super League debut for the Castleford Tigers against the Leeds Rhinos in the final round of the season. [11] [12] His performance in defeat earned praise from head coaches Danny Ward and Rohan Smith [13] as well as the travelling fans. [14] Rooney said of his debut, "All my life I've been working towards that moment, it was a big thing for me and my family." [15] He became the first 2006-born player to feature in the Super League. [16]

In October 2023, Rooney was included in Castleford's listed first-team squad ahead of the 2024 season, [17] [18] one of only two fullbacks alongside Luke Hooley. [19] [20] He would be following a hybrid programme between the academy and first-team environments to support his development. [21] In December 2023, it was announced that Rooney had signed his first professional contract with Castleford, agreeing a three-year deal. [22] [23] He required surgery for an ankle injury suffered in January, [24] which prevented him filling in for the injured Hooley before the signing of Tex Hoy. [3] On 1 August, playing as a winger, Rooney made his second senior appearance and scored his first Super League try in Castleford's home loss against Leigh. [25] [26]

Statistics

Appearances and points in all competitions by year
ClubSeasonTierAppTGDGPts
Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers 2023 Super League 10000
2024 Super League 32008
2025 Super League 21004
Career total630012
As of match played 14 February 2025

References

  1. ↑ RL Record Keepers' Club
  2. ↑ Rugby League Project
  3. 1 2 3 Heppenstall, Ross (30 July 2024). "NextGen: Meet the son of a Super League icon tipped to become a Castleford Tigers star". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Harber, Tony (18 December 2023). "Castleford Tigers delighted that promising young full-back Fletcher Rooney has committed to the club". Wakefield Express. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Tigers stepping up our youth ranks". Castleford Tigers Foundation. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Tigers host end of season dinner". Castleford Tigers. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "Academy Origin III: Squads named for series decider". The RFL. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "Academy Origin III: Lancashire 44 Yorkshire 16". The RFL. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Rooney reflects on Yorkshire experience". Castleford Tigers. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Tigers select squad for Wigan". Castleford Tigers. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Super League: Leeds Rhinos 46-0 Castleford Tigers - Hosts put big losses behind them with win". BBC Sport. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "'Emphatic' Leeds Rhinos on right end of a rout as Castleford Tigers collapse". The Yorkshire Post. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  13. ↑ Cook, Sam (30 November 2023). "Predicting five breakout stars of the 2024 Super League season". Serious About Rugby League. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  14. ↑ Cook, Sam (23 September 2023). ""Joke of a club" – Furious Castleford Tigers fans call for change after Leeds Rhinos defeat". Serious About Rugby League. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Darbyshire, Drew (12 December 2023). "Castleford Tigers tie down young gun to long-term contract as full-back lays out 2024 ambitions". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Ibbetson, Stephen (18 December 2023). "Fletcher Rooney joins Castleford Tigers squad keen to turn focus on youth". TotalRL. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  17. ↑ "Full 2024 first team squad". Castleford Tigers. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  18. ↑ Walker, Callum (23 October 2023). "Castleford Tigers reveal 30-man squad for Super League 2024". TotalRL. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  19. ↑ Walker, Callum (11 January 2024). "Castleford Tigers fans' fears eased after rising star suffers training injury". TotalRL. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  20. ↑ Darbyshire, Drew (18 January 2024). "Super League: A young gun from every club to keep an eye out for in 2024". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  21. ↑ Walker, Callum (12 December 2023). "Castleford Tigers hand long-term deal to highly-rated youngster ahead of 2024 Super League season". TotalRL. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  22. ↑ "Rooney signs until 2026". Castleford Tigers. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  23. ↑ Shaw, Matthew (12 December 2023). "Castleford Tigers tie down rising talent to first professional contract". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  24. ↑ "Medical update". Castleford Tigers. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  25. ↑ "Leigh boost play-off hopes as they beat Castleford". BBC Sport. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  26. ↑ Harber, Tony (6 August 2024). "Hometown boys like Fletcher Rooney are key to Castleford Tigers' plans going forward". Wakefield Express. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
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