Richie Hawkyard

Ritchie Hawkyard

Personal information
Full name	Ritchie Hawkyard
Born	(1986-01-21) 21 January 1986 (age 39) Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	12 st 0 lb (76 kg)
Playing information
Position	Fullback, Scrum-half
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2007 Bradford Bulls 3 1 0 0 4 2007–15 Swinton Lions 168 49 53 0 302 2016–18 Keighley Cougars 64 34 0 0 136 2019 Oldham 22 12 0 0 48 2020 Keighley Cougars 1 1 0 0 4 2025– Midlands Hurricanes 0 0 0 0 0 Total 258 97 53 0 494 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2007 Scotland 4 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] As of 30 August 2025

Ritchie Hawkyard (born 21 January 1986), also known by the nicknames of "Hawky", and "Titch", is a Scotland international rugby league footballer who plays at fullback for Midlands Hurricanes in the RFL League 1.

Background

Hawkyard was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.

Playing career

Bradford Bulls

A product of Bradford Bulls senior academy Hawkyard, 21, was drafted in for Paul Deacon and made his début against Huddersfield Giants in round 14 of 2007 Super League season playing as a stand off. ^[2]

Swinton Lions

At the end of the 2007 season having made three appearances for the Bulls, Hawkyard signed for Swinton Lions. ^[3]

Keighley Cougars

After nine seasons with Swinton during which he scored 58 tries in 182 appearances for the Lions Hawkyard was captain of the team when helping them to the league 1 leaders in 2011 as well as the League 1 Play off final against Keighley Cougars in 2015, Hawkyard joined Keighley Cougars for the start of the 2016 season. ^[4]

After being ever present for Keighley in the 2016 season and in his first season helping them win the ipro cup final, Hawkyard missed a number of games of the 2017 season after suffering severe facial injuries in a game against Hunslet at Easter and did not play again until July. ^[5]

Oldham RLFC

The end of the 2018 season saw Hawkyard leave Keighley to join Oldham due to the financial uncertainty at the Keighley club. Hawkyard was also Granted a 1-year testimonial starting in 2018 for his services to Rugby League. ^[6] During the 2019 season Hawkyard made 22 appearances for Oldham scoring 12 tries and helping Oldham win promotion to the Championship with a man-of-the-match performance in the League 1 play-off final against Newcastle Thunder. ^{[7] [8]}

Keighley Cougars (rejoin)

Hawkyard rejoined Keighley in October 2019 on a one-year contract but on 17 December 2019 announced his immediate retirement from the game, only to have a change of heart and rejoin the club in January 2020. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

Midlands Hurricanes

On 22 August 2025 it was reported that he had signed for Midlands Hurricanes in the RFL League 1 until the end of the 2025 season ^[11]

Coaching

Hawkyard was released by Keighley at the end of the aborted 2020 season and became player-coach at amateur side Newsome Panthers helping them win promotion in his first season at the club. ^[12]

Representative

He is of Scottish descent and has played for Scotland at international level, playing in a friendly game against France in 2007. ^[13]

References

1. "Player Summary: Richie Hawkyard". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
2. "Hawkyard to make Bulls debut". Telegraph & Argus. 12 May 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
3. "Hawkyard's out to shift top man Mort". Manchester Evening News . 23 June 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
4. "Ritchie Hawkyard sets sights on promotion with Keighley Cougars after acrimonious Swinton exit". Telegraph & Argus. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
5. "Ritchie Hawkyard highlights Leeds Rhinos as role models in Keighley Cougars catch-up bid". Telegraph & Argus. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
6. "Hawkyard: It was time to move on from Cougars". Keighley News. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
7. "Oldham triumph in Betfred League 1 Play-off Final". rugby league. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
8. "Fans favourite returns to Keighley Cougars". Keighley News. 16 October 2019.
9. "Hawkyard retires weeks after signing for second Cougars spell". Keighley News. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
10. Darbyshire, Drew (15 January 2020). "Ritchie Hawkyard comes out of retirement for Keighley return". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
11. "CANES SIGN HAWKYARD UNTIL END OF THE SEASON". Midlands Hurricanes. 22 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
12. "Departing Cougars star Hawkyard gets new player-coach role". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
13. "Hawkyard signs up again". Manchester Evening News. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2016.