Jamie Shaul explains fresh motivations as former Hull FC star signs for new club
Goole Vikings have confirmed the signing of former Hull FC full-back Jamie Shaul, as exclusively reported by Hull Live last month. The 32-year-old will come out of retirement to play for the League 1 club, having first hung the boots up with the Black and Whites at the end of the 2023 season.
Playing 200 games for his hometown club, Shaul is a double Challenge Cup winner, having scored the winner in the 2016 final against Warrington Wolves at Wembley. He is the third-tier outfit's biggest signing to date, with the captures of Tom Halliday confirmed today as well as local amateur player Ben Hodder.
Since leaving Hull, Shaul has played rugby union in the city, while also working full-time as a bricklayer. However, he will now step back into professional rugby league at the East Yorkshire club, who, as previously reported by Hull Live, also confirmed the appointment of Scott Taylor as head coach in their official launch this Tuesday.
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"I’m thrilled to be joining Goole Vikings at such an exciting time," Shaul said. "I’m proud to be involved with a local project like this. The ambition and vision of the club really appealed to me, and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to help the team succeed.
"There are some very good people here, some I have worked with before, so I know what standards we are looking to hit and how driven everyone will be to be successful. I love the idea of the challenge ahead, and I’m eager to play my part in building something special here and hopefully a bit of a legacy we can leave behind for the next set of players and fans at the Vikings."
Winning the Challenge Cup with Shaul as a player, Taylor knows the club's latest recruit inside out, having spent eight years together as teammates. They are also from the same amateur club, Skirlaugh Bulls, albeit one age group apart.
Taylor added: "Signing a player of Jamie’s calibre is an incredible moment for our club and one which I’m sure will excite the fans. Jamie is still relatively young and in fantastic shape, he has been playing very well in rugby union but has jumped at the opportunity to be part of what we are trying to build at the Vikings alongside a lot of people he knows well.
"He will be a good leader for us and bring a huge amount of experience for our younger backs. He still has a lot to offer the game, he is excited about the opportunity and has that spring back in his step, so we are really excited to see what he can do for us."
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