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Cornwall RLFC Sign Nathan Conroy

May 19, 2022

Nathan Conroy has joined Cornwall RLFC

Cornwall RLFC have secured the signing of half-back Nathan Conroy for the remainder of the 2022 Betfred League 1 season.

The 27-year-old started his career at three time World Club Challenge winners Bradford Bulls and made his Super League debut in 2013 against Huddersfield Giants.

The following campaign, which ended in relegation from Super League for the Bulls, Conroy made five appearances and was joined in the Bradford ranks by his new Cornwall team mate Anthony Mullally, who was on loan at the club from Huddersfield. 

Finding game time hard to come by at Odsal in 2015, Conroy left his home town club and subsequently had spells at Dewsbury Rams, Keighley Cougars and Coventry Bears.

Conroy’s last club was Hunslet and he started the 2020 season at the South Leeds Stadium before all rugby below the top flight was declared null and void due to covid-19 pandemic.

Personal commitments saw Conroy decide to step away from the sport after the 2021 campaign but after watching Cornwall against his old club Hunslet earlier this month, he returned to rugby league’s professional ranks. 

“I can’t wait to get going again,” Conroy told cornwallrlfc.co.uk. “The competitiveness of being out on the pitch playing rugby league is something I have really missed.

“I went along to the recent match against Hunslet and that just re-ignited something for me. I thought the game went well from a Cornwall point of view, but I could also see why the game was lost.

“We were missing some experience at half-back and even though I am only 27, I have been around a bit. I felt at the time watching at Hunslet that I could offer that on-field structure and help what is an exciting team by guiding them around the pitch.

“I had a chat with Harry Aaronson who is a good mate of mine. We played together at Keighley and we have remained close since then. Harry put me on to the club and here I am, ready and raring to go.”

Meanwhile, Conroy’s arrival, in time for Saturday’s game against Swinton Lions, has been lauded as a ‘real boost’ for Cornwall by head coach Neil Kelly after the recent round eight home loss to West Wales Raiders.

“Nathan has a rugby league pedigree and came through a good system at Bradford,” Kelly added.

“I am very confident that having Nathan in our side will help us no end. We had some really good field position against West Wales but couldn’t find that spark with the football in our hands to unlock a stubborn Raiders defence.

“This is a challenge we will face throughout the rest of the season so Nathan’s arrival is going to give us a real boost.”