COUGAR coach Gary Moorby was celebrating this week after pulling off one of the LHF National League's signings of the season.

This week he clinched the signature of Aussie loose forward Daniel Harvey from Canterbury Bulldogs - the NRL Premiership Champions - and predicts he will have a big future at Cougar Park.

"He has been playing mostly reserve grade rugby at Canterbury, but he has been kept out of the first team by some of the top players in the game.

"He has been highly recommended and above all is very enthusiastic. He is still only a young player but has a tremendous amount of experience of working in a top flight club and I'm sure some of that experience will rub off on our young players," Moorby said.

Harvey, 22, comes from Sydney and began his career with the Canterbury club as a junior playing with their Under-20 team. He progressed to the reserve team and has played senior rugby with the club for the past four seasons.

"We won two Under-20 championships and the Reserve Grade competition and now I'm looking forward to playing in England," he told KN Sport.

He was lured away from an Australian summer by his best friend Pat Weisner, who is captain of Halifax.

"Pat told me he was having a great time and said I would go well over here. My girlfriend, Dee, is Pat's sister and she got a job over here so I decided now was the time to make a move," he said.

Daniel is 6ft 1ins tall, weighs in at 14 stones and plays at loose forward or second row.

Moorby said: "The atmosphere among the players is already superb and hopefully this signing will give everyone at the club, including the fans, a real lift.

"I have approached several players but we have not been able to reach agreement, but Daniel could be a real find. He has been working with Canterbury reserve team coach Kevin Moore, who played alongside Paul Moses at Halifax in the 1980's, and Kevin was full of praise.

"He said he had good hands and great vision and was kept out of the Bulldogs first team by top international players.

"He had been approached by other clubs, including Doncaster, but he liked what he saw at Keighley and decided to come to the Cougars rather than accept an offer from NL1. I'm certain he will do a fantastic job for us," Moorby said.

The club has also signed Academy player Matthew Barron who has been selected for the Great Britain students' squad.

Academy manager Jeremy Crowther said: "Matthew lives in Gateshead, but has shown his commitment to the club by travelling down from the North East for training - he is a fantastic prospect.

"He has been selected for the GB Students' team that will play Australia students at Dewsbury and Warrington."

Academy 'Top Gun' James Sharples has also signed.

"He is another of a very promising crop of young players we have coming through the ranks at the moment. He was guaranteed a professional contract when he won the 'Top Gun' award.

"Many of the young players will be pushing for first team players this season," he said.

n Season tickets are available at a 10 per cent discount before Christmas. Adult ground tickets are £99, OAP £49.50. Adult stand £118.80, OAP £69.30. Junior season ticket books cost £25 for home and away games plus cup competitions.

New adult replica shirts are also available from the club.