COUGARS front-rower/prop Harvey Hallas is the latest to leave the club, having joined Championship side Dewsbury Rams.

The 21-year-old had signed for Keighley ahead of last season, having been part of the Wakefield Trinity academy before then.

Cougars have suffered an exodus of players - including favourites such as Ritchie Hawkyard, Scott Law and Harry Aaronson - following a wages dispute, though it is understood at least some of the squad and staff received payments today.

On signing for the Rams, Hallas said: “Being at Keighley last season in League One, I just thought I wanted to push myself a little more, and I think the Championship and the Rams is a good place to do that.

"I think the club will have a good ethic and I know they want to try and achieve more than what other clubs are doing.

“I think it is a good place to push myself, and it is the next step in my career going forward.

“I am only a young lad really at 21 years old, so I will be coming up against people who have been in Super League, or are knocking on the door of the top division.

"It is going to be a massive physical challenge for me, but I am really up for it. I know mentally and physically it will be a challenge.”

Hallas was originally a back-rower but the young player was soon turned into a powerful prop.

He said: “I normally play as a prop. I like to see myself as an old school type of player putting the hard yards in and getting those off-loads off. I can’t say I am the quickest or have got the quickest feet but I’ll be strong and give it my all in the middle. Just keep me around the middle where all the graft is.

“I want to be a regular player, I don’t want to just come here and be a squad number. I want to be in and around the team every week. I want to get as much game time as possible and progress my game as much as I can.”