Former Wigan youngster seals permanent cross-Championship switch to reunite with twin brother

Young forward Dylan Kelly-Duffy has sealed a permanent return to Swinton Lions following his departure from fellow Championship outfit Rochdale Hornets.

A product of Super League heavyweights Wigan Warriors’ youth setup, Kelly-Duffy departed The Brick Community Stadium at the end of the 2025 campaign.

Having played three times on loan for Swinton last term in League 1 as well as seven times for Rochdale, the 20-year-old went on to make a permanent move to the Hornets.

After adding a further 15 appearances for Rochdale to his CV this term, the Hornets announced on Wednesday afternoon that he had been released from the remainder of his contract to take up an opportunity elsewhere in the Championship.

And within a few hours, local foes Swinton had confirmed his return.

Former Wigan youngster Dylan Kelly-Duffy seals permanent cross-Championship switch to reunite with twin brother Trent

Kelly-Duffy, who is primarily a front-rower but can also operate in the back-row, reunites with twin brother Trent as he returns to Heywood Road.

Also a product of Wigan’s youth system, Trent featured eight times on loan for Swinton last year before joining them permanently ahead of 2026, and has played 21 games in their colours to date this season.

As Dylan makes the short move across the North West back to Swinton, he joins a Lions squad sat third-bottom of the Championship ladder.

Only Halifax Panthers and North Wales Crusaders sit beneath them, with both of those clubs having been hit with points deductions during the course of this season due to financial issues.

Swinton have claimed nine competition points from their 18 league games so far this term, and this weekend travel to the North East to take on second-placed Newcastle Thunder.

Kelly-Duffy – who will turn 21 in October – goes straight into contention for that clash and is expected to make his second debut for the club come Sunday afternoon.

Anthony Murray’s side have just six games remaining in this campaign, including this weekend’s trip to Newcastle.

Their fixture list concludes away against table-toppers London Broncos, who are yet to be beaten this year and thumped Swinton 84-6 in the reverse game back in February, with the Lions then still under the tutelage of former head coach Paul Wood.

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