Halifax Panthers add French flyer with rich promise to next season’s squad
Halifax Panthers have brought in another Super League player as their squad building for the 2026 Championship season is taking further shape.
Tanguy Zenon has arrived in West Yorkshire on a one-year contract after leaving Catalans Dragons.
The 23-year-old French flyer joins fellow newcomers Myles Lawford, Daniel Okoro and Alfie Johnson as young top level players with rich promise in Kyle Eastmond’s squad.
A speedy full-back with good ball skills and footwork allied to solid defence, Zenon will continue his rugby league development under the tutelage of head coach Eastmond.
He made his Super League debut against Wigan Warriors in 2022 and won his first international cap the following season when playing against England at Warrington.
Zenon also spent time on loan at Super League Champions Hull KR in 2023, scoring his first try in their Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Salford Red Devils.
Having come through the system at Stade Gilbert Brutas, Zenon was a star for Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan before being promoted to the Dragons senior squad, although he found first team chances hard to come by with England star Sam Tomkins at the club.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have announced the appointment of Gary Hames to the club’s board of directors.
Hames is the co-owner of Elite Thermal Insulation – a commercial, industrial and domestic thermal insulation contractor based in Halifax.
A local man hailing from Illingworth, he is excited to get started working with his hometown club.
“It’s great to be getting involved with the club”, said Hames. “The more heads we get on board the better as everyone can bring something totally different along with some fresh ideas so I’m happy to be getting involved.
“Obviously, I co-own Elite alongside Adam Butterfield so he had a hand in bringing me into the club. I think we both decided with each other that we wanted to invest in grassroots sports and Adam’s a great lover of rugby.
"I was more football to be honest but I’ve been coming down to The Shay for the last two or three years and I’ve really got into rugby as well. Adam just said one day that I should come down and watch the Panthers and I fell in love with the club.
"I used to play at Boothtown Terriers when I was a kid but was always injured a lot and that’s why I got more into football really. I’ve always liked all kinds of sports but I like how it’s family oriented on a game day at Fax and how the club brings young kids clubs in to walk around the pitch and get involved, I think that’s great.”
Hames added: “In terms of short and long term goals, I’d like to see us just keep improving year on year and finishing higher in the table.
"Promotion has to be the goal this year, I just want to see us do really well across the whole club.
“I love to watch the Wheelchair team, the Women’s side, academies. It’d be nice to get more involved and see progress there as well, I think there’s a lot of potential.
“Personally, I’m one for sitting back and taking things in first, thinking things through rather than making any rash decisions. I consider myself a calming influence and quite analytical really, but I’m also straight-talking which I think is a strength I can bring to the board.
“I’m looking forward to working alongside the other members of the board as well as CEO Damian Clayton, who I think has done an outstanding job so far and I can’t thank him enough. A real unsung hero for the amount of hours he puts in and all his efforts have been brilliant.”