Horne happy to keep 'big character' Hepi

Richard Horne said retaining Tyla Hepi’s services was a big component of his squad building plan for 2026.

The forward has signed a new two-year contract with the club with head coach Horne pleased to retain a big member of the group as part of an expanded squad.

He said: “Tyla is a big character in the squad and you definitely need those over a long, hard season. He has a big impact on the mood and atmosphere around the place and that is key for us as we navigate through the ups and downs of the year.

“It’s not just off the pitch though - Tyla is another important player for us. He’s big and powerful and gets us up the pitch really well. He’s massive for us defensively as well.

“One of the big targets we set at the end of last season was expanding the size of the squad. I think the size of the squad caught up with us at the end of the season.

“Tyla is going to be one of the players that will make an impact as part of a bigger squad, whether that’s from the start or coming on to work tired defences later in matches.

“He’s got the power and physicality to give teams plenty to think about, as we’ve seen during his time here.

“We’re really pleased to have him here even longer.”