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The 2022 Betfred League One season is just around the corner, with the opening round kicking off when London Skolars welcome Hunslet to The New River Stadium on March 26th.

This season is already a hallmark one with the addition of Cornwall to the mix, the rebranding of Coventry Bears to the Midlands Hurricanes, the return of Swinton Lions and Hunslet’s new era looming large.

Cornwall

The appointment of Neil Kelly has certainly got the spotlight shining a bit brighter on the exciting new project that is being developed in the southwest.

Key signing Anthony Mullaly will be hoping to make waves in the club’s short history and put on a show for the locals down in Penryn in their debut Betfred League 1 season.

Doncaster

The Dons will be looking to improve on last year’s sixth-place finish and strengthen their chances in a bid for promotion after missing out on it last season, losing to Workington Town in last year’s promotion final.

The returning Jack Sanderson will be a boost to their hopes having previously scored 12 tries in 21 appearances in his 2018 loan move from Hull FC.

Hunslet

The South Leeds club look to a new era under Coach Alan Kilshaw after getting his reign off to a good start by overcoming rivals Keighley Cougars in the Second Round of the Betfred Challenge Cup with 13 men debuting for the club.

We may not know what to expect from the Parksiders but it is certainly looking good ahead of the upcoming season.

Keighley Cougars

Cougar Mania will be looking to take over Keighley once again this year with Rhys Lovegrove’s men aiming to go one better and finish at the summit of the table after finishing as runners-up last season.

Their Betfred Challenge Cup Second Round defeat to Hunslet saw five debutants and the return of Chris Cullimore from Midlands Hurricanes as the side look to continue their upward trejectory.

London Skolars

Another up and down season for Skolars looks to be on the cards, with some of their usual scalps and usual drumming.

Head Coach Joe Mbu is assembling a strong new-look squad which can hopefully see them break into the top half of the table.

Midlands Hurricanes

The rebrand of the Coventry Bears to the Midlands Hurricanes will hopefully see a resurgence in results. The signing of full-back Phil Cowburn from fellow bottom half battlers West Wales Raiders seems a savvy one by boosting their ranks and significantly weakening a rival.

A proud display in the Second Round of the Challenge Cup against Rochdale will be encouraging for the men from the Midlands.

North Wales Crusaders

One half of the Welsh contingent in Betfred League 1, the North Wales Crusaders earned their first competitive win over Leigh Miners Rangers in an impressive 40-6 win.

After a strong campaign last year, Head Coach Anthony Murray will be fancying his side’s chances in regards of promotion.

Marquee signing Owen Blackwood joins from St Helens’ academy and will be hoping to make an impact in his debut senior campaign.

Oldham

One of the relegated sides making the drop from the Championship, Oldham will not be looking to hang around for long and will be looking to bounce back up after a torrid time last season.

With the addition of experienced forwards, Jamaican international Jordan Andrade and back-rower Emmerson Whittel to their squad, this season could look a lot different to last year.

Rochdale Hornets

With Rangi Chase looking to return to full fitness from last year’s mid-season arm break and being given the number six jersey for 2022, all eyes are on the Hornets.

The signing of young hooker Aiden Roden from Super League side Wigan Warriors could see Rochdale challenge for a top six spot this campaign.

Swinton Lions

The second side relegated from the Championship, Swinton Lions had a taste of a League 1 opposition on Sunday as they smashed West Wales Raiders 96-0.

There will be tougher tests on the road to regaining promotion to the Championship, but the Lions look certain to bounce straight back up.

West Wales Raiders

Another year grinding it out for West Wales appears to be on the cards again in 2022. With some positive recruitment from the Raiders, an emphasis on young players joining the club has been at the forefront of this.

Sunday’s 96-0 defeat to Swinton Lions gave them a very big reality check and some more improvement is going to be needed from now and when the season will start.