DARREN Hawkyard is hoping to continue on the comeback trail this weekend after making his long-awaited first appearance in a Cougars jersey.

The back-rower agreed to join Paul March’s side along with brother Ritchie, with the siblings having been part of the Swinton side who won promotion to the Championship at Keighley’s expense last season.

At 31, Darren is a year older than Ritchie and he came off the bench in Sunday’s pre-season friendly defeat at home to Hunslet Hawks.

It was his first outing since suffering a shoulder and pectoral injury while playing for Swinton against Keighley at Cougar Park last July.

Hawkyard senior has since undergone surgery and is now fighting fit again, with another appearance on the cards in Saturday’s trip to Wath Brow Hornets in the ipro Sport Cup.

Hawkyard said: “I’ve come to Keighley this year with ‘Titch’ and it’s my turn now to earn the respect of the lads and the fans.

“I had a torn pec and a shoulder reconstruction in the off-season, so I have been back training since December and it has all been about building my fitness and strength up since then.

“The rehab team of Adam Mitchell and Darran Miller have done really well with that, so it’s great to actually get back playing.

“We have made eight signings during the off-season, which is a lot of players to get used to all the structures.

“It’s a very strong squad with ex-Super League players and established Championship players.

“The strength in depth is ridiculous really, so you have to be on your game otherwise you won’t play.

“That’s the ethic going around the dressing room at the moment.

“I’d like to play again on Saturday against Wath Brow but there are people ahead of me at the moment and when I get chances I need to take them.

“But I was really happy to get about 50 minutes against Hunslet and my performance wasn’t too bad.

“I played in the final of the ipro Sport Cup for Swinton against North Wales last season and it was a really good day out at Blackpool. We were unlucky not to win it, so it would be nice to get back there and win it with Keighley.”

Hawkyard is close to his younger brother and new Cougars full back Ritchie, saying: “There is only a year between us and we’re like best mates.

“We travelled three or four times a week to Swinton, so we’re doing the same now at Keighley. I know a lot of the lads here already like Marchy, Paul White, Neil Cherryholme and a few others, having played against them for the past seven years. You become mates from that as well.”

Cougars reserves have a game away to Thornhill Trojans on Sunday at Overthorpe Park with a 2.30pm kick-off.