Tom Lineham

Tom Lineham
Personal information
Full nameThomas Keighley Lineham[1]
Born (1991-09-21) 21 September 1991 (age 33)
Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Height6 ft 3 in (1.90 m)[2]
Weight16 st 7 lb (105 kg)[2]
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2009–10 York City Knights 20 11 0 0 44
2011–15 Hull F.C. 68 54 0 0 216
2013(loan) → York City Knights 2 2 0 0 8
2016–21 Warrington Wolves 133 83 0 0 332
2016(loan) → Rochdale Hornets 3 2 0 0 8
2022–23 Wakefield Trinity 11 1 0 0 4
2022(loan) → Featherstone Rovers 10 4 0 0 16
2024– York Knights 0 0 0 0 0
Total 247 157 0 0 628
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2018– England Knights 3 4 0 0 16
Source: [3][4][5]
As of 13 March 2024

Tom Lineham (born 21 September 1991), is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for York Knights in the RFL Championship.[6]

He has previously played for the York City Knights in Championship 1, and Hull F.C. in the Super League. He has spent time on loan from Warrington at the Rochdale Hornets in League 1.[3][4]

Background

Lineham was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. He grew up in South Milford and attended Sherburn High School and York College.

Career

York RUFC

Lineham's position as a junior with York RUFC was in the back row, he was equally adapt at number 8 or openside-flanker, but has played as an inside-centre for York RUFC, and more recently as a wing when he converted to rugby league.[citation needed]

Lineham joined York RUFC under 15s in September 2006 as a raw young talent with good speed and strength. He quickly became a regular in the York team, going on to represent North Yorkshire that same season. Lineham's second season with York was an even better one than his first, he was York's top tryscorer at the end of the season, which led to a Yorkshire call up at blindside-flanker part way through the 2007-2008 season.[citation needed]

Lineham then went to York College in 2009 to study for his A-Levels, this is when he first started playing rugby league for the College's Rugby Development Centre, originally coached by the late Paul Higgins. Lineham scored 15 tries in 7 appearances, earning a trial with the Knights. Lineham played two trial games with the Knights reserve grade and subsequently was offered an 18-month contract with the Knights in 2009. Lineham has signed a further 1-year contract at the Knights for the season 2011 season where the Knights will be playing in the championship after last seasons promotion. Hull F.C. were believed to have approached Lineham with an offer but no contract was agreed due to Linehamneeding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee reconstruction leaving in him sidelined for 7 months.[citation needed]

Linehams first try for the Knights first team came on 2 April 2010 against Gateshead Thunder at Huntington Stadium when he ran the ball in from 50-metres.[citation needed]

Hull FC

Lineham signed for Hull F.C. in 2011. After a number of good performances in the Academy, Lineham made his first team début as a late substitute in the 32-18 derby win at Craven Park. His performance was rewarded with a starting spot in the next game at home to Salford, where he scored two tries whilst making a notable contribution to another, in a Man of the match performance.[citation needed]

His breakthrough season was in 2013 in which he was named the Hull FC's Young Player of the Year and the Super League Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year.

Lineham has previously played for the York City Knights. He has also played rugby union for York RUFC. Lineham represented Yorkshire in Rugby Union.[7] In 2013 Lineham was awarded the Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Medal.[8]

Lineham playing for Hull FC in 2014

Lineham enjoyed another outstanding season for Hull in 2015, scoring 26 tries.

Warrington Wolves

In 2016, he moved to play for Warrington, where he had a turbulent start and although continued his formidable try scoring record he was dropped from the team and Super League. He returned for the league leaders decider against his former Team Hull F.C. scoring a brace in a solid individual performance. It is believed that Lineham had ambitions of playing for Castleford.[9]

He played in the 2016 Super League Grand Final defeat by Wigan at Old Trafford.[10]

In the last year Lineham's weight gain and consequent loss of speed has earned him the comical if not somewhat cruel nickname, "the flying pig". A nickname which he apparently endorses.[11] He played in the 2018 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Catalans Dragons at Wembley Stadium.[12] He played in the 2018 Super League Grand Final defeat by Wigan at Old Trafford.[13]

Lineham (centre) playing for the Warrington Wolves at Anfield in 2019

He played in the 2019 Challenge Cup Final victory over St. Helens at Wembley Stadium.[14]

On 14 September 2020, Lineham was charged by the RFL and was given a Grade F "other contrary behaviour", (the most serious grade on the disciplinary panel, which carries a minimum of 8 games suspension.) for an alleged "squirrel grip" on Castleford's Alex Foster. He appeared before a disciplinary hearing on 15 September 2020, to find out the length of his suspension. Lineham contested the decision of his grade, but the tribunal dismissed his decision and he was found guilty of a Grade F and was suspended for 8 games, and fined £500. Depending on Warrington's progression in the Challenge Cup, he would have potentially missed the remainder of the season.[15]

Wakefield Trinity

On 17 August 2021, it was reported that he had signed for Wakefield Trinity in the Super League.[16] Lineham played 12 matches for Wakefield Trinity in the Super League XXVIII season as the club finished bottom of the table and were relegated to the RFL Championship which ended their 24-year stay in the top flight.[17]

York Knights (re-join)

On 13 Mar 2024 it was reported that he had signed for York Knights in the RFL Championship on a 1-year deal.[18]

International career

In 2018 he was selected for the England Knights on their tour of Papua New Guinea. He played against Papua New Guinea at the Lae Football Stadium.[19] Lineham also played against PNG at the Oil Search National Football Stadium.[20]

In 2019 he was selected for the England Knights against Jamaica at Headingley Rugby Stadium.[21]

Hull F.C.

Season Appearance Tries Goals F/G Points
2012 Hull FC season 5 4 - - 16
2013 Hull FC season 25 17 - - 68
2014 Hull FC season 14 7 - - 28
2015 Hull FC season 24 26 - - 104
2016 Warrington Wolves 10 10 - - 40
Total 78 64 - - 256

References

  1. ^ FreeBMD Entry Information
  2. ^ a b "Hull 1st Team Tom Lineham". Hull FC. 2015. Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ a b "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ Rugby League Records
  6. ^ "England Knights v Jamaica". WWOS. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Ratcliffe joy muted after victory". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  8. ^ "The Albert Goldthorpe Awards". totalrl.com. League Publications. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Warrington's Tom Lineham faces further fall from grace following poor Super League form". express.co.uk. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Warrington 6-12 Wigan: Super League Grand Final – as it happened!". Guardian. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Interview with Warrington Wolves winger Tom Lineham". www.warringtonguardian.co.uk.
  12. ^ "Catalans Dragons beat Warrington in Challenge Cup final to make history". Guardian. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Super League Grand Final 2018: Wigan 12-4 Warrington – as it happened". Guardian. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  14. ^ "St Helens 4-18 Warrington RESULT: Challenge Cup Final as it happened from Wembley". Mirror. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Lineham banned for 8 matches". Warrington Guardian. 15 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Wakefield Trinity sign Tom Lineham and Liam Hood for 2022 Super League season". Sky Sports. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Super League: Wakefield Trinity relegated after loss at Leigh Leopards, St Helens and Wigan Warriors win". www.skysports.com.
  18. ^ Aaron Bower (13 March 2024). "York Knights confirm return of Tom Lineham on eve of Championship season". Love Rugby League.
  19. ^ "Papua New Guinea vs England Knights". WWOS. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  20. ^ "Papua New Guinea v England Knights". WWOS. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  21. ^ "England Knights vs Jamaica". WWOS. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
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