Key Points
- Former Leeds Rhinos utility forward Toby Warren has secured a move back to the Super League ahead of the 2027 season.
- RFL Championship outfit Midlands Hurricanes officially confirmed both his departure from the club and his impending switch to the top flight.
- Warren made 27 appearances for the Hurricanes during his stint after initially joining them permanently ahead of the 2026 campaign.
- Prior to his time in the Championship, Warren spent time in the academy and reserves setup at Leeds Rhinos and gained top-tier experience out on loan with the Salford Red Devils, where he made 15 Super League appearances.
- Midlands Hurricanes also announced other roster changes alongside Warren’s exit, including departures such as centre Sutcliffe and the retirement of Mikey Wood.
London (The Leeds Times) September 29, 2026 –As reported by Ben Olawumi of Love Rugby League, utility forward Toby Warren has landed a return to the Super League ahead of the 2027 season, with Championship outfit Midlands Hurricanes confirming his departure and impending move. Warren played football at a high level into his late teens before transitioning to rugby league, where he first donned a shirt for Leeds at academy and reserves levels in 2022 while still contracted to the York Knights.
As detailed by Ben Olawumi of Love Rugby League, Warren was a Yorkshire Academy star in his youth alongside turning out for New Earswick All Blacks and Heworth. The 23-year-old subsequently signed permanently with the Rhinos before being loaned back to York towards the back end of the 2023 campaign. Although Warren did not register a senior first-team appearance while based at Headingley, he rounded off his time with the club out on loan in the Super League with the Salford Red Devils before landing a permanent move to the Midlands ahead of the 2026 season.
How did Toby Warren perform during his time with Midlands Hurricanes?
According to auxiliary reporting by Serious About Rugby League, head coach Mark Dunning and the Midlands club oversaw a turbulent roster transition that included multiple departures. As outlined in the reporting by Serious About Rugby League, Toby Warren played 27 times for the Hurricanes during his tenure.
During his stint in the Championship, Warren looked to establish consistent senior minutes following his release from Leeds Rhinos in late 2025, where he had been freed from the final year of a four-year contract.
As noted by the publication, his robust performances in the middle unit and edges for the Hurricanes allowed him to showcase his utility value, ultimately attracting attention from top-flight suitors ahead of 2027. Across his professional career trajectory thus far, Warren has accumulated 15 Super League appearances, all of which came during his loan spell with the Salford Red Devils in 2025.
Who else is departing alongside Toby Warren from the Midlands Hurricanes?
As documented by Serious About Rugby League, Warren’s exit is part of a broader end-of-season squad overhaul handled by head coach Mark Dunning.
Alongside Warren’s departure for the Super League, centre Sutcliffe has also departed the club after making only six appearances due to injury struggles, with Dunning confirming that Sutcliffe will sign with another Championship club.
Further additions to the Midlands departure list include Zeus Silk, Danny Barco, Kieran Moran, and Mikey Wood. As reported by Serious About Rugby League, Mikey Wood has been forced into immediate retirement at the age of 30 following a number of failed Head Injury Assessments (HIAs), concluding a career that featured over 200 professional appearances across various clubs.
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Background of the particular development
The path of Toby Warren back to the top flight illustrates the volatile and cyclical nature of player development within the Rugby Football League (RFL) structure. Having initially emerged through the amateur ranks with New Earswick All Blacks and Heworth before entering the York Knights system, Warren caught the eye of Super League giants Leeds Rhinos.
Leeds initially secured his signature on a long-term deal intended to groom him for Headingley’s first team. However, fierce competition for places and the necessity for developmental minutes saw him loaned out to gain valuable experience, including a stint with the Salford Red Devils where he tasted top-tier action.
When Leeds released him from the final year of his contract ahead of the 2026 season, Warren chose a permanent path in the RFL Championship with the Midlands Hurricanes to secure regular playing time under head coach Mark Dunning. His ability to rebound and impress in the second tier over 27 appearances directly paved the way for his second bite at Super League rugby ahead of the 2027 campaign.
Prediction
This development significantly impacts the Midlands Hurricanes and the broader dynamics of squad composition within both the Championship and Super League.
For the Midlands Hurricanes, losing a versatile forward of Warren’s calibre creates an immediate tactical void on both the edges and the middle unit that head coach Mark Dunning must address during the off-season recruitment window, especially alongside concurrent departures like Sutcliffe and the enforced retirement of veteran Mikey Wood.
Conversely, for Toby Warren and his yet-to-be-named Super League destination, the signing offers a proven, battle-hardened utility forward who has successfully rebuilt his reputation through consistent game time in the lower divisions. Having already accumulated 15 top-flight appearances with Salford, Warren enters his upcoming Super League chapter with greater maturity and readiness to cement a permanent spot in a weekly matchday seventeen.
