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Part-time Goole Vikings are ready to take on Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup today.
Tyler Craig will swap sorting mail for tackling Super League stars today – as part-time Goole Vikings face Warrington Wolves in their own Challenge Cup “final”.
The Vikings head to the Halliwell Jones Stadium after a full working week – swapping day jobs for rugby league boots to take on some of Super League’s biggest names.
For Craig, 32, sharing the field with Warrington’s stars will be a huge occasion. But the Vikings are determined not to simply make up the numbers.
The ex-postman, now a customer operations manager at Royal Mail, is one of many players juggling demanding jobs with part-time rugby league in the second tier.
And the schedule is relentless, with training twice a week and a captain’s run before match day.
“It requires a lot of determination, resilience and a passion for the game,” Craig said.
“My days start at 5:30am. I get into work and prepare the mail, then finish around 3pm on training days. I’ll go home, have what I call a ‘Grandad nap’, then get to training.
“We start in the gym around 6pm before heading out onto the field an hour later. That’s another hour and a half, then it’s home, reset and repeat.
“The balance takes a lot of commitment and a lot of time to be a part-time player in the Championship – but it’s for the love of the game.”
The 2026 season marks just the Vikings’ second year as a professional club after their successful application to join the pro ranks ahead of 2025.
Former England prop Scott Taylor was appointed head coach and quickly set about building team spirit – gathering the inaugural squad in a local pub 12 months ago for a bonding session that was completed with karaoke.
Since then, it’s been quite the ride.
Goole stunned Halifax to reach the fourth round of this year’s Challenge Cup – earning a glamour tie against Warrington.
Now Craig and his team-mates will get the chance to face the likes of George Williams, Danny Walker and Josh Thewlis on the big stage.
“To get a shot at a Super League club as part-timers, it’s your cup final,” Craig said.
“We’re realistic – the actual final is a long shot. But to have a good crack against a top Super League club is a massive achievement for us and the club.
“It’s a reward for the journey we’ve been on.
“We know where we’re at and what’s coming, but we’re not there to make up the numbers. We’re there to have a dig.
“They’ve got quality players and sharing the field with them is an honour – but we’re not going there just to admire them. We’re going there to give them a game.”
Craig also believes Goole Vikings could one day follow the path of his former club York Knights and become a Super League outfit themselves.
“I’ve seen Goole Vikings from the early set-up to where it is now,” he said.
“With the drive and the progression, and the adversity we’ve overcome, you can see the potential.
“I can see the club following the same blueprint as York Knights – coming through the rough to get where they want to be in the game.”
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