Welcome back for another exciting season for the Haringey Phantoms.
Hang on, what!? That’s not quite right is it.
No, Haringey remain the Haringey Huskies but you’d be forgiven for mistaking them for their rivals up the A1 considering how many players that have made the switch from orange and blue to black and white this season.
The club have done the most radical bit of business I’ve seen in my time supporting them, bringing in 11 new players for a wholly revamped lineup.
This is the first time I can think of where we’ve seen big moves between teams in South 2, barring Luke Clark’s move to Peterborough a couple of years ago. Haringey have been very good at picking up players from South 1 in recent years, but this is the first time that I can think of where we’ve taken talent from our rivals.
And there is a certain East Anglian bent to the roster this year, with no less than four players joining from the Peterborough Phantoms 2. When Nathan Long was announced it was perplexing as to why he’d join such a big rival at a time when Peterborough are not only challenging but winning honours in South 2. The announcements of Conor Pollard, Jordan Liddell, and Luke Clark gave it a bit of context, but it does remain the biggest coup in South 2 transfer history.
Has a change in management at Peterborough precipitated the exodus? Those four represent 83 points from the Phantoms’ tally last year. It’s also unclear whether AJ Herring or Nathan Pollard will be returning. That could be four of their top five point-scorers from last season gone.
Conor Pollard is without doubt the jewel in that crown and Huskies’ fans should be exceptionally excited about his arrival. His numbers are astronomical. We know Nathan Long from his stint at the Palace for the South 1 cup in 2020/21 and the dynamism and point-scoring he brings.
Chris Beckett is an exciting prospect, and at only 21 has already racked up four consecutive 20+ point seasons in South 2 with the Chelmsford Warriors and Oxford Rising Stars. From slightly further afield, Australian young prospect Sam Sywak completes the forward line from the Central Coast Rhinos.
At D there are a slew of new faces. Max McEwan joins from the Cardiff Canucks and has impressed every time I’ve seen him. An exciting young player. I remember Richie Pickering playing against us a few years ago for the Chelmsford Warriors, but he’s been operating for the Chieftains in South1, as well as the Romford Buccaneers more recently.
Similarly for George Hagon who joins from a two-way with the Warriors and Buccaneers. Interestingly George was also Assistant Coach for the Chelmsford Pythons in the WNIHL 2 last year. Kevin Keller and Emil Savy round us out, stepping-up from the Hounds.
Luke Clark ends his sabbatical and rejoins Haringey after two years away. The prodigal son. He was booed on his return to Alexandra Palace playing for the Peterborough Phantoms 2 but I’m certain all of that will be forgotten. Hockey’s not like football in that respect, and fans are much more forgiving. Maybe with such a small pool of players we have to be. I still think he’s pound for pound the best in the league and will sorely want to right some wrongs and get something over the line for Haringey.
Naomi Healey moves on to join Invicta Mustangs. With the return of Luke and the retention of Petr Čech there’s a better chance of minutes playing back-up to longstanding netminder Kieran Wyatt. Naomi had a torrid year of injury last year and only featured a couple of times. Here’s to better luck and better health.
Dylan Phillips moves on too, joining the Chelmsford Chieftains in South 1. The writing was on the wall when he wasn’t being picked for the bigger games last year. Petr was preferred for some of the cup semi’s if I recall, and I think the same was true of the playoffs. A good young netminder but some inconsistent form and lapses in concentration probably did for him.
That there’s no Will Nowik, Oli Cooper, or Carl Etuazim is a tragedy in my opinion. The contributions they made last year were remarkable considering their ages and experience; Cam Pow the only one of that group of junior players returning for 2026/27. Will joins Milton Keynes Thunder, with Moose stepping-up to South 1 with the Romford Buccaneers.
I was sad to see Conner Smith go, particularly to Guildford. I really rate him and he’ll no doubt be a big asset to the Phoenix. There will also be a huge Luke Martin shaped hole in my heart as he leaves to join the new-look Oxford Stars, who will be playing in South 2 this season. The all-time Haringey penalty minute leader (by quite some distance!) will not be featuring for Haringey for 2026/27 and leaves a huge question mark over who now will drop the gloves with Nick Green when we play Chelmsford.
Also not returning are Matt France and Ryan McFarlane. Matt and Mac have been stalwarts for Haringey and are just great people with a lot of time for fans. Part of those teams that came so close, and when I think of Haringey their names instantly come to mind. Haringey through and through.
With several outgoings we’ve also retained a lot of talent. Ruskin Springer Hughes, Marton Szasz, Ryan Payne, Robbie Rejna, Pete Tóth all return. Stuart Appleby was never a question. James Pentecost, Leo de Souza Saoncella, Matt Ganas, and Jaden Boolkah will all feel like new signings given how much they missed last year. So too Stephen Woodford who looks like he’s back fulltime.
It’s a killer roster. A real mean streak. How will they perform together? I have no idea, but it’s a roster that suggests to me the club aren’t taking any chances this year. No semi-final slip-ups, no silverware snatched away by a penalty shot, no losing the league in December. This is it. The real deal.
There will be extra pressure this year to succeed, if you consider the tenth anniversary of the club, if you consider just how strongly they’ve re-equipped. But pressure is a privilege, and Haringey should channel it and relish the opportunity in front of them.
I know I say this every year, but genuinely they really have a very good chance (on paper at least!) of winning something this season. They came agonisingly close in the Eddie Joseph Memorial Cup last year. If they have pretentions on the league they will have to be far more consistent, but maybe they’ve brought in the players to help them achieve that.
There is never, ever a dull moment with this club and you can guarantee that this season will be another rollercoaster affair. Highs and lows, we’ll be there.
Let’s Go Huskies.
