Factfile

Name: Andy Ackers

Age: 29

Place of Birth: Wigan, England

Clubs played for: Swinton Lions (2014-2015), London Broncos (2016-2017), Toronto Wolfpack (2018-2020), Salford Red Devils (2020-2023)

International Honours: England (2022)

Position: Hooker

Super League Debut: Vs Castleford Tigers (H) 2^nd February 2020

 Career so Far: Championship and League One

-  A product of his hometown club’s Academy, Ackers played for Wigan and Warrington at junior level before making the decision to play part-time rugby at the age of 19.

- Alongside working, he signed for Swinton Lions where he played for two seasons. Debuting with two tries against Halifax in 2014, he played 25 times (21 as a starter) and scored nine tries as the Lions were relegated to League One. The Lions were quickly back in the second tier a year later as Ackers played all 31 games, including the promotion final against Keighley. He also scored the crucial try that beat Newcastle Thunder in the I-Pro Sport Cup semi-finals.

- Ackers became a full time athlete at the age of 23 when he signed for London in 2016. Just like at Swinton, he was a try scorer on debut as the Broncos beat Oldham 22-0 and he went on to play 28 times under Andrew Henderson. London finished the regular season in second place and subsequently entered The Qualifiers, where they missed the chance to play in the Million Pound Game on points difference against Salford.

- A second-place finish at the end of the 2017 Championship season saw the Broncos and Ackers feature in the Qualifiers again as the hooker played 20 games and scored 12 tries, before he made the switch across the Atlantic to sign for Toronto Wolfpack.

- As one of a number of new signings brought in to strengthen the Wolfpack’s bid for Super League status, Ackers featured 31 times for Toronto as they reached the Million Pound Game, only to lose out to his former club London in the 2018 Million Pound Game. A year later though, Ackers was ever-present as the club was promoted into the top tier after a Grand Final win over Featherstone Rovers.

Career so Far: Super League

- Due to the Covid-19 pandemic shutting the Wolfpack’s first Super League season down after seven games, Ackers announced a mid-season move to Salford in June to reunite with former coach Ian Watson, who had played and coached the hooker at Swinton. When the league restarted in August, Ackers played nine times for the Red Devils and scored his sole try of the year in a 28-22 win over Hull FC.

- He was named the club’s starting hooker in 2021 but it was his 2022 season under Paul Rowley that got Ackers league-wide recognition. Partnered alongside Marc Sneyd, Ryan Brierley and Brodie Croft in a lethal spine, Ackers played 28 games (all but one as a starter) to help the club finish sixth in the table and reach the Super League semi finals. Notably, his try against Huddersfield in the eliminator sealed Salford’s place back in the final four for the first time since 2019.

- 2022 also brought international honours for the hooker as he was included in Shaun Wane’s final squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Marking his first international appearance with a try in a warm-up game against Fiji, Ackers came off the bench in group game wins over France and Greece; adding two tries in a 94-4 result against the Greek Titans.

- Last season, he played 20 games and scored three tries in games against Wakefield and two against Leigh.

- Overall, Ackers has played 74 games for the Red Devils and scored 10 tries.