Darcy Hancock back at Rocky Brothers for 2025 rugby league season

An insane training stint in a sport boasting some of the world’s strongest people has transformed a Rockhampton Brothers recruit into the most lethal player of 2025. Here’s how.

Darcy Hancock is returning to the rugby league ranks with his former club Rockhampton Brothers after three years competing in crossfit.

Darcy Hancock has put his competitive crossfit career on hold as he returns to the footy field for the 2025 Rockhampton Rugby League season.

The 23-year-old is back with Rockhampton Brothers, the same club with whom he started playing in the under-13 division.

He will join the club’s A-grade team for its first pre-season trial against Gladstone Brothers at Victoria Park at 5pm on Saturday.

Darcy Hancock says he is fitter and stronger after three years competing in crossfit.

Hancock said he was keen to get back to footy full-time, confident he was fitter and stronger after spending the past three years in the high-intensity sport of crossfit, where he competed at the elite level in events such as the Oceania Championships.

“I’d had a game here and there for the past three years but I decided I wanted to come back and have a full season and see how it went,” he said.

“It feels pretty good but it’s different. It doesn’t come as naturally as it did but it’s coming back.”

League proved a good fit for the teenage Hancock, whose big engine and appetite for hard work made him an ideal candidate for the front row.

Darcy Hancock playing schoolboys footy with The Cathedral College.

He was a big hit in club land and also in schoolboys footy, making the Confraternity Carnival merit team in 2019.

When Covid forced the cancellation of the Rocky competition in 2020, Hancock found crossfit and quickly discovered the dynamic and demanding workouts were right in his wheelhouse.

But league kept calling and Hancock listened, deciding to don the blue and white once again.

“I just want to play some good footy and hopefully enjoy myself,” he said.

Brothers coach Damien Seibold.

Coach Damien Seibold is confident Hancock will deliver and can’t wait to see what he brings on Saturday.

“Darcy has an enormous motor. He goes all day,” he said.

“His biggest strengths are his late footwork at the line and he has the ability to ball play as well.

“He just needs to concentrate on running hard and the rest will come.

“It’s great seeing a smile on his face and him enjoying his footy.”

Tyreese Johnson in set for another big season. Photo: Karen Chapman

Seibold said Saturday’s game would be a good opportunity for the younger brigade to impress, with some of the more experienced guys sitting this one out.

However, he said Brothers would still field a pretty strong side, with experienced dummy half Josh Mitchell ready to lead the team around.

He said he was looking forward to watching Tyreese Johnson and Toby Bateman in action after both had put together strong pre-seasons.

“Our ball control and our discipline will be a few things we want to focus on but the key thing is just blowing some cobwebs out and getting a game of footy under our belt,” he said.

Originally published as Darcy Hancock back at Rocky Brothers for 2025 rugby league season