{{short description|Ireland international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Paul "Tiger" Handforth |fullname = Paul Handforth |image = |image_size = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|6|df=y}} |birth_place = Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England |height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}} |weight = {{convert|13|st|1|lb|kg|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|SO}} |club1 = {{nowrap|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats}} |year1start = 2000 |year1end = 04 |appearances1 = 66 |tries1 = 11 |goals1 = 12 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 68 |club2 = Castleford Tigers |year2start = 2006 |year2end = |appearances2 = 18 |tries2 = 2 |goals2 = 1 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 10 |club3 = Featherstone Rovers |year3start = 2007 |year3end = 08 |appearances3 = 50 |tries3 = 25 |goals3 = 16 |fieldgoals3 = 3 |points3 = 137 |club4 = Doncaster |year4start = 2009 |year4end = |appearances4 = 9 |tries4 = 4 |goals4 = 7 |fieldgoals4 = 1 |points4 = 29 |club5 = Batley Bulldogs |year5start = 2009 |year5end = 11 |appearances5 = 65 |tries5 = 17 |goals5 = 96 |fieldgoals5 = 1 |points5 = 260 |club6 = Halifax |year6start = 2012 |year6end = 13 |appearances6 = 60 |tries6 = 12 |goals6 = 20 |fieldgoals6 = 1 |points6 = 89 |club7 = Keighley Cougars |year7start = 2014 |year7end = 16 |appearances7 = 69 |tries7 = 30 |goals7 = 61 |fieldgoals7 = 2 |points7 = 244 |teamA = Ireland |yearAstart = 2003 |yearAend = 11 |appearancesA = 8 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |retired = yes |source = <ref>[http://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Paul-Handforth/ LRL]</ref><ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/paul-handforth/summary.html Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org]</ref> |updated = 24 August 2017 }}
'''Paul Handforth''' (born 6 October 1981), also known by the nickname of '''"Tiger"''', is a professional rugby league footballer who most recently played for Keighley in the Championship 1.
==Background== Paul Handforth was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, he is the son of the rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s for Wakefield Trinity, Hunslet and Oldham; Tony "Tiger" Handforth, and the brother of Matt Handforth, who also played for Featherstone Rovers.
==Playing career== Handforth's position of choice is at {{rlp|so}}, but he can also operate at {{rlp|sh}} and as a {{rlp|hk}}.
He has previously played for Halifax, the Batley Bulldogs, Doncaster, the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and the Castleford Tigers in the Super League. He started playing rugby with the Methley Monarchs ARLFC as a schoolboy and also played for the Oulton Raiders.
Handforth is an Ireland international.<ref name="Ireland 58-18 Russia">{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/7053760.stm|title=Ireland 58-18 Russia|publisher=BBC|date=2007-10-20|access-date=2008-03-14}}</ref> He was named in the Ireland training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.<ref name="Ireland Name World Cup 40 Man Training Squad">{{cite web|url=http://www.rli.ie/story.php?id=53|title=Ireland Name World Cup 40 Man Training Squad|publisher=Rugby League Ireland|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-02|archive-date=2020-04-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411004717/http://www.rli.ie/story.php?id=53|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After leaving Keighley and retiring from the professional game, Handforth joined amateur team Fryston Warriors, and played for them against Keighley in the 2017 Challenge Cup third round tie between the two clubs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/15108700.Tiger_knows_taming_Cougars_will_be_tough/ |title=Tiger knows taming Cougars will be tough |publisher=Telegraph and Argus |date=22 February 2017 |accessdate=24 August 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *(archived by web.archive.org) [https://web.archive.org/web/20120608001909/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=157 Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Handforth, Paul}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:Batley Bulldogs players Category:Castleford Tigers players Category:Doncaster R.L.F.C. players Category:English people of Irish descent Category:Featherstone Rovers players Category:Halifax Panthers players Category:Ireland national rugby league team players Category:Irish rugby league players Category:Keighley Cougars players Category:Rugby league five-eighths Category:Rugby league players from Wakefield Category:Wakefield Trinity players
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