Vikings will have to keep an eye on old boys (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Vikings will have to keep an eye on old boys

in Vikings Match Reports By Mike Critchley

VIKINGS will come up against a couple of the players they have recently discarded when they travel to York on Sunday.

York’s form has been boosted since the arrival of Anthony Thackeray and James Ford – players who were told that they would not be offered a Super League contract .

It should add another dimension to a game that is not as straightforward as the league table suggests.

Although the Knights are bottom of the pile, they have the capacity to score points – and Vikings boss Denis Betts will be mindful of that as they emerge from a free weekend.

Betts said: “Our form over the past two games had been good – but it has been good to give the lads a bit of a break.

“And it was good for them to go away on the back a good win.

“Hopefully it will energise us and push us on for the last quarter.

“There were a few lads carrying knocks – and they are now raring to go and have got their mojo back.

“Hopefully we can carry that back through against a pretty resurgent York side that have a couple of out ex-players in there.

“It will be a bit of a test for us at the weekend.”

Although Thackeray and Ford are on loan - there was no question of them not being allowed to play against the Vikings.

Betts added: “We asked them to go and play somewhere else and to have put restrictions on them would have been harsh.

“We have lads who have played with them for years but we know what their strengths, but we haven’t changed anything since they left and they know our strengths too.

“York are a side that can score tries but can fade towards the end. ”

Director of rugby Paul Cullen and chief executive Julie Gaskell have flown out to Australia seeking new signings for Vikings’ return to top flight rugby.

The club will be seeking to sign up top notch Australian talent to add to the squad slowly being assembled for their foray into Super League.