Coyle to share hooking load (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Coyle to share hooking load

3:20pm Thursday 22nd October 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

PAUL Cullen has given insight into how Vikings’ new signings will fit into his side for the 2010 Championship campaign.

And he has done so while revealing he will set about remodelling his pack’s play during pre-season.

Thomas Coyle, the 21-year-old brought in from Oldham, looks set to take some of the hooking load off Mark Smith.

And the recruitment of big props Steve Pickersgill and Gareth Haggerty emphasises the way Cullen wants his side to be led forward, especially when away from home matching up to deliberately huge packs pounding the beat on some sloping, tight and potentially muddy pitches.

“I’m looking to build a Widnes pack that can dominate because if they don’t the decent backs that we have here can’t operate,” said Cullen.

“That’s something that we need to improve on from last year.”

The players return for pre-season training on November 2 and Cullen added: “We have different personalities coming to the club next year, different styles of players.

“It’s exciting trying to work out how we’re going to utilise the talent that we’re bringing in.

“First and foremost, we’ll be taking back our pack, taking it to pieces and putting it back together.

“If we look at the way we want to build the team around Mark Smith going forward, we’re putting four senior and very big prop forwards at his disposal and there’s quite a contrast in styles to each of the four senior props.

“Pickersgill brings something different and adds value to what Jim Gannon has done for a considerable period and Haggerty offers us a serious power game.

“I think that will enhance the talents of a young power athlete in Ben Kavanagh.

“Just sitting under that are young prop forwards like Dave Houghton, who showed great promise at the back end of last year and a giant of a teenager in Anthony Mullally.

“It will be one of Mullally’s targets and one of our goals for him that he actually gets a run at first-team level and as he matures I’m sure that’s going to be made available if he continues to improve.

“And if you look at the likes of Coyle, who has the ability to play at number six, seven and probably more importantly for us, nine, it gives us a great chance to utilise the talents of Mark Smith and not rely on him to do 80 minutes in every game all season.”

Cullen accepted that Smith likes to be involved all the minutes that he can but added: “Every player gets injured, every player gets knocked and every player gets a little bit tired at some point.

“He led from the front virtually all season and it takes its toll.”

Another newcomer, 19-year-old Chris Gerrard from Wigan, is described as having ‘great potential’ and looks set to figure at loose forward at some stage.

“Last year we had to rely on many occasions playing three prop forwards - one at number eight, one at 10, and one at 13,” said Cullen.

“It works for a spell and is great to be able to have that but at some point you want your loose forward to be able to open up and play some rugby league as well.

“Hopefully, we’ve got a young man who can fill that need.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)