12:40pm Thursday 11th February 2010
By Mike Critchley
VIKINGS kicking coach Tommy Martyn must have been pleased to see Shane Grady slot the match levelling conversion at Batley on Sunday.
The former Saints legend has been working on Vikings’ kicking skills since being appointed in December.
It was probably also a relief to Grady, who along with Scott Yates, missed a number of shots at goal in the preceding game against Gateshead.
Coach Paul Cullen said: “It was great to see – he had a fair share of stick after the missed kicks at Gateshead.
“But at 30-28 with seconds left and a home crowd that was enjoying giving him the rounds of the kitchen and he just coolly stroked it over.
“All that work with Tommy Martyn is paying off for him and he may just be adding a few more strings to his bow that will keep him in the team.
“He is standing up to be noticed.”
Cullen said that Martyn has been a useful addition to the coaching staff.
“He has without a doubt made a big difference,” he said.
“I am not a kick expert and never have been, but know a man who is. Tommy has worked very well in difficult circumstances.
“Our training problems have been difficult - that is getting on a field with floodlights in this borough has been difficult and we have been begging, stealing and borrowing from anyone we can.
“We are grateful to the Widnes athletics club, Wade Deacon and Sts Peter and Paul.
“But we are doing full on rugby training in the middle of an athletics track with athletes running around us.
“It is very difficult then to go kicking ball about over the heads of young athletes running around a track.”
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