11:26am Thursday 4th March 2010
By Mike Critchley
VIKINGS coach Paul Cullen will be picking the brains of his Wigan-based players ahead of Sunday’s Carnegie Challenge Cup opener.
Mid-table National Conference Premier Division side Wigan St Judes are something of an unknown quantity to Cullen.
But Widnes will be confident of overcoming the amateurs to earn a place in Monday’s draw which will feature all the Super League big guns.
Cullen said: “I don’t personally know much about them, but more importantly the players do.
“We have a lot of Wiganers within our ranks and a lot of the young players we have are former teammates and buddies of the guys playing for St Judes.
“We will be asking more than informing this week. The more information that the players can provide on how this game needs to be played and who they are going to come up against the better.”
Widnes will not play any of their on-loan or dual registration players on Sunday to avoid them being cup tied later in the competition.
But Cullen has plenty of players to pick from and confidence is sky high after the rout of Keighley in the first Championship game of the season.
Cullen was particularly pleased with the points machine Shane Grady, who has grown into his kicking responsibilities after a nervy start.
“We are pleased that we have been able to give so many young players an opportunity.
“Shane Grady is leading the charge this year for those young Widnesians to stand up and be counted.
“We took a bit of stick when we released so many established goalkickers. I thought it was right at the time.
“He missed a few against Gateshead in his first serious outing as the club’s number one kicker.
“He has subsequently been banging them over from all different parts of the pitch. This gives him another string to his bow. He has been set a challenge and he is rising to it,” Cullen said.
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