WIDNES boss Tim Sheens has admitted the team needs more beef up front after watching their undoing at Dewsbury ­— but he won’t be flashing the cheque book just yet.

Vikings were worn down by the Rams last Sunday ­— and will face plenty more opponents of a similar make-up on this year’s Championship circuit.

But Sheens is biding his time, to make sure he does the right thing by the club.

“We’ve got money in the salary cap to bring people in,” Sheens said.

“I’ve been around long enough not to dive in, especially at this stage of the season.

“I’m always looking to improve the squad. We need a bit more in our middles and that’s an area we need to get better.

“If I was coaching against our team, that’s the area I’d go for.”

The Vikings currently have Kenny Baker and the Chapelhow twins Jay and Ted as their go-to men up front. While the homegrown brothers have plenty of Super League experience, playing in the relegated Widnes side of two years ago, the Championship is another battle altogether which the Runcornians are still getting used to.

Baker, meanwhile, has been tipped for Super League in the future by his former World Cup winning coach, Sheens.

He said: “Whoever signed him did a damn good job and it wasn’t me! He can play Super League.”

Sheens has also been pleasantly surprised by the wealth of talent the Vikings have unearthed in their Academy and Reserve sides.

“I’m pretty hands on with the reserves as I’m used to the work and working with big groups,” he said.

“While I’m looking at bringing guys in, I won’t overlook or pass over the boys we have here, and there are many I will call on this year, believe me.

“Joe Edge is one of them. He’s a centre who can play back row as he has the size. There’s others too that have a bright future here.”

Sheens is determined to build something big but acknowledges this is a wider project.

“I’m enjoying it, we have real long term potential.”