T'Other Side: Widnes Vikings

T’Other Side: Widnes Vikings

2019 Matches

FIRST TEAM SQUAD

LAST TIME OUT

Head Coach: Kieron Purtill

Kieron Purtill was appointed head coach at Widnes during the off-season. He had stepped up to the position of caretaker head coach at Leigh last year following Neil Jukes’ resignation at the end of February. Leigh had lost 3 out of 4 matches. They suffered two more losses after that but he clearly got the team together and they went on to win 11 matches on the trot. Kieron was made permanent head coach of Leigh in late May, his first head coach permanent position having been generally in the role of assistant coach. Back in June 2008 he was assistant coach at Huddersfield Giants and stepped up to the position of joint caretaker coach for the rest of the season alongside Paul Anderson. Incidentally, the person who left Huddersfield in 2008 leading to Kieron becoming acting head coach was Jon Sharp!

As a player Kieron was a halfback or centre and spent his entire short playing career with Leigh from 1998 to 2002 although he did spend time at Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants but never got to play in their first teams.

Captain: Hep Cahill

Hep Cahill was appointed as Widnes captain this year following the departure of Joe Mellor to Toronto Wolfpack. He joined Widnes in 2012, after a one year spell with Crusaders RL in 2011. In 2009 and 2010 he played in the NRL with Melbourne Storm. He has also played for the New Zealand Maori team. Beware, in his schooldays he was a New Zealand kick-boxing champion!

New signings for 2019

Widnes signed 4 new players in the off-season and have also taken Dom Speakman (formerly at Dewsbury Rams) on trial.

Without doubt, thir most prominent signing is Anthony Gelling, who spent last season at New Zealand Warriors after spending 6 seasons with Wigan Warriors. He also played one game on dual reg for Workington. He is a Cook Islands international. Gelling’s addition to the squad gives them potentially the most powerful centre partnership in the Championship alongside Krisnan Inu.

Widnes have signed Liam Hood and Jack Owens from Leigh Centurions.

Liam Hood is a hooker who started at Leeds Rhinos in 2009. In 2015 he joined Salford and then Swinton in 2016. Whilst at Leeds he played for Dewsbury (loan) and Hunslet (dual registration).

Jack Owens is a fullback who is a prolific try scorer and goal-kicker. He made his début for Widnes in 2011. He was at Saint Helens in 2016 and 2017. During 2017 he played on loan for Sheffield Eagles and then signed for them in July of that year before joining Leigh in 2018. He was an England Academy international.

The Widnes front row has been enhanced by the signing of Adam Tangata from Halifax. He is also a Cook Islands international and played alongside Anthony Gelling in the 2013 World Cup. As a junior Tangata played for the Canberra Raiders U20s team.

Dual Registration and Loans

Widnes Vikings do not have a dual registration agreement and nor do they currently have any players on loan.

The Fev Connection

There are no players in the current Fev squad who have played for Widnes. Danny Craven is the only member of the Widnes squad who has played for Fev which he did on loan from Widnes in 2016 making 24 appearances and scoring 8 tries and kicking 5 goals and a drop goal.