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!

At the back

Keanan Brand, centre, has been a regular in the Widnes side this year. Only 20 years old, he made his début with Widnes in April last year but that was his only appearance until this season. In 2017 he played for the England Academy.

Without doubt, there most prominent signing for 2019 was Antony 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.

Ryan Ince, wing, has been with Widnes, his first club, since 2016. He has made his début with Whitehaven on dual reg in 2016 and has also played for Hunslet (2017, on loan) and North Wales (2018, dual reg). He is Widnes’ leading try scorer in 2019 with 16 tries in just 15 appearances including a hat trick against Halifax in March and 4 tries against Rochdale in February. In 2013 he was a member of the England Youth team.

Jack Owens, fullback, is a prolific try scorer and goal-kicker. This year he has scored 178 points (11 tries and 67 goals). 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.

Lloyd Roby, centre, fullback or stand-off, has only played for Widnes. He made his début in 2017.

In the halves

Danny Craven, stand-off or full-back, has been a Widnes player since making his professional début in 2010. He has also played for Workington (2013, dual reg), Halifax (2015, loan), Whitehaven (2015, dual reg) and Fev (2016, season long loan).

Tom Gilmore, scrum half, has also been a Widnes registered player throughout his career. He made his début in 2012. He played for North Wales (2014, dual reg) and London Broncos (2015, loan).

Joe Lyons, halfback, was born in Widnes and made his début for his hometown club last season. He had played the year before for North Wales Crusaders on dual reg from Widnes.

At hooker

Widnes signed Josh Ganson from Wigan on May 7th. His career started at Wigan in 2017. Last year he also played for London Skolars and Swinton, both on dual reg. Earlier this year he also played 3 games from Swinton on dual reg. In 2016 he played for England Academy. Josh is the son of the head of the RFL’s Match Official department and former referee, Steve Ganson.

Jordan Johnstone is usually the starting hooker. So far this year he has only played as a hooker although he has previously also played at halfback. His career began with Whitehaven, his hometown club, in 2015. He moved to Widnes in 2016 and in 2018 he played 3 games on loan with London Broncos.

In the pack

A nightmare for commentators, Widnes have Jay and Ted Chapelhow, props. They are identical twins! They both came through the Widnes academy. Jay made his professional début on dual reg at Whitehaven in 2015. Jay did get to make one substitute appearance for Widnes that year. 2016 saw them again at Whitehaven on dual reg and Ted making his Widnes début. In 2017 Ted played for Bradford on dual reg and in 2018 he played for North Wales on dual reg. Ted had also played for the England Academy in 2014.

Chris Dean, second row or centre, started with Saint Helens in 2007. During 2008 and 2010 he played for Widnes on loan. In 2011 he joined Wakefield Trinity and then signed for Widnes in 2012. He is now in his 8th season as a Widnes player.

Harrison Hansen, prop or second row, is a product of the Wigan Academy and made his début in their first team in 2004. In 2014 he joined Salford and then moved to Leigh in 2016. He moved to Widnes from Leigh in July last year. At representative level he has played for New Zealand, Samoa and The Exiles. His father, Shane, played for Salford, Swinton and New Zealand.

Macgraff Leulai, loose forward, was a junior with NRL club Newcastle Knights, although he was actually born in Wakefield while his father was playing for Trinity. At the age of 18, in 2009, he joined Leigh. In 2011 he joined Widnes but returned to Leigh on loan at the end of 2012. He has also played on loan or dual reg with Workington (2013), Whitehaven (2015) and North Wales (2018). His father is James Leuluai who played for Hull FC, Wakefield and New Zealand. Wigan’s Thomas Leuluai is his brother and Kylie (Leeds) and Philip (Salford) are his cousins.

Sam Wilde, second row, made his début with Warrington in 2015. Whilst at Warrington, he had loan or dual reg spells with Rochdale (2016 and 2017), London Broncos (2017) and Widnes (2017). He joined Widnes in 2018. In 2014 he played for England Academy.

Dual Registration and Loans

Widnes Vikings have a dual registration agreement with North Wales Crusaders and Sam Freeman and Liam Walsh have played for them this year. They do not 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.