HALIFAX PANTHERS coach Kyle Eastmond feels like he has a new signing in loyal club man Will Calcott.
The 27-year-old forward has topped 80 appearances for his hometown club, but missed most of last season with a knee injury.
Calcott made his return from the bench during the 48-6 home win over amateurs Thatto Heath in round two of the Challenge Cup.
Now he is targeting another outing against Catalans Dragons in round three on Saturday.
“It was great to have Will back, and he’s been outstanding since I’ve come in,” said Eastmond, who has succeeded Liam Finn in the hot seat.
“He probably played more minutes than we intended, and he was keen to be out there for even longer.
“With the length of time he has been absent, it’s like having a new signing.”
Eastmond is pleased with the progress his players have made since his arrival, adding: “They’re buying into the plan.
“We produced some decent stuff in tough conditions against Thatto Heath, and while there are some things to fix up and plenty of details to work on, we got the job done, which is the main thing.”